Our Leadership | Elektra

Morna Edmundson

Artistic Director

Morna Edmundson is one of Canada’s best-known choral conductors with a strong reputation for excellence. Passionate since childhood about choral singing, she obtained degrees and diplomas in vocal music in Vancouver, Bellingham, and Stockholm, Sweden where her teachers included Eric Ericson.

In 1987, she co-founded Elektra Women’s Choir with Diane Loomer, a treasured partnership that lasted 22 years. In 2009, Morna became Elektra’s sole Artistic Director, continuing the choir’s strong leadership role in concert presentation, commissioning, recording, and mentorship.

In addition to her work with Elektra, Morna is the Artistic Director of EnChor, a Vancouver-based, auditioned, mixed choir for mature voices. For 14 years Morna shared her love of quality repertoire with a new generation of singers in her role as Associate Artistic Director of Coastal Sound Music Academy, where she was Music Director of the mixed-voice Youth Chamber Choir.

Morna has adjudicated in North America and Asia, conducted honour choirs in several states, co-directed the American Choral Directors Association National Women’s Honour Choir, and gives frequent workshops with choirs of all ages.

In 2000 she was presented with the Healey Willan Award for outstanding service to the BC Choral Federation, an organization she serves as a member of the Willan Council. In February 2009 Morna was a recipient of the BC Community Achievement Award, which recognized her gifted organizational talent, leadership by example, and her encouragement of others to pursue their musical and choral goals. In June 2011 Morna received a Vancouver YWCA Woman of Distinction award in recognition of her work with Elektra. For nine years, she served as a Board member of Chorus America, the advocacy, research, and leadership development organization that gives voice to the choral field. In 2021, she was appointed as President of Choral Canada, and in May of 2023 Morna was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters at the University of British Columbia.

Stephen Smith

Pianist

Stephen Smith grew up in rural Nova Scotia, where he sang and played the piano from an early age. After initial studies in his home province in both piano and organ, he attended the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England. While there, he participated in national and international competitions and won numerous awards and distinctions. Since 1990, Stephen has lived in Vancouver, obtaining his doctoral degree in piano performance from the University of British Columbia, and contributing to the musical life of the city as a performer, teacher, conductor, composer and arranger.

Central to Stephen’s career is his long-standing relationship with some of Vancouver’s finest choral groups. In addition to his work with Elektra (which he has accompanied since 2001), he is also resident accompanist of the Vancouver Men’s Chorus, pianist for the Vancouver Bach Choir, and a frequent collaborator with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and many other ensembles.

As a composer and arranger, Stephen has been commissioned by dozens of individual choirs across North America, and by such entities as the National Youth Choir of Canada, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and the Women’s Commissioning Consortium of the American Choral Directors’ Association. His music is published by Cypress Choral Music, Rhythmic Trident Music Publishing, Alliance, and ECS, and self-published online at MusicaNeo and SheetMusicDirect. Stephen’s work as both composer and pianist can be heard on dozens of commercially-released recordings, including a solo album of classical piano miniatures entitled “Kaleidoscope,” available on all the popular music-streaming platforms.