Our Founding
Elektra Choir was formed by co-founders Morna Edmundson and Diane Loomer, C.M. (1940–2012) in 1987. In 2009, Morna Edmundson was appointed Artistic Director and Diane Loomer became Conductor Emerita. In 2024, the ensemble proudly embraced a gender-neutral perspective, evolving into a choir for women and other adult treble voices, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity and diversity in their musical community.
Our Community
Since 1987, over 200 singers aged 17 to 79 have been members of Elektra. The choir usually comprises about 45 volunteers from various backgrounds, many of whom travel long distances for weekly rehearsals. Monday nights are a time to gather with other dedicated singers to create something beautiful and meaningful. Some stay for a year or two, others much longer, but all share a strong passion for singing classical choral music at the highest level.
Our Achievements
In 2010 and again in 2017, the choir took first place in the “Equal Voices – Women” category of the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs. Prior to 2010, the choir won first prize for women’s choirs in four consecutive rounds of the biennial CBC National Choral Competition, as well as several major prizes for contemporary music performance. As a multiple national prize-winning ensemble, Elektra has performed at conferences of Choral Canada, the American Choral Directors Association, Chorus America, the International Society for Music Education, and the International Federation for Choral Music. The choir received invitations to perform at the World Symposium on Choral Music in Sydney, Australia (1996) and Barcelona, Spain (2017).
Our Relationships
Elektra has cultivated strong relationships with numerous Canadian choral composers and arrangers. Through its concerts, recordings, and website, it proudly promotes new repertoire. In 2014, Cypress Choral Music launched the “Elektra Women’s Choir” series for accomplished treble choirs. From 2016 to 2019, Elektra undertook the Celebrating Women Composers project to create opportunities for and elevate the profile of women composers. The choir has become a valuable resource for conductors worldwide who seek to program the best Canadian and international repertoire for treble voices.
Elektra’s website features a permanent Repertoire Resources section, where one can find all pieces programmed by Elektra since its inception. Curated lists such as “Top Canadian Picks” and “Suitable for Young Voices” help guide conductors through nearly 600 works, making this resource invaluable to conductors globally.
Our Programs
Elektra prioritizes ongoing community engagement programs, many of which are designed to inspire and support youth. These initiatives include the annual Mira Youth Mentorship, Choral Encounters festival, and The Diane Loomer Choir. Additionally, Elektra offers a Youth Scholarship and hosts Reading Sessions of New Works every two years. These efforts ensure that Elektra’s music and activities remain accessible to everyone. Each Christmas, Elektra invites a local children’s choir to perform both alongside them and in their own solo spotlight.
Elektra also values collaboration with other adult treble choirs to exchange repertoire and techniques. To facilitate this, they have established a triennial, four-day festival in Vancouver called Tapestry International Festival. Choirs from around the world can apply to participate, with up to three choirs being selected. Each choir performs individually and as part of a massed choir, with each conductor leading a selection of pieces. Choirs from Canada, the United States, Japan, Iceland, and Norway have taken part in this festival.
Notable Achievements
In 2017, Elektra and VOX Femina Los Angeles co-hosted the inaugural Women’s Choir Symposium in Los Angeles. This event brought together 50 conductors of women’s choirs from across North America and Denmark to discuss repertoire and build networks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Edmundson hosted weekly Zoom sessions for women’s choir conductors from across North America. This program, called ‘Forward Thinking: Women’s Choir Conversations,’ focused on learning and support.
Elektra’s remarkable versatility shines through its extensive discography, available on all major streaming platforms and frequently featured on CBC Radio and NPR in the United States. Recent landmark projects showcase their innovative spirit, including Choral Canada’s immersive “….float…” project set on a picturesque farm in St. John’s, Newfoundland. They also contributed background tracks for heavy metal artist Devin Townsend’s acclaimed album “Empath” and collaborated with renowned artist Kevork Mourad of New York on Shawn Kirchner’s “The Light of Hope Returning.”
Elektra’s recent major projects highlight their commitment to cultural collaboration and innovative musical expression. One such project is the concert video “Snewíyalh tl’a Staḵw (Teachings of the Water),” which features a score commissioned from Métis-Canadian composer T. Patrick Carrabré and sung in the Squamish language. This three-year collaborative endeavor with Coast Salish First Nations, conceived by co-curator and ethnomusicologist Dr. Jeanette Gallant, delves into water teachings in First Nations cultures through music. Additionally, in October 2022, Elektra embarked on its most ambitious commissioning project to date, “The Lost Words: A Spell Book.” This project saw ten Canadian composers each setting two spells from the bestselling book by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, which celebrates nature, children, and language.