St. Lawrence Choir
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The St Lawrence Choir/Choeur Saint-Laurent is an 80 voice choir composed of both males and females. It is recognized as one of the best amateur choral ensembles in Canada. It was founded in 1972 by the citizens of the West Island of Montreal. In 1983, the choir relocated to downtown Montreal. From the beginning and for more than thirty years Iwan Edwards has been its conductor.
The St Lawrence Choir's repertoire covers a variety of major and lesser-known choral works from the 16th to 20th centuries. They perform regularly at the following Montreal locations Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame Basilica, Oscar Peterson Hall, and Place des Arts with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (MSO).
Over the years, the choir has collaborated with several orchestras and ensembles, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Montreal, the McGill Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Amati, and Concerto Della Donna. With the MSO the choir has appeared at Avery Fisher Hall in 2000, and several times at the Festival international de Lanaudière and at Carnegie Hall, performing under guest conductors Charles Dutoit in 1999 and 2000, and Michel Plasson and Emanuel Villaume in 2002.
The St Lawrence Choir's makes an effort to introduce its audiences to works by Canadian composers, including Ruth Watson Henderson, Victor Davies, and Jacques Hétu.
The choir has been broadcast on CBC radio, CFCF, and radio stations across Europe. It can be heard on several MSO recordings, and on the 1996 recording of Haydn's Nelson Mass with Ensemble Amati (SNE-622-CD).
