Human rights activist, conductor, and JUNO-nominated tenor, Justin Jalea is an internationally sought-after consultant for projects that seek positive social change through the arts. In his dual role of musician/activist, Justin has collaborated with organizations such as Americans for the Arts, the National Guild for Community Arts Education, the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, and the United Nations.

Justin is a seasoned choral artist having sung with professional choirs throughout Canada and the United States, including the Canadian Chamber Choir, Pro Coro Canada, Luminous Voices, and the Choir of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York. Justin is an experienced conductor and two-time recipient of the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Scholarship from the Yale University School of Music and the CIBC Emerging Artist Scholarship in choral arts. His conducting teachers include Simon Carrington, Jeffrey Douma, and Lone Larsen.

Justin has founded numerous vocal ensembles that foster compassion and action for diverse social causes, including the New York City-based ensemble Inspire: A Choir for Unity, whose community-building work is featured in his recently published chapter on choral music and human rights in the Routledge Companion to Music and Human Rights.

Currently, Justin is an Adjunct Professor of Human Rights and Philosophy in the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Durham College, and an articling student at the international law firm, DLA Piper. Justin remains active as a professional singer, appearing frequently with the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, La Chappelle de Québec, and the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montréal.

Justin holds dual JD/BCL degrees from McGill University’s Faculty of Law. Additionally, he holds a master’s degree from the Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University, and an MA and BA (Hons.) from the Universities of Alberta and Toronto, respectively, both in philosophy.