Tim Elia began his musical education with eleven years at St. Michael’s Choir School in Toronto, where he studied under many fine teachers, among them John Arpin, Victor Togni, Charles Peaker, Talivaldis Kenins, Mgr. J.E. Ronan and Rev. T. Barrett Armstrong. He has been teaching choirs of students and adults for over 35 years. As a performer he made his first TV appearances in 1971; his recordings have been broadcast and sold in both Canada and the States, and he has composed and arranged both pop and sacred music from the sixties to the present. He has lectured in Gregorian Chant and Gospel Music for St. Michael’s College Continuing Education Department at the University of Toronto. He has arranged Oxford Churchmusic programs in England, Ireland, Italy and Austria every year since 1994. He lives in Warkworth, ON.

Paul Townshend attended St. Michael’s Choir School, where he studied piano, organ and voice. He continued his musical studies at University, becoming a high school music teacher. Under his direction, his students recorded albums, travelled/toured extensively and performed in venues such as Roy Thomson Hall. For many years, Paul has directed the alumni of the Choir School , and he has been an organist and choir-master his entire professional career. He is presently Director of Music at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Aurora, Ontario. Paul is a long-standing member of the Mistletones, a Toronto-based a capella recording group, with whom he does some directing and arranging. The group has recorded two albums and performed in both Canada and the United States. Besides his musical endeavours, Paul and his wife Nadia have two grown children. He breeds Labrador Retrievers and is a licensed obedience judge with the CKC.

Marcus Elia, like his father Tim, attended St Michael’s Choir School from Grade three to thirteen. He settled in Peterborough, Ontario while studying English Literature at Trent University, where he met his life-partner Jen Deck. They have two adult sons: one a carpenter, the other a philosopher, both of them musicians.  A full-time elementary school educator, Marcus teaches a homeroom of grade sevens and eights, as well as vocal and instrumental music to primary, junior, and intermediate students. He serves on the executive of the Northumberland Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and is Music Director at Trinity United Church in Hastings, Ontario.

Mary Elia is Tim’s partner in life, and in Oxford Churchmusic she is your non-music facilitator. After 23 years of organizing the OCM trips she has a feel for the ongoing non-musical needs of participants. She brings a certain level of organization combined with the joie-de-vivre and necessary sense of humour required to run trips such as these. In another life Mary was a high school English teacher and Librarian. She shares her love of culture, music, good food, gardening, and fine wine with each group. She has organized additional enrichment experiences such as special garden tours, visits to castles and stately homes, and themed walking tours in most of our different locations.