TORONTO — Longtime Catholic conductor and countertenor Peter Mahon experienced a crescendo of joyous surprise on May 3 while leading the Tallis Choir of Toronto through a performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “All-Night Vigil” at St. Patrick’s Church.
He was unexpectedly presented the King Charles III Coronation Medal onstage, before his chamber ensemble’s encore performance, in honour of his decades as a performer and maestro and for his contributions to the venerable St. Michael’s Choir School. The commendation was bestowed by Canadian Royal Heritage Trust chairman Arthur Bousfield.
“I was totally shocked,” said Mahon. “It is a humbling experience. I thought, ‘why me?’ I can think of many, many very deserving people whom I would have given it to before me. But it’s nevertheless very flattering to get something like that and to be recognized for all this time.”
Evidentially, Mahon’s body of work has resonated far beyond the Greater Toronto Area considering that Jeremy Patzer, a Saskatchewan Conservative MP, nominated him for this prize. The official citation reads “for service to the arts, religion and youth as a singer, conductor and teacher.”
For nearly two decades Mahon has nurtured the singing talents of St. Michael’s Choir School students. Predominantly, he serves as a vocal instructor and a rehearsal conductor, but he has been counted on to step in as principal conductor during brief interregnum periods.
Mahon appreciates the opportunity to positively influence the boys’ growth not only as musicians but also into Christian men.
“We talk about our faith,” said Mahon. “We talk about how it impacts our lives. We talk about how music is a part of that faith and how we serve the liturgy, which has an impact on the lives of everyone who comes to Mass with respect to how they worship and how we try to help them get closer to God.”
There is also gratification in watching the boys deftly pull off complicated vocal arrangements, including the complex “Gloria” from English composer Jonathan Dove for the May 17-18 weekend liturgies. The longtime musical mentor said the boys rose to the challenge of tackling the syncopated rhythms contained in the piece.
Mahon has also enjoyed his association with the Tallis Choir since 2003. He views this musical director role as a nice complement to his work at the choir school. While church choirs “have to conform to liturgical parameters,” Tallis offers an environment of “free rein to your artistic sensibilities.”
Showcasing Rachmaninoff’s “All-Night Vigil” earlier this month — the closing event of the 2024-25 season — was a thrill for Mahon and the 36 members of his ensemble as they performed in Russian and old Slavonic.
Mahon’s son Christopher is one of the Tallis Choir tenors and featured as a concert soloist that night. His wife Katharine Pimenoff, with whom they are blessed with six children, graced the soprano section.
All their offspring have shared their musical talent with the world, and there have been blessed occasions through the years when members of the Mahon clan perform together. Last summer the family was celebrating a reunion at a cottage and they decided to contact a church — Mahon couldn’t recall the exact name of the parish — and asked if they could perform the music at a Mass. He said a dozen members of the family performed together and “it was great fun.”
The countertenor who specializes in early music and baroque oratorio (large-scale musical works typically derived from religious texts) also cherishes his opportunities with the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir La Chappelle de Quebec, Toronto Consort and Studio de musique ancienne de Montreal, among many others. He has also directed the William Byrd Singers, the St. Michael’s Cathedral Vespers Choir and various church choirs.
After many years of sharing his talents and showcasing the uplifting and transformative power of music by guiding others to new heights, Mahon was asked about his goals for the years ahead.
“Retire,” said Mahon with a chuckle. “I am long past retirement age and working seven days a week. I’ll be looking forward to a bit of a rest.”
