Stella Claire ter Hart holds ARCT diplomas from the Toronto Conservatory of Music. While growing up in Saskatchewan, she had the privilege of studying with some of the best teachers at the time, including Mary Murakami  (Estevan), William Moore (Regina), Lyell Gustin (Saskatoon) and Robin Harrison (Saskatoon).  After moving to Alberta, Stella studied with Marilyn Engle (Calgary).

          She is a widely sought after adjudicator and has brought her fun and unique interactive adjudicating skills to numerous music festivals in Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. From 1997 to 2002 she was the Head of Music at Rothesay Netherwood Private School in Saint John, New Brunswick where she developed their entire music program, directed Junior, Senior and Jazz Bands as well as a Girls Choir, Swing Choir, Young Men’s Choir and annual Musical. Stella left New Brunswick and moved to Ontario where she was accepted into the Toronto Conservatory College of Examiners. She served as an Examiner in the Theory and History Department for over 10 years.

          Stella is now a retired member of the College of Examiners at the Toronto Conservatory and presently focuses on composition with an emphasis on choral works and solo instrumental works. She is the Artistic Director of the Frontenac Women’s Chorus, Kingston’s first and longest running community Women’s Choir, as well as the Artistic Director for the award winning SATB adult mixed choir, Melodia. She is also enjoying have time to turn her attention to writing, and has recently published her first book, "Discovering Twins".

          Stella is a member of the Association of Canadian Women Composers (ACWC), Choral Canada, and Choirs Ontario, the Association of Canadian New Music (ACNMP) and is a past member of the National Music Festival Adjudicator’s Association.

          She presently lives a quiet life with her husband (a professional artist), and together they maintain an organic, heritage apple orchard north of Kingston, Ontario.