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As it marks its 20th anniversary, Voces Boreales unveils a season that honours both its heritage and its forward-looking vision. Since its founding, the ensemble has stood out for its bold artistic approach and innovative repertoire, helping to elevate contemporary choral music. This anniversary season, crafted by Artistic Director Andrew Gray, weaves together memory, identity, and humanity through two powerful programs— rooted in Québec’s history yet open to the world.

The season opens on October 18 with the concert Towards Peace, presented in partnership with the Canadian International Organ Competition: an evening both moving and luminous, plunging into a quest for meaning, love, and beauty. On June 6, the choir presents St-Laurent to the Sea, a tribute to the mythical river that has shaped Quebec’s history and imagination, marking the 490th anniversary of Jacques Cartier’s voyage.

This anniversary, which also marks my tenth year with the ensemble, resonates deeply with me,” says Andrew Gray. “With Schoenberg and Tavener, I wanted to challenge the singers with works that are both demanding and magnificent — pieces that embody the tension between hope for peace and the reality of the human condition. The St. Lawrence struck me immediately when I arrived from the UK: a founding river that has shaped Quebec’s identity. This program allows me to explore themes of water and cultural encounters, while also honouring Voces Boreales founder Michael Zaugg.

Andrew Gray

Highlights of Voces Boreales’ 20th Season

Towards Peace
in partnership with the Canadian International Organ Competition (CIOC)
Organ: Henry Webb, CIOC laureate
Saturday, October 18, 7:30 p.m. – Église du Très-Saint-Nom-de-Jésus
Program: Friede auf Erden by Arnold Schoenberg, Mother and Child by Sir John Tavener, works by Henryk Gorecki, Florence B. Price, Jonathan Dove, and Slava Morotow
Details

St-Laurent to the Sea
Saturday, June 6, 7:30 p.m. – Église Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours
Program: Sea Dreams by Peter-Anthony Togni, Miniwanka (The Moments of Water) by R. Murray Schafer
Details
 

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