The Toronto Mass Choir (TMC) continues to be on the cutting edge of the Canadian gospel music scene bringing its distinct gospel sound to the world stage. Now 40 members strong plus a five-piece band, this not-for-profit choir consists of adult members from various local church denominations across the Greater Toronto Area. Karen Burke, a graduate of McMaster University, the Royal Conservatory of Music, and a Professor of music at York University, is the Artistic Director of this diversified group of singers and musicians along with her husband, Oswald Burke, the choir's business manager, and Executive Producer. Gospel Music label Micah Communications Inc released the choir's debut album, "Great Is Thy Glory," on vinyl and cassette in 1988. It was later re-released in the Compact Disc format in April 1990 under the new title 'The Early Years.' TMC's second live recording, God is our Hope, was released in 1994, followed in April 1998 by its Juno-nominated album, Follow Him. February 2002 saw the release of Instrument of Praise. That year the Gospel Music Association Canada (GMAC) awarded TMC a Covenant Award for Best Urban/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year. In 2003, they picked up a Juno Award for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year, the Vibe Award for Urban/Soul Album of the Year, and the Urban Music Association of Canada Award for Gospel Recording of the Year. TMC's music incorporates contemporary gospel, traditional gospel, and Caribbean music influences. In particular, TMC's combination of gospel lyrics with various musical styles has resulted in a unique style in Canada. Toronto Mass Choir continues its busy concert schedule, appearing on many radio and television broadcasts for stations such as CTS, CBC Radio One, CITY-TV, and CBC TV. It has also been the focus of several television documentaries. In November 2005, the choir broke new ground, using a 20-piece orchestra on The Live Experience, which also garnered a Covenant Award in 2006 for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year. A Shai Award, the gospel music people's choice prize for Urban/Soul album of the year, followed in 2007. The September 2007 release of Going Home, a full Caribbean gospel album, showcased the choir's soulful style of reggae, calypso, ska, and new sounds with the fusion of jazz and reggae. The release of their seventh album in 2010, A Christmas Gift, marked the first Contemporary Gospel Choir Christmas CD release in Canada and showcases TMC at its best. A Christmas Gift also won 2 Covenant Music awards, including 'Seasonal Album of the Year. In 2012, as they entered their 25th performance season, Toronto Mass Choir released '25', a CD featuring highlights from their recording career and four previously unreleased songs from their early years. That same year, TMC was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Gospel Music Association of Canada. TMC's travels abroad have taken them to several countries, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Italy, Trinidad, and Barbados. TMC has also been a special guest at countless church services, festivals, award shows, and venues such as The Ottawa Bluesfest, Quebec's La Festival de Musique Sacree de Saint-Roch, the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Canadian National Exhibition, the Empire Club of Canada, Roy Thompson Hall with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Hamilton Place with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and at the Gospel Music Workshop of America conventions in Washington, DC, Atlanta and Detroit. The choir has also appeared with well-known Gospel singers such as Tramaine Hawkins, Wintley Phipps, and Take 6, Canadian recording giants such as Ben Heppner and Jane Bunnett, and jazz legend Jon Hendricks.