Vancouver Cantata Singers

The Vancouver Cantata Singers (VCS) is one of Canada’s preeminent, award-winning choral ensembles. Known for its exceptional artistry, technical virtuosity, and exquisite tonal blend, the choir maintains the highest standards of performance in repertoire encompassing 500 years.

VCS has been awarded the Canada Council for the Art’s top prize in choral singing, the Healey Willan Grand Prize, more than any other choir in the country, earning the esteemed accolade in 2019, 2011, 2008, and 1984. The ensemble also won first place in the contemporary category in the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs in 2010.

VCS also regularly commissions new works from critically acclaimed composers, which have led to extremely successful and innovative collaborations with regional and international artists and ensembles. Among the artists VCS has collaborated with are Russell Wallace, Sam Dabrusin, Craig Galbraith, Kristi Lane Sinclair, Jocelyn Morlock, and Owen Underhill, to name just a few.

Vancouver Cantata Singers was first formed under the name the Philharmonic Choir in 1958. Paula Kremer has been the VCS artistic director since 2013, having first joined the alto section of the ensemble in 1994. Born in Vancouver and educated at the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Academy of Music, Kremer has studied choral conducting at Eton College, Westminster Choir College, the Eastman School of Music, and the University of Michigan. An accomplished vocalist and pianist, Kremer studied voice with Phyllis Mailing, Bruce Pullan, Marisa Gaetanne and Laura Pudwell, and piano from Margot Ehling. A permanent faculty member of the School of Music at Vancouver Community College, Kremer teaches choral techniques, voice and solfege. She was previously the director of Vancouver Bach Choir ensembles for young adults, the Vancouver Bach Youth Choir, and Sarabande Chamber Choir.