REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

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 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.

Dates:

August 22-24, 2027

Venue:

Vancouver Opera – 1945 McLean Drive, Vancouver BC

Program Teachers:

Frances Chiasson

Man Li

Cassie Luftspring

Geordie Roberts – Voice

Tuition:

Early Bird Registration – before June 1

$475 (non-member price)*

Regular Registration

$525 (non-member price)*

Observer Rate
$275 (non-member price)*

*Tuition includes a complimentary one-year membership for all registrants

Current members receive a $40 discount. Use the coupon code ‘MEMBER’ at bottom of form.

Capacity

There is room for 21 participants.

Detailed Schedule:

Sunday, August 22: 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 – Basic skills review
45 min Break
5:30-8:00pm – Podium Time

Monday, August 23: 9:30am-8:15pm

9:30-10:00am – Warm-up Singing Together 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 – Podium Time
15 min Break
3:45-4:45pm – Diversity in Programming
4:45-5:15pm – Small Groups
60 min Break
6:15-8:15pm – Podium Time

Tuesday, August 24: 9:30am-8:00pm

9:30-10:00am – Warm-up Singing Together 10:00-10:45am – Children/Youth Repertoire Selection
10:45-11:15am – Small Groups
15 min Break
11:30am-12:30pm – Vocal Techniques for Choral Singers
60 min Break
1:30-3:30pm – Podium Time
15 min Break
3:45-4:15pm – Small Groups
60 min Break
5:15-7:15pm – Podium Time
7:15-8:00pm – Wrap-Up and Group Discussion

Meet the Clinicians

Frances Chiasson

Frances Chiasson holds Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degrees from the School of Music at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC) where she studied piano with Dr. Terence Dawson and choral conducting with Prof. James Fankhauser. Frances has taught choral and instrumental music in primary and secondary schools and choral methods at the University of Calgary. She has conducted numerous choirs in school, community and church settings, including Lacuna Women’s Choir (UK), Amabile Girls’ Choir (UK), Donna Amabile Women’s Choir (UK), Queen Katherine School Chamber Choir (UK), Mount Royal Children’s Choir (Calgary), Scarboro United Church Children’s, Youth and Adult Choirs (Calgary), West Point Gray Academy Choirs (Vancouver) and Forest Lawn School Choir (Calgary). She has worked as a choral clinician and adjudicator in local music festivals and as a piano accompanist for choirs, singers and instrumentalists. From 2006 until 2014, Frances and her family lived in the UK where she worked as a choral conductor, a private voice and piano teacher, and was a frequent leader of singing workshops in Lancashire schools. In 2014 she relocated back to Canada and now lives and works as a choral conductor in Kelowna, B.C., as founder/conductor of the Okanagan Young Voices Society and as Minister of Music at Central Okanagan United Church. Frances is the past president of the BC Choral Federation, a member of Choral Canada and is a certified teacher in the province of British Columbia. And she is Mom to Sophia and Noah.

Man Li

Man Li is a Hong Kong–born choral conductor and composer based in Burnaby. He holds an MMus in Choral Conducting from the University of British Columbia and a BA in Music from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, specializing in composition and voice. Currently, Man serves as Artistic Director of the Amabilis Singers, Music Director of the Joyful Voice Community Choir, and Founder of the Vancouver Cantonese Choir. Supported by multiple conducting scholarships, his background includes masterclasses across North America, Europe, and Asia. When teaching conducting, he focuses on refining gesture technique, building effective rehearsal strategies, and deepening musicianship within a supportive learning atmosphere. (manlimusic.com)

Cassie Luftspring

Cassie Luftspring is Artistic Director of Elektra, and Artistic Director of the British Columbia Girls Choir. She brings a passion for conducting, composing, and community building to her leadership of these celebrated ensembles. Previously, Cassie has held key positions with the Vancouver Youth Choir, Vancouver Children’s Choir, Toronto Children’s Chorus, and the Vancouver Academy of Music, among others. As a professional soprano, Cassie led the soprano section of the Vancouver Bach Choir for several years, and has performed with ensembles including the Vancouver Chamber Choir and musica intima. Her compositions and arrangements have been widely commissioned and recognized with seven wins in the Amadeus Choir’s Songwriting Competition. Cassie holds a Master of Music in choral conducting from the University of Toronto and a degree in piano and composition from Queen’s University. In 2025, she was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her contributions to Canadian music.

George Roberts

“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.