Dawn Martens is the recipient of a 2010 Ruby Award for opera education from Opera Canada, as well as a 2020 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching for an online children’s production of the opera Brundibar. Dawn was the Artistic Director of The Buchanan Park Opera Club for 26 years, a unique program which introduced young children to opera performance and garnered her the following awards: four Hamilton Music Awards for People’s Choice Elementary School Teacher, three Profiling Excellence Awards and one Outstanding Achievement Award from the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board, a Music Education Excellence Award from the Kodaly Society of Canada, and induction into the McMaster University Alumni Gallery. A writer for Opera Canada for over 20 years, she is currently the host of Opera Night in Canada on 100.9 Canoe FM. She is a lifelong resident of Hamilton, has directed numerous church and school choirs, and is currently the Director of Music for the Duet Club’s Women of Song, and The Garth Trails Singers, as well as the Minister of Music at Dundas Baptist Church.
