Whether you are a beginner at conducting choirs or just want to brush up on your skills, this class aims to give you the skills you need for a successful 2025-26 season.

Designed for conductors of school, church and community choirs, the BCCF “Choral Da Capo” (Choral Directorship Course) gives you an opportunity to study one-on-one with master teachers and also learn about rehearsal planning, vocal technique, accessibility and repertoire selection.

Students will work within small peer groups every day to develop and refine conducting skills, then with the larger lab choir made up of experienced choral musicians. The atmosphere is always encouraging and low stress.

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Dates:

August 24-26, 2025

Venue:

St Mary’s Kerrisdale Church (2490 W 37th Ave, Vancouver)

Program Teachers:

Kari Turunen
Kim Denis
Kevin Zakresky
Geordie Roberts
Willi Zwozdesky

Tuition:

Early Bird Registration – before June 1
$390 + $40 BCCF Membership

After June 1
$420 + $40 BCCF Membership

CLICK HERE to register online

Early registration means that you will:
– have access to the course music sooner
– have your first choice of podium dates and times
– save money

Limited scholarships and travel bursaries are available by individual request. Please apply in writing at the time of application.

Detailed Schedule:

Sunday, August 24: 1:00pm-8:00pm

1:00-2:00pm – Registration/Catching Up
2:00-2:30pm – Introductions
2:30-3:30pm – Singing through the course repertoire together
15 min Break
3:45-4:45pm – AEDI and Multiculturalism in Choral Music
45 min Break
5:30-8:00pm – Test Choir – Podium Time

Monday, August 25: 10:00am-8:15pm

10:00am-10:45am – Adult Repertoire Selection
10:45-11:30am – Small Groups
15 min Break
11:45am-12:30pm – Vocal Techniques for Choral Singers
60 min Break
1:30-3:30pm – Test Choir – Podium Time
15 min Break
3:45-4:45pm – “Blend and Balance” Workshop
4:45-5:15pm – Small Groups
60 min Break
6:15-8:15pm – Test Choir – Podium Time

Tuesday, August 26: 9:00am-8:00pm

10:00-10:45am – Children/Youth Repertoire Selection
10:45-11:15am – Small Groups
15 min Break
11:45am-12:30pm – Vocal Techniques for Choral Singers
60 min Break
1:30-3:30pm – Test Choir – Podium Time
15 min Break
3:45-4:15pm – Small Groups
60 min Break
5:15-7:15pm – Test Choir – Podium Time
7:15-8:00pm – Wrap-Up and Group Discussion

Biographies:

Kari Turunen is the Artistic Director of the professional Vancouver Chamber Choir since the beginning of the 2019/20 season. Before moving to Vancouver, he played a major role in choral music in Finland as a conductor, teacher of conducting, singer, clinician, administrator, adjudicator and lecturer. Concert tours and teacher, clinician and adjudicator assignments regularly took him around Europe and Asia. His choirs and ensembles won numerous prizes both in Finland and abroad. 

Kari Turunen was educated at the University of Helsinki and the Sibelius Academy where he studied choral conducting (MA). He holds a doctorate in early music performance practice from the University of the Arts, Helsinki. In addition to his artistic activities, Kari Turunen has been active in many festivals, of late, mainly as an Artistic Director. He was the Artistic Director of the annual Aurore Renaissance Festival in Helsinki 2015–2020 and the Finnish-Swedish Song Celebration in Helsinki in June 2022 and was the AD of the Tampere Vocal Music Festival in 2023. He even has a shady past in administration and served as chair of the Finnish Choral Directors’ Association (FCDA) for almost 20 years and was the Executive Director of a national choral organization for six years in his youth. He now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada).

Kimberley Denis is known for her energy and enthusiasm both on stage and off and is sought after as a soloist, conductor, adjudicator and choir clinician.  Upon completion of both a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Music at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, she returned to Alberta to pursue a double Masters degree in choral conducting and vocal performance at the University of Alberta.  She has won many accolades for her work as a soprano soloist and conductor, and was recently awarded a Con Spirito Award from Choir Alberta for her work supporting choral music in Alberta and the Alberta Band Association Award of Distinction for her contributions to supporting music education in the province. She is a singer with Edmonton’s professional choir, Pro Coro Canada and has a flourishing voice studio at her own music school – the Purple Door Music Academy. She is also the voice instructor at The King’s University in Edmonton and presently directs Shumayela (a choir for treble and changing voices for singers between the ages of 11 and 16) with the Korora Choir Association, and the River City Chorus (a non-auditioned adult community ensemble) and is the vocal coach for the Citadel Theatre Young Company.  In addition to her work as a singer, teacher, conductor, and adjudicator, she arranges pieces for choirs.

Kevin Zakresky is a touring orchestral conductor who has recently directed the Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses, National Geographic Symphony, Heroes Symphony and Sonic the Hedgehog, four shows that have seen him conduct orchestras throughout North America, South America, and Europe. He has recently begun as Music Director of the touring “Picasso Symphony,” and is Music Director of the Pacific Spirit Choir and Maddalena’s Descant in Vancouver. Previously he was Music Director of the Prince George Symphony and conductor of the Pacifica Singers. Kevin received his doctorate in choral conducting from Yale University in 2012 and has been on the voice faculty of the VSO School of Music since 2013.

Willi Zwozdesky (MA, MMus) is widely-known for his work as a choral conductor, arranger, clinician, and publisher. A native of north-central Alberta, Zwozdesky later moved to Seattle, completing 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, and undertook developing the voice of the Vancouver Men’s Chorus (VMC). Under his direction for the past forty three years, the VMC has distinguished itself internationally through innovative, often collaborative programming that emphasizes the work of Canadian creators, custom arrangements, a wide range of women’s music, and extra-choral elements. Zwozdesky’s long-term dedication to choral music has been recognized by GALA Choruses and the British Columbia Choral Federation (BCCF). Through his position as Executive Director of the BCCF, he is also a board member of Choral Canada.

“Geordie” Roberts is a graduate of the School of Music UBC and the Vancouver Academy of Music. As a long-time member of the Vancouver Chamber Choir, he was a frequent soloist in concert and on recordings. He is a faculty member at Capilano University Music Department, and the Co-ordinator of Music at Highlands United Church, both in North Vancouver  He is highly regarded for his ease of vocal production and expressive singing. In addition to keeping busy singing, teaching and conducting, George is also a gifted accompanist and coach.  A published composer and arranger, George’s choral music is available on the Cypress label. Geordie makes his home in North Vancouver with his wife, Frances, and they enjoy the company of three very musical sons: Aidan, Garreth and Liam.