A truly world class youth choir in the heart of our city.
Bramwell Tovey
Founded in 2013 by Carrie Tennant, the Vancouver Youth Choir provides a space for promising young singers to develop their artistry in a creative and supportive community. In ten years, the organization has grown to more than 400 members aged 5-24 in seven separate ensembles, including the brand-new “VYC Kindred” – a free choral program where newcomer and refugee youth learn about Indigenous music and culture.
VYC members represent over 13 municipalities in the Lower Mainland, including 42 different high schools, two middle schools, 87 elementary schools and nine different post-secondary institutions. VYC choirs rehearse once a week, with many of these singers acting also as mentors in the younger VYC choirs. They are united by their love of the choral art form and their desire to contribute to their communities.
In the decade since its inception, the Vancouver Youth Choir has emerged as one of the most active and highly regarded youth choirs in the country. The choir has gained international attention for their adventurous programming, their commitment to performing and promoting music from underrepresented communities, and their outside-the-box approach to shows. In addition to their regularly sold-out season concerts, VYC performs regularly with professional choirs and solo artists in the city, and enjoys collaborations with artists from a wide variety of disciplines.
The choir has been featured multiple times on national radio (CBC), and in 2017 was awarded first prize in their category in the 2017 National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs. In 2016, VYC launched the “Vancouver Youth Choir Choral Series” with Cypress Publishing, featuring brand-new music written for SATB youth choirs by Canadian composers and arrangers. The choir has performed at festivals across North America and Europe, and in 2019 was invited to represent Canada at the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Kansas City.
This past April, members of VYC singers traveled to New York to perform at Carnegie Hall for a concert of all-Canadian choral music with choirs from across Canada. Also this April, the Senior Choir represented Canada as one of 10 choirs from around the world invited to perform at the WORLD SYMPOSIUM on CHORAL MUSIC in Istanbul, Turkey. We are incredibly proud of ALL of these amazing young artists, and very excited to share their artistry with you.
