Register now for BCCF Chorfest 2022: May 27/28 online
Join us online May 27 & 28 for BCCF Chorfest 2022: State of the Art – finding the focus for today’s choral landscape. This year’s event features engaging content designed to get you vocalizing, connecting and learning.
Registration
Click here to reserve your space. Only $65 for two days of interactive choral enlightenment!
Registration also includes archival video access, if you prefer to enjoy these sessions at your own pace!
Purchase or renewal of a BCCF Individual Membership is required in order to attend Chorfest.
Schedule & Clinicians
Our presenters are renowned leaders with deep connections to the choral sphere. We invite you to learn more about them – and their sessions – below:
Friday, May 27
6:30-6:40 PM
Official Welcome & Introductions
6:40-7:00 PM
Session 1 – BC Youth Choir
Inside the rehearsal hall
Go behind the scenes with 47 members of the 2022 BC Youth Choir, and their conductor Dr. Jim Sparks, as they prepare repertoire for a future video recording – also included with your Chorfest registration!
7:00-8:00 PM
Session 2 – Laura Hawley
Mindfulness-based choral warm-ups
What is mindfulness, and what does it have to do with choral warm-ups?
In recent years, we have seen a great emergence of mindfulness and meditation in Western society, as well as concrete confirmation from modern science of the benefits of a mindfulness practice. This session will explore how the power of awareness can support your choral rehearsal warm-ups and music making through:
• Increased ability to concentrate and clarity of thinking
• Freedom from distracting thoughts and self-judgements
• Expanded awareness of the vocal instrument: the body
• A sense of connectedness to the artistic practice and the ensemble
We’ll move through a multi-step vocal warm-up that prepares the body and mind for singing while simultaneously practicing deliberately attending to what is happening moment-by-moment. Through observing the quality of the present experience without judgment, we will explore how we can use the liberating effects of mindfulness to find new levels of depth for our practice as choral artists!
Note: This session includes vocal exercises to be done by participants in their own environment.
8:00-8:15 PM
Silent Auction bidding
Appliances, gift cards, concert tickets, artwork, and more… just some of what’s on offer at our 2022 BCCF Silent Auction! Incoming BCCF president Anita Comba leads you on an exciting tour of items, with a chance to browse items online and place your bids – all in support of BC Choral Federation programs and activities.
8:15-9:00 PM
Social Hour
Raise a glass and chat with singers and choral enthusiasts from all over BC in a series of rotating breakout room sessions.
Saturday, May 28
8:00-8:45 AM
BCCF Annual General Meeting
An overview of the BC Choral Federation’s 2021 financials and operations. As a BCCF member, you are welcome to attend!
8:45-9:30 AM
Break/Reset
9:00-10:00 AM
Session 3 – Paul Smith of England’s VOCES8
The VOCES8 Method: Singing Communities Worldwide
Join Paul Smith, co-founder of VOCES8, for an hour of interactive music making. Paul is passionate about the impact singing and the arts can have in the widest possible context – from academic improvement to social skills and building more cohesive communities. He uses that passion to design and deliver unique, inclusive and uplifting performance projects all over the world. In this session he will introduce you to the VOCES8 Method (published in four languages by Edition Peters), alongside a collection of games, exercises and songs. Singing, Paul thinks, should be about exploring creativity and having fun!
10:00-10:15 AM
Coffee Break
10:15-11:15 AM
Session 4 – Justin Jalea & Megan Chartrand (60min)
Sing about it!: Crafting collective identity through song
This interactive session will explore how collective singing can contribute to and advance social justice. Presenters Justin Jalea and Megan Chartrand will lead participants through an exploration of the power of collaborative music-making and its effects on collective identity and solidarity. They will give a brief overview of the role that collective singing has played during times of struggle, and share their experiences of using collective singing to advance social justice aims.
However, most of the session will be devoted to singing! Participants will learn songs from the Social Justice Choir Handbook. Then, in groups, participants will collaboratively reinterpret those songs by crafting new lyrics and/or melodic and harmonic adaptations to give voice to a current issue that is important to them. They will then share their reinterpretation with the large group. Come sing with us!
11:15-11:30 AM
Willan Award Presentation
Watch live as we surprise this year’s deserving recipient of the Willan Award, honouring outstanding service to the BC Choral Federation.
11:30-NOON
Session 5 – Dr. Adam Con
Keynote: ADEI and our BC choral family
Dr Adam Con, University of Victoria, is deeply connected to current work and research in issues of Access, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. His keynote incorporates the concepts related to ways of doing things considering ADEI and highlights different choir activities in the province.
NOON to 1:00 PM
Lunch Break
1:00-2:00 PM
Session 6 – Megan Chartrand
Developing Healthy Habits: A Guide to the Conscious Choral Voice
Join Grammy- and Juno-nominated soprano Megan Chartrand for a vocal tune-up.
This participatory session will present strategies to promote healthy choral singing from a pedagogical and practical approach. Choral singers often lead busy lives and come to rehearsal for a sense of community and to be rejuvenated by music. However, too often, vocal challenges get in the way, making the choral experience less rewarding.
Megan will present a tool box of healthy singing tips and tricks to maximize your healthy choral experiences focused around the following themes:
· balancing vowels
· coordinating onset
· listening and tuning
· singing with masks
2:00-2:15 PM
Break & Silent Auction Announcement
2:15-3:30 PM
Session 7 – Choirs & New Music
Breakout Room #1 (TTBB) – Vancouver Men’s Chorus & composer Nicholas Ryan Kelly, with Willi Zwozdesky
Working with composers is hugely rewarding for creators, performers, and listeners. And the legacy of commissioning is a permanent contribution to the world body of repertoire, perhaps the greatest reward of all! Penticton-based composer Nicholas Ryan Kelly, winner of the 2022 Choral Canada Diane Loomer Award for Choral Composition, joins Willi Zwozdesky and the Vancouver Men’s Chorus (VMC) as they discuss and rehearse details of “Be The Song”, words by Wendy McLean, Nicholas’ recent commission for the VMC. The original lyrics and music are a grand celebration of 30 years of artistic complicity between resident accompanist Stephen Smith and the VMC. The world premiere is planned for the 2022/2023 season.
Breakout Room #2 (SATB) Vivaldi Chamber Choir & composer David Millard, with Edette Gagné
“Remembering: Genesis of a Requiem During a Global Pandemic”
Part 1: Introit – A look back at the digital premiere of David Millard’s Requiem in December 2021, featuring Vivaldi Chamber Choir.
Part 2: Rehearsals and Revisions – the composer joins Edette live for a chat about his challenges, the artistic process, and some behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage.
Part 3: Requiem Realized – Reflections on the process of bringing David Millard’s Requiem to life on stage.
3:30-4:00PM
Session 8 – Sing Together!
World Premiere
An Advocacy initiative of the British Columbia Choral Federation (BCCF), the “Sing Together!” project was developed as a means toward building communities that are characterized by respectful inclusion and honouring of diversity. BCCF Advocacy Chair Linda Dier leads this exciting overview of the project, and how YOU can use it in your own choral practice.
ChorfestKeynotes2022-FinalBC Youth Choir
The BC Youth Choir is an auditioned provincial choir comprised of singers aged 16-25 from across the province. The choir meets and performs annually during May in conjunction with the BC Choral Federation’s Chorfest event. It’s a fun-filled weekend of rehearsing and performing incredible music at a high level!
The BCYC is unique amongst Canadian provincial youth choirs as it is run by youth, for youth.
The choir is directed each year by a renowned and inspirational choral conductor. Past conductors include: Jon Washburn, Frances Roberts, Peter Taylor, Kevin Zakresky, Debra Cairns, Heather Johnson, Adam Con, Graeme Langager, Kathleen Allan, Allison Girvan and Carrie Tennant.
Each year, an aspiring young choral conductor is selected as the BCYC Intern Conductor to work with the choir under the clinician’s mentorship.
Dr. Jim Sparks
Dr. Jim Sparks is a conductor, and teacher from Vancouver, Canada. His recent positions include interim Director of Choral Activities at Boston University, adjunct Professor of Conducting at the University of British Columbia School of Music, and Lecturer in Music Education at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia. He is senior advisor for choral music for Music Mentors International and former teacher of vocal, choral, and ensemble music at the renowned Langley Fine Arts School (LFAS) in Langley, British Columbia for two decades. Jim has been chorus director for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Brahms’ Requiem, Faure’s Requiem, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, Ryan’s Requiem for a Generation, and William Walton’s Henry the Fifth with the Vancouver Symphony and Maestro Bramwell Tovey. His recent choral season at Boston University featured performances of Verdi’s La Traviata, Poulenc’s Gloria, Holst’s Planets at Boston Symphony Hall, and a collaborative residency with renowned Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. Jim is the recipient of the Professional Music Educator Award from the British Columbia Music Educators Association and the Willan Award from the BC Choral Federation. For his research into Cross-Cultural singing, he received the Simon Fraser University President’s PhD Award in 2014.
In his roles as researcher, conductor, and educator, Jim connects active research with music learning, performance, and conducting. With support from the Canada Council, the Canadian Music Educators Association, the AIRS collaborative initiative, and Simon Fraser University, he has been a guest conductor and researcher in singing with four renowned international conductors: Alina Orraca in Havana, Cuba (Schola Cantorum Coralina); Joseph Muyale Inzai in Nairobi, Kenya (National Boys and Girls Choir of Kenya); Anatoliy Avdievski in Kiev, Ukraine (Veriovka Choir); and Helle Høyer in Aarhus, Denmark (Aarhus Pigakor Choir).
In addition, Jim has taught choral and orchestral conducting at the undergraduate and graduate level to students in Canada, the United States, and Brazil. He has enjoyed conducting residencies in Sobral, Brazil; Charente-Maritime, France; and Havana, Cuba, and has given presentations on his singing research in Canada, Kenya, Denmark, Estonia, France, and Brazil. He is on the panel of international adjudicators for the International Choral Kathaumixw in Canada, and continues to be in demand as an adjudicator, lecturer, guest conductor, and music consultant throughout Canada and abroad.
Laura Hawley
Laura Hawley is a Canadian musician known for her compelling approach to musical leadership and artistic programming, multi-faceted community engagement, distinctive compositional style, and passionate advocacy for Canadian choral art. Her music, often influenced by creative community connections and exchanges, has been described in The WholeNote as conjuring “the forces of nature and its effect on the human spirit.”
Hawley is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre. Her works have been commissioned, performed, and recorded by many of Canada’s finest ensembles including Elektra Women’s Choir, Pro Coro Canada, Inuksuk Drum Dancers, Canadian Chamber Choir, Vancouver Youth Choir, Kokopelli Choirs Association, and Shallaway Youth Choir. Her setting of the French poem Au champ d’honneur is performed annually on national broadcast by the Ottawa Children’s Choir and Canadian Armed Forces Band as part of the Remembrance Day Ceremony at the National War Memorial. Her piece, Alhamdoulillah, became internationally famous when it went viral on YouTube with the title “Welcome to Canada Syrian Refugees” in December 2014. In 2019, the Canadian Chamber Choir toured and recorded her multi-movement work, In Song. Laura is a 2019 recipient of the Association of Canadian Women Composers’ Roberta Stephan Award, and was Halifax Camerata’s first Composer-In-Residence (2020-2022).
While Ms. Hawley writes for many of Canada’s top performing ensembles, her unique understanding of developing musicians and sensitivity to a commissioner’s vision has established her as a widely sought composer for educational ensembles as well. Laura has written a variety of instrumental and choral works for children, youth, and developing adult musicians; works that lend themselves well to educational growth. Her works are published with Oxford University Press, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Rhythmic Trident Music Publishing, Cypress Choral Music, Silent Dawn Music Publishing, and on www.laurahawley.ca.
Laura is artistic director of Da Camera Singers (Edmonton), conductor of ChandraTala (Edmonton), founding artistic director of Hypatia’s Voice Women’s Choir of Ottawa (2015-2019), and is collaborative pianist and singer with the Canadian Chamber Choir. She is a co-founder of the Sonic Timelapse Project, an innovative crowdfunding initiative that commissioned ten new Canadian choral works and established an online platform of supports (videos, workshops, learning tools) for choirs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An active clinician throughout Canada, Laura has worked with a wide variety of community-based choral and orchestral ensembles from sea to sea to sea, including CAMMAC, Music & Beyond (Ottawa), Choirs Ontario, Choir Alberta, Nova Scotia Choral Federation, Saskatchewan Choral Federation, and Choral Canada. She is a founding pianist and associate conductor of the Cantiamo Choirs of Ottawa, and was their composer-in-residence from 2003-2017. From 2007 to 2018 she was Director of Music at St. John’s South March Anglican Church, leading the adult choir and establishing a thriving parish youth choir. While living in Ontario, she was a three-time nominee for Choirs Ontario’s prestigious “Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting.”
Laura Hawley has taught composition at Concordia University of Edmonton, and has also taught at both of Ottawa’s universities as a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa in the position of Coordinator of the Solfège program at the School of Music, and at Carleton University School for Studies in Art & Culture (Music) as an Associate Performance Faculty Member (classical piano) and academic Instructor (conducting and theory). She teaches piano, theory, harmony and history in her studio.
Ms. Hawley holds an ARCT from the Royal Conservatory of Music and completed a Bachelor of Music in piano performance and Master’s in music theory at University of Ottawa. She has studied piano with Arlene MacNay and Sandra Webster, conducting with Wayne Toews, the late Prof. Morihiro Okabe, Michael Zaugg, and Lone Larsen, composition with Stephen Gellman, Ugis Praulins, and Prof. Allan Bell, and voice with Elizabeth Turnbull. She is based in Edmonton, AB.
Paul Smith
Paul Smith is an innovative and creative performer, conductor, composer, an inspirational educator and an empowering public speaker. As co-founder of VOCES8, author of The VOCES8 Method and CEO of the VOCES8 Foundation, his annual programme sees him working globally in prestigious concert venues, festivals, schools and universities.
Paul is passionate about the impact singing and the arts can have in the widest possible context – from academic improvement to social skills and building more cohesive communities. He uses that passion to design and deliver unique, inclusive and uplifting performance projects.
In the 2019-20 season, highlights will include: leading the ‘Singing Brussels’ massed choir project with BOZAR in Brussels; touring his new album and concert programme titled ‘Reflections’; a series of concerts and workshops at the VOCES8 Centre in the City of London; leading his family concert ‘The Winter House’ programme with the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia; conducting the Orchestra of Avignon in a series of concerts for families and young people; conducting the Orchestre D’Auvergne in a new concert for students; leading the Israeli Vocal Ensemble for a series of concerts in Israel; leading a series of concerts across France with VOCES8 and Apollo5, supported by Vivendi, and concerts and workshops in Germany, the USA, New Zealand and Japan. Paul will be continuing his work at the University of Cambridge in 2019.
The VOCES8 Method, written by Paul, is published by Edition Peters in four languages, and is now being used in thousands of schools in numerous countries around the world. The Method is designed to link specific music-making activities with academic improvement in numeracy, literacy and linguistics.
As a composer, Paul writes regularly for vocal groups, choirs, orchestras and soloists. In 2019-20 published commissions include a new setting of the Nunc Dimittis and the Edo Lullaby on the VOCES8 Singles range. His larger scale work for SATB choir, SATB soli, piano and timpani, ‘A New World’ was premiered in 2018 at La Folle Journée, and in the US in September 2018. ‘Dunelm Lux Aeterna’, a work in seven movements for SATB divisi choir, organ, piano, timpani, tubular bells and electric guitar, was premiered in Durham Cathedral in 2019. Paul’s music is published by Edition Peters.
Since its inception in 2007 the VOCES8 Foundation has worked with 400,000 young people. Projects have included massed singing performances at the Royal Opera House (London), Cité de la Musique (Paris) and La Folle Journée (Nantes); and with “singing city” projects in cities such as Torino, Wroclaw, Lyon, Hannover, Houston, Albuquerque, Dallas/Fort Worth, Bermuda, Nairobi, Lagos, Dubai, Tokyo, and Taipei. Working in partnership with the Diocese of London, Paul has spearheaded the creation of a home for the VOCES8 Foundation at the VOCES8 Centre, a centre of excellence in vocal music performance, education and outreach in the heart of the City of London.
As an educator and public speaker, Paul has given speeches and created sessions on music and leadership, teamwork, music and creativity, health and wellbeing, and The VOCES8 Method. He presented a TEDx talk entitled “How can we use music to help us learn?”. Engagements at international conferences include the ACDA National conventions; Europa Cantat; the London Music Education Expo; Chor.com; the World Symposium of Singing at the Liszt Music Academy; the World Symposium of Choral Music and at the Royal College of Music in London.
Paul has been singing for nearly 25 years, first as a boy chorister with the choir of Westminster Abbey, and, since 2005 with VOCES8. As a recording artist with Decca Classics, Paul has featured on best-selling, chart-topping albums and won a host of international awards. His first album as a solo artist, Reflections, was released in 2019 and entereed the top 10 in the UK Specialist Classical Charts, and includes performances by VOCES8, Apollo5, Clare Stewart, Neil Valentine, the VOCES8 Scholars and 2,500 singers.
Paul is delighted to be an ambassador for Edition Peters, as well as a board member of the 21st Century Musician programme at DePauw University, Indiana. He is hugely grateful for the support from Arts Council England, Vivendi and TM Lewin.
Justin Jalea
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 Orchestra and Singers.
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 City. He 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 forthcoming book chapter in The Routledge Handbook of Human Rights and Music.
Justin 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. Previously, Justin taught courses intersecting freedom of religion, economic inequality, and social movement theory at Mount Royal University in Calgary.
Currently, Justin is a BCL/JD candidate in the Faculty of Law at McGill University. He is an Adjunct Professor of Human Rights and Philosophy in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Durham College, and a student at the international law firm, DLA Piper, in Toronto. Justin remains active as a professional choral singer, appearing frequently with the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal (SMAM), La Chappelle de Québec, and the choir of the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul in Montréal.
Megan Chartrand
Praised for her “light, fleet soprano” and “soaring, diamantine high notes” (Opera News), GRAMMY and JUNO nominated soprano Megan Chartrand feels equally at home singing early music, art song, chamber music and concert repertoire.
Notable solo performances include Dalila in Handel’s Samson with the American Classical Orchestra and Mozart’s Requiem with True Concord, both in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Megan has also sung Mozart’s Requiem with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale alongside Susan Graham; Bach’s St. Matthew and St. John Passions at the Staunton Music Festival; Handel’s Crudel Tiranno Amor with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble; Kurt Weil’s Seven Deadly Sins and Mahler’s 4th Symphony at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival in Finland; Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass with the Keene Chorale; Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the Manchester Symphony Orchestra; Handel’s Messiah with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra; Clerambault’s Médée with the American Classical Orchestra; and Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate with Tucson’s St Andrew’s Bach Society.
Megan sings frequently with many of the most prestigious ensembles in North America including Blue Heron, SMAM, The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, The Clarion Music Society, The American Classical Orchestra, True Concord, The Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Yale Choral Artists, Seraphic Fire, and Ensemble Origo.
Born and raised in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Megan pursues an active performance career based in Montreal. She also works as a project manager for Canadian Parents for French. She received her MMus from Yale University’s Institute for Sacred Music, and her BMus from the University of Alberta.
Dr. Adam Jonathan Con
Dr. Adam Jonathan Con was appointed as Acting Associate Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts for the period of July 1 to December 31, 2019.
Dr. Con is a conductor, a visionary, a respected teacher of choral conducting and Tai Chi Chuan, and a leader in the advocacy of music education. A native of Vancouver and a third generation Chinese Canadian, his holistic approach to choral music through a unique blend of kinesthetic whole body movement and Eastern philosophy continues to inspire singers of all ages in mind, body and spirit. His motto is “Music is more than notes in motion; music is notes in Emotion.”
Dr. Con is a tenured Associate Professor of Music at University of Victoria. His duties at School of Music include teaching conducting the UVic Chorus, teaching Elementary Music Methods, Music Education Foundations, Choral Conducting, Choral Organization, Rehearsal Techniques and Literature, Middle and Elementary School choir methods, and supervising music education students. He has taught and served in various positions such as Director of Choral Activities and Chair of Music Education at institutions such as the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University, Long Beach, California; Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio and at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. Dr. Con earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education (Secondary Instrumental and Choral) and a Master’s Degree in Music Education (Elementary) from the University of British Columbia. At Florida State University, he earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Music Education (Choral Conducting Emphasis) studying with Rodney Eichenberger, Andre Thomas, Clifford Madsen and Judy Bowers. In addition, Dr. Con is a certified Orff Schulwerk specialist and has extensive study experience as an Alexander Technique practitioner.
In high demand both as a guest conductor and choral conducting teacher, Dr. Con has been invited to present and conduct at prestigious events such as the National American Orff-Schulwerk Conference, Podium: the Canadian National Choral Conducting Symposium, the Canadian National GALA Conference, the National Canadian Orff-Schulwerk Conference, the Alberta Provincial Music Educator’s Conference, the Manitoba Music Educator’s Conference, the British Columbia Provincial Music Educator’s Conference, the British Columbia Choral Federation, the Ohio State Music Educator’s Conference, the Georgia State American Choral Directors Association Conference, and the Georgia Music Educator’s Conference. His talent and ability to work with all levels of musical experience is grounded in 15 years of diverse K-12 public school music teaching which includes Orff, Kodály, and Dalcroze based general music, French immersion music, middle and secondary school choral, vocal jazz, concert band and jazz band. His professional conducting experiences include numerous All-State and honor choirs, civic orchestras, professional musical theatre, community choirs, concert bands, and 39 years as a church choir director and organist. He currently serves as the University of Victoria Convocation organist.
Vancouver Men’s Chorus
The Vancouver Men’s Chorus is one of Canada’s premier singing ensembles and Canada’s first gay chorus. For more than 40 years, we’ve delighted audiences locally and abroad. At the core of the Chorus’ achievements stands its contribution to the creation of new repertoire for men’s and mixed voices. Custom-made arrangements, notably by Willi Zwozdesky, Stephen Smith, and other Canadian arrangers are a hallmark of VMC programming. As a result of this and the Chorus’ wide-ranging concertizing, VMC arrangements are now heard in concert halls around the world. Original commissions have included Vancouver composers Michael Conway Baker, Ramona Luengen, Anita Perry, Rupert Lang, Stephen Smith, and Willi Zwozdesky, and Toronto composer Eleanor Daley. In 2000, the Chorus was also among the original commissioning choruses of Alan Shorter’s setting of the children’s story Oliver Button is a Sissy.
The Chorus is a member of the British Columbia Choral Federation and of GALA Choruses (an association of over one hundred men’s, women’s, and mixed choruses from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia, dedicated to providing leadership and inspiration to the gay and lesbian movement through excellence in the choral arts).
Willi Zwozdesky
Willi Zwozdesky is widely-known as a choral conductor and for his work as an arranger, which join together to form a large part of an active musical career that also includes music publishing and arts management. A native of Alberta, Zwozdesky later moved to Seattle, where he completed a Master of Music in choral conducting and a Master of Arts in music theory at the University of Washington in 1981. Following his move to Vancouver in that year, he established himself as a leader in the city’s cultural community, working in choral music, education, musical theatre, and most notably, as the conductor of the Vancouver Men’s Chorus, a position he still holds today. He also trained in arts management at The Banff Centre School of Management and at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.
At the core of Zwozdesky’s career are his choral arrangements, many of which regularly appear in concert programs and recordings across Canada and abroad. His choral music has been performed by leading choirs, including the Vancouver Chamber Choir, Pro Coro Canada, Elektra Women’s Choir, the Seattle Men’s Chorus, Turtle Creek Chorale, MUSE – Cincinnati Women’s Choir, Pandora’s Vox, and Chor Leoni Men’s Choir. His most recent commissions include an extended suite of traditional and original Ukrainian New Year carols for the Ukrainian Male Chorus of Edmonton.
In 1990 he established Rhythmic Trident Music Publishing, which focuses on his own and new Canadian work. An active choral clinician and adjudicator, Willi has also volunteered on a number of national and regional organizations, including the Canadian Music Centre, GALA Choruses, Inc., the World of Children’s Choirs 2001, and the Association of Canadian Choral Communities. In 2004, his dedication to choral music was recognized with both a Legacy Award from GALA Choruses for his contributions to the gay and lesbian choral movement and a Willan Award from the British Columbia Choral Federation for outstanding service to British Columbia’s choral community. In addition to his freelance work, he serves as the Executive Director of the British Columbia Choral Federation.
In 2007, Willi Zwozdesky received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his 25 years of service conducting The Vancouver Men’s Chorus.
Nicholas Ryan Kelly
Commended by the Vancouver Sun for his “sophisticated work of such immediate, glittery appeal” and called “a rising star in the constellation of Canadian composers” by Oregon Arts Watch, Nicholas Ryan Kelly writes choral, wind ensemble, and chamber music infused with a sense of cinematic drama.
His choral compositions have been performed and released on CD by many of Canada’s top choirs, including Chor Leoni, the Da Capo Chamber Choir, Pro Coro Canada, and others. Since 2015, he has received over a dozen national and international composition prizes, including the Edwin Fissinger Choral Composition Prize. Recent awards and commissions (2019-20) have come from the British Columbia Choral Federation, Choirs Ontario, the Vernon Proms Classical Music Festival, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation, the Vancouver Bach Choir, the Elektra Women’s Choir, and i Coristi Chamber Choir.
Nick studied music composition at Ithaca College in New York (B.Mus) and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver (M.Mus). His choral scores are published with Pavane Publishing, Cypress Choral Music, Renforth Music, and Alliance Music. He also self-publishes through Lone Moose Music, distributed by MusicSpoke.
Vivaldi Chamber Choir
Vivaldi Chamber Choir is a well-established, not-for-profit, auditioned community choir of 35 voices that has been delivering quality choral music for over 30 years. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected from the membership. It received its incorporation under the BC Society Act in 1991 as “The Greater Vancouver Vivaldi Chamber Choir Society”.
Concert repertoire ranges from early music to contemporary presented a cappella or with piano, organ, small instrumental ensemble or orchestra, and frequently with vocal soloists. The choir performs in a wide range of languages and often includes works by BC arrangers and composers.
Edette Gagné
Edette Gagné is a visionary leader who inspires others to go beyond what they thought were limitations, in order to achieve amazing results. In her work around the globe with professionals and amateurs, Edette creates communities where people feel valued, included and safe to take chances, so that they can grow, flourish and be their best. Edette increases sponsorship and audience growth; historically by up to 300%, by connecting with and engaging community support for performing arts organizations. As a strategist, Edette works with boards and stake-holders to find flexible, resilient ways to re-invent their organizations when facing challenges; so that they are able to create responses that are flexible and adaptive to needs as they emerge. As an artistic director, stage director and music director of orchestras, choirs, opera and musical theatre groups, Edette champions creative programming, including staging and performances that captivate artists and audiences alike. She is known for inspiring performers to rise above the ordinary. Throughout her career creating international touring shows, facilitating grand scale events on location, and transforming performing ensembles to realize their potential, Edette brings a deep work ethic and a commitment to creative collaboration. Edette resides in Vancouver BC with her wife and several wonderful rescued animals. She recharges her batteries with cooking, hiking, yoga, photography and reading.
David Millard
David was born in Vancouver and except for his university years in Victoria has lived there his whole life. He began playing the euphonium at age 11, and moved on to tuba in high school. A chance encounter with a televised Bach organ recital while his family was visiting Helsinki led him to a profound love of Early Music. He began playing piano at 14 and discovered a talent for improvisation. He began organ studies with William Bourns at age 16 and attended UVic from 1978 to 1982 as a music history major, studying organ with Edward Norman and harpsichord with Erich Schwandt and Elissa Poole. While in Victoria, he served as Organ Scholar at Christ Church Cathedral for a year before taking up duties as organist and choir director at St. Michael and All Angels, Royal Oak.After returning to North Vancouver he became music director of St. Clement’s Church, Lynn Valley and embarked on a Master’s degree in his second area of interest, Linguistics. He also took on the Music Director position with the North Shore Light Opera Society for six seasons. In 1992, he met Steve Morgan, Associate Conductor of the Vancouver Cantata Singers who was looking for a countertenor for a small solo part in an upcoming performance. He stayed with the Cantata Singers for four seasons, and took private instruction in choral conducting from Steve. David sang with the Vivaldi Chamber Choir for a few seasons beginning in 1990 and served as Assistant Conductor to the founder, Rita Radzikowsky. He returned to the choir in 1997 for a tour of the Czech Republic and took over as Artistic Director from Rita when she retired in 1998. David stayed with Vivaldi for fifteen seasons. He has also been the conductor of the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir since 1998.David began composing in his teens, and his first work of significance was a cantata based on the Easter chorale Erschienen ist der herrliche Tag, which was performed at St. Catherine’s Church in North Vancouver where he was serving as assistant organist. He considers himself a composer by avocation, rather than vocation—composing and arranging primarily when there is a perceived need. His style is greatly informed by his love of Early Music, and particularly of counterpoint—to the point that his music could be considered Neo-Baroque.
Linda Dier
Music has always been a big part of Linda’s life. Growing up in Saskatchewan, Linda spent many hours studying piano and singing in choirs. She graduated from the University of Saskatchewan (BA with a major in psychology) and University of Manitoba (B Ed with a major in school music). Linda taught school music for a number of years in Saskatoon and Winnipeg. After completing a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology, she made the switch to school counselling and ultimately, school and district administration. Upon moving to Vancouver Island, Linda rediscovered the joy of choral music. In 2007, she co-founded Nanaimo Sings!, a choral umbrella organization with 17 choir members. In her capacity as Chair of Nanaimo Sings!, Linda works with an amazing team of music colleagues from various Nanaimo choirs to produce festivals and bring workshops, clinics and other learning opportunities to the over 400 singers in the organization. She enjoys singing with A Cappella Plus and appreciates the community spirit of the group.