The Ernst Family is a vocal ensemble consisting of eleven members, aged six to adult, singing everything from solos to eight-part harmony. We perform Renaissance, classical, traditional sacred, black spiritual, and folk music. Most of our music is sung a capella (without instruments), with an occasional piano or guitar accompaniment. The genetic similarity of the voices gives a harmonious blend rare in unrelated voices.
The ensemble currently consists of parents Gregg (bass) and Jennie (soprano), sons Joshua (tenor), John (tenor), Peter (baritone and countertenor), Elijah (bass), daughters Eva, 16 (alto), Ruth, 13 (soprano), Esther, 10 (soprano), with occasional participation from Nathan (8), and Samuel (6). The family lives on a farm on First Peninsula, just outside Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada.
The family started singing after Joshuas voice changed in 2001. With four-part harmony possible, Jennie thought it would be fun to work on a bit of choral singing. Positive audience response convinced us that our singing should be shared, and we have since performed for national television programs and toured the Maritimes, eastern US, and Ontatrio.
The Ernsts have become known for a variety of other endeavours as well. Gregg is a blacksmith, and it was at his shop that did the ironwork for the Bluenose and Bluenose II, depicted on the Canadian dime, was forged. Joshua is following in his fathers footsteps. Gregg has also received international recognition as a strength athlete. He competed in The Worlds Strongest Man competitions in the Canary Islands and Iceland in 1990 and 1991, and he still holds the official world record for the most weight lifted by a man, at 5340 lbs. Jennie is well known to Nova Scotian home schoolers, having chaired the provincial association for a number of years and represented it in legal negotiations with the provincial government.
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