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The Vancouver Cantata Singers (VCS) is an auditioned Canadian choir in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded in 1959 by organist and conductor Hugh McLean.
Vancouver Cantata Singers was first formed under the name the Philharmonic Choir in 1958 as a non-auditioned community chorus. The first performance took place on February 6, 1959 at Christ Church Cathedral with the choir performing Bach’s Mass in B Minor. Positive reviews from music critics and successful appearances on CBC Radio eventually inspired the chorus to become an auditioned semi-professional ensemble in the early 1970s when James Fankhauser began to lead the group, winning the Healey Willan Grand Prize [1] in 1984 and a Juno Award nomination for Best Classical Album (Vocal or Choral Performance) in 1994. From 2002 to 2012 the choir was headed by conductor Eric Hannan, who led the group to win the Healey Willan Grand Prize both in 2008 and 2011. In 2013, long-time VCS member Paula Kremer became artistic director, [2] and in 2019 she led the group to several awards in the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs, again including Canada Council's Healey Willan Prize.
Although the ensemble's name implies focus on music of the Baroque period, the Vancouver Cantata Singers also perform contemporary music, working frequently with local Canadian composers such as Jocelyn Morlock, Peter Hannan, Kristopher Fulton, Imant Raminsh, Stephen Chatman, Jordan Nobles, Craig Galbraith, and they also perform pieces arranged by members of the choir.
2013–present: Paula Kremer
2002–2012: Eric Hannan
2001-2002: Peter Butterfield
1995-2000: Tony Funk, Assistant Conductor - Associate Conductor, 2000/2001
1973-2000: James Fankhauser
1966-1973: John Wiebe
1957-1966: Hugh McLean
2018–present: Craig Galbraith
2014–2017: Kristopher Fulton
2019: National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs [3]
2011: National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs [3]
2010: National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs [3]
2008: National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs [3]
1984: CBC National Radio Competition for Amateur Choirs
1994: Juno Nominee Best Classical Album (Vocal or Choral Performance), Venetian Vespers of 1640
From 2009 to 2016, Vancouver Cantata Singers and the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries [10] held collaborative annual fundraisers ("Spinal Chord" [11] ) to benefit spinal cord research and the arts through both non-profit organizations. The choir routinely performs at the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre at Vancouver General Hospital as a part of their relationship with ICORD.
Vancouver Cantata Singers regularly collaborates with Early Music Vancouver, performing large-scale works with baroque orchestra including Handel's Theodora, [12] Coronation Anthems, [13] and Messiah. [14]
A choir is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which spans from the medieval era to the present, or popular music repertoire. Most choirs are led by a conductor, who leads the performances with arm, hand, and facial gestures.
James Healey Willan was an Anglo-Canadian organist and composer. He composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber music, a concerto, and pieces for band, orchestra, organ, and piano. He is best known for his church music.
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Hugh John McLean CM was a Canadian organist, choirmaster, pianist, harpsichordist, administrator, teacher, musicologist, composer, and editor.
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