Now under the direction of Andrew Gray, the Montreal Choral Institute was founded in 2009 by Swiss conductor Michael Zaugg, who wished to bring his vision of choral education and performance together in one organization.
Education
Each year, the Institute organizes several events of high educational value, each of which features a prolific choral personality and is tailored to the needs of the local or national scene. The Tutti Quanti choral workshop (formerly Canadian Connections) brings together over 100 choristers from the Montreal area and gives them the opportunity to work with an internationally renowned conductor. The Choral Conducting Masterclass attracts conductors from across Canada and even the United States who receive hands-on training by working with some of Montreal’s most prominent choirs.
Performance
The Institute produces the exciting concerts that its in-house ensemble, Voces Boreales, presents throughout the musical season and which feature mainly contemporary choral repertoire from Nordic countries. The ensemble, also under the artistic direction of Andrew Gray, has established a solid following in the Montreal choral community, and its concerts are stand-out events of the local choral scene. More detailed information about the ensemble here.
Board of Trustees
The Montreal Choral Institute is a registered non-profit organization and the members of its board of trustees are all involved in the arts as administrators or performers:
- David Cronkite, President
- Johanna Ernst Crooymans, Vice-President
- Stefan Seefeld, Treasurer
- Pierre Thibaudeau, Administrator