About Us
Enriching the lives of all who hear its voice
Pure, floating voices, impeccable intonation and the performance of a variety of choral music from the Early Renaissance to the Avant-garde combine to create Pro Coro Canada - one of Canada’s few professional chamber choirs.
Founded in 1980 by Canadian Michel Marc Gervais, the twenty-four voices
have been shaped by some of the finest choral conductors in the world, including
Artistic Directors:
Michel Marc Gervais (Canada)
Anders Eby (Sweden)
Søren Hansen (Denmark)
Agnes Grossmann (Austria)
Richard Sparks (USA)
Guest Conductors have included a who’s who in the choral field:
Frieder Bernius (Germany)
Simon Carrington (USA)
Eric Ericson (Sweden)
Gary Graden (Sweden)
Maria Guinand (Venezuela)
Bo Holten (Denmark)
Elmer Iseler (Canada)
Tönu Kaljuste (Estonia)
Diane Loomer (Canada)
Anders Öhrwall (Sweden)
Leonard Ratzlaff (Canada)
Gustav Sjökvist (Sweden)
Ward Swingle (USA)
Ivars Taurins (Canada)
Jon Washburn (Canada)
Patrick Wedd (Canada)
Erik Westberg (Sweden)
Pro Coro Canada is a resident ensemble at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music, one of North America’s finest concert halls. In addition to a subscription concert series in Edmonton, the choir performs regional concerts in surrounding Alberta centres, and tours have been undertaken to Europe and Eastern Canada. The ensemble has served as demonstration choir for various choral festivals, has conducted vocal master classes with such vocal stars as Emma Kirkby and Catherine Robbin, and has run a touring program of choral education for primary and secondary schools.
Pro Coro has toured Eastern Canada, including Canadian Voices, Guelph Spring Festival, Toronto International Choral Festival, and the 1988 Olympic Arts Festival.
Pro Coro Canada has been the recipient of several prestigious awards including:
- The City of Edmonton Salute to Excellence Award
- The Canada Council for the Arts Healey Willan Award
Additionally:
- Pro Coro Canada’s CD First Snow was nominated for an ARIA Award (Best Classical Artist category)
- A track from First Snow was selected for the EMI/CKUA Radio CD, The Classical Album with Pro Coro as one of four Alberta groups featured.
“…under
Richard Sparks, Pro Coro Canada exhibited
some of the most smoothly produced, beautifully blended tone heard during
the first weeks of the Third Toronto International Choral Festival.”
Toronto Star