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For two decades, Voces Boreales has stood at the forefront of Canada’s contemporary choral landscape, known for its crystalline sound, daring repertoire, and commitment to artistic and pedagogical excellence. Founded in Montreal by Swiss-born conductor Michael Zaugg, the ensemble emerged from a desire to bring the refined choral traditions of Scandinavia and Central Europe to Canadian audiences and singers.

­­­˃˃ Get your tickets for the 20th anniversary of Voces Boreales: Towards Peace

Since its founding in the mid-2000s, Voces Boreales has evolved from a small collective of nine singers into a professional-level ensemble of national renown. Alongside its performances of intricate and often lesser-known contemporary works, the choir has served as a training ground for aspiring conductors and a hub for community engagement through workshops and masterclasses. In this conversation, Michael Zaugg reflects on the inspiration behind creating Voces Boreales, the musical and cultural influences that shaped its vision, and the journey of building a choir that has enriched both performers and audiences with its adventurous spirit and distinctive sound.

What inspired the creation of the choir two decades ago?

I arrived in Canada in 2004, and won my first conducting position in 2005. Once I started to be more familiar with the choral scene through my work with different choirs in Montreal and Ottawa, I realized I could and should contribute the particular repertoire, sound and conducting pedagogy that I grew up with in Switzerland and Sweden. I wanted to present knowledge and expertise about composers, compositions and ways to teach and create a choral sound. With the choirs I was leading at that time, that was possible only in limited ways. 

A good friend from Sweden told me over the phone 'just start your own thing' ... 

I created a road-map for the first couple seasons and started to put out my feelers for singers, venues, etc. This all coincided with my conducting work getting more known locally and with receiving inquiries from singers about wanting to sing with me in a new ensemble.
All were interested that I was going to program music from Scandinavia, the Baltics and generally Western Europe, and all understood and appreciated that singers would need to be able to learn complex music on their own, sing in many, unfamiliar languages and develop a fine-tuned ear.

I auditioned about 30 people and selected 9 for the first season. Almost all repertoire was in 8 parts, so the singers had to perform as soloists and be comfortable in melodically, rhythmically and harmonically complex material. 

The first performance featured several world premieres, and Canadian premieres, most by Scandinavian composers. In the second season, the ensemble was enlarged to 12 singers, and then a year later to 16 and later to 24. 

This summarizes my vision to perform and promote contemporary choral music, with a preference for Scandinavia, the Baltics and Western Europe, to train choral conductors 'on a professional instrument', and to engage the community through workshops with international artists.

Were there any key influences—musical, personal, or cultural—that shaped your founding vision?

I would name my professor Anders Eby in Stockholm as well as several of my dear friends from there, including the one who told me to start my own ensemble. It would also be the choral musicians from Scandinavia, some of whom I am still in regular contact with, the conductors, composers and singers. And my time singing in the World Youth Choir, learning about cultures and sounds and practises.

How would you reflect on your journey with Voces Boreales?

It was a great journey, with many highlights, and many struggles. I was able to bring to life some of my favourites choral works with an excellent and dedicated ensemble. I learned a lot about the administration and production aspects of running a performing arts group. The initial years were unique as we set out to achieve a lot with few resources, and the quest for excellence kept us all going. Once we started to work under an Entente with the UdA, the governance of the choir changed, and the Institute was created. This was a positive move as more support was available to administer and produce concerts, workshops and masterclasses.

I've made some life-long friends with Voces Boreales, and I remember fondly our concerts, our collaborations and our unique sound!

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Next concert: Towards Peace

As Voces Boreales celebrates its 20th anniversary, audiences are invited to join the ensemble for a special concert, “Towards Peace,” on October 18. This milestone performance will embody the choir’s enduring mission—to connect hearts and minds through music that challenges, uplifts, and inspires hope. It’s a moment to look back on twenty years of innovation and artistry, and to look forward to a future filled with harmony, discovery, and peace.