Joan Bretney has been the Director of Music at Kew Beach United Church since 1975. A life-time resident of the Beach area of Toronto, and a long-time teacher of piano, organ, theory and voice, Joan holds a degree from Trinity College of Music in London, England. She has studied also at the Royal School of Church Music and with the Choristers Guild in the United States. Prior to coming to Kew, Joan was music director at St. John’s (Norway) Anglican Church and St. Aidan’s Anglican Church.

Joan attempts to find and blend a balance of traditional and contemporary music for worship. A strong believer in congregational participation, she encourages all musicians (and would-be musicians) of the congregation to develop their leadership potential.

In Joan’s words, "I feel privileged to have shared in the musical education and nurturing of many young people of Kew Beach United who have assumed leadership roles with both sacred and secular music." With Joan’s positive attitude, musicality and excellent role modeling, which have generated the loyalty of many long-time choir members, Kew’s congregation is privileged as well.

Beyond her ministry of music, Joan sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian National Exhibition Food Products Association and works as a management consultant for Hershey Canada. She is a past board member of the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus and an active member of the United Church Women.