Vancouver’s Juno-nominated Chor Leoni announces 2023/24 season with live and online concerts
Highlights of the 32nd season include nine world premieres, sea shanties, a new Roar, and more
Harmonia: The Leonids & Chor Leoni. David Cooper photo
CHOR LEONI IS marking its 32nd season with new choral pieces, songs of the sea, nine world premieres, multi-movement works by leading composers, a new name for its massive annual choral festival—The Big Roar—across seven curated concerts and much more.
The throughline is an exploration of the human legacy and celebration of the human voice.
It all starts with Boundless: 32nd Annual Remembrance Day Concerts on November 10 and 11. With modern choral works as well as folk and pop songs, the program aims to give people the chance to reflect on and heal from war and unite in the hope for peace. Anchoring the concert is a new masterwork by Don Macdonald, who is now in his final year as the choir’s composer in residence. The 70-member choir will be joined by pianist Tina Chang, cellist Jonathan Lo, and organist Angelique Po, playing the St. Andrew’s-Wesley’s Casavant pipe organ.
Christmas with Chor Leoni, on December 15, 16, and 18, features holiday classics as well as brand new songs all complemented with visual imagery. Aforementioned pianist Chang, harpist Vivian Chen, and violinist Cameron Wilson round out the sounds of the seasonal offering.
Seán Dagher.
The choir dives deep into a Maritime tradition going back to the 16th century with The Return Voyage/La Nef and Chor Leoni sing Sea Shanties on February 16 and 17. The rollicking tunes are the specialty of Montreal-based La Nef’s Seán “Shantyman” Dagher—who composes and performs various folk, world, French-Canadian, and classical music traditions—and who has been singing the style in Irish pubs for more than 25 years.
Harmonia: The Leonids & Chor Leoni brings back the professional supergroup, made up of some of North America’s leading male vocal artists, on April 11. Here, they will be performing alongside members of Chor Leoni’s Emerging Choral Artist Program. The a cappella program features chant, polyphony, folk songs, pop songs, and world premieres.
The Leonids. Photo by David Cooper
Then it’s s The Big Roar on April 13. That’s the new name of the organization’s annual singing festival, which features Chor Leoni, the MYVoice youth choir, The Leonids, and the Emerging Choral Artist Program—some 300-plus soaring voices.
Melissa Dunphy.
Kile Smith.
Earth & Aether / the archaeology of soul and sky, on May 10 and 11, features two world premieres that “explore our human story through remnants we have left in the earth, and signals we have sent into the sky”, according to a release. Funded by the Diane Loomer Commissioning Fund, Chor Leoni commissioned two of the world’s leading international choral composers—Melissa Dunphy and Grammy-nominated Kile Smith—for what’s described as a journey through past and future. “In these two works, you’ll examine the legacies we have left behind on our planet, and the sounds – music and words – we have sent out as space-traveling radio waves,” the release states. Harpist Vivian Chen and saxophonist Julia Nolan also perform.
C/4: Canadian Choral Composition Competition, on June 14 is an intimate, interactive concert featuring Canadian composers Laura Hawley, Robyn Jacob, and Chris Sivak. Three new pieces were commissioned especially for this project. Audience members will have the chance ask the artists questions and about what it’s like to create a new piece of choral music.
Also on offer: all of Chor Leoni’s Concert Films online, available for free with RSVP.
“We’re thrilled to share a season filled with treasured favourites, exciting collaborations, and brand new landmark choral works,” says artistic director Erick Lichte, in a release. “As a singing community, Chor Leoni strives to express the inexpressible. We sing to connect to one another and to connect to our deepest selves. In entertaining and stirring ways, this season hopes to give voice to the fullness of the human experience."
“These concerts come straight from the hearts of the creators and performers, so it is fitting that all of this year's concerts take place in the heart of Vancouver, in our iconic home of Saint Andrew’s-Wesley United,” adds Lichte. "Our hope is to bring beauty, joy, laughter, thoughtfulness and peace to the heart of our extraordinary city. Chor Leoni is staunchly from and for its community and we hope this season can create a deeper and fuller connection in it."
Concerts take place at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church. Tickets and details are at chorleoni.org.
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