Linden Singers of Victoria
The Linden Singers
of Victoria is an auditioned mixed choir of approximately 50 voices, which has
been active in Victoria, British Columbia for over 30 years. The choir has become
well recognized for its interpretative skills of a broad spectrum of secular
and religious choral music from the 16th to the 21st century.
Linden has
specialized in the performance and writing of Canadian choral music. In 1994,
it commissioned a major work by Imant Raminsh, a leading contemporary Canadian
composer from British Columbia, which was premiered that year. In 1998, it
shared the commission of a work by Nancy Telfer, another prominent Canadian
musician, with Viva Children's Choir, also based in Victoria. It has performed a suite of pieces
based on texts by Chief Dan George set specifically for them by BC composer
Larry Nickel, at a national conference ('Pipes Around the Pacific'
International Organ Festival) of the Royal Canadian College of Organists in
Victoria in July of 2010.
Linden has been
recognized for its artistic achievements by twice being given the Canadian
Music Festival national award for mixed choirs and has twice been a finalist in
the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Choral competition.
It has toured both
regionally and internationally; first to New Zealand in 1997 and later to
Ireland in 2004, with a brief stop to sing in London. The London performance
included a combined concert with the Highgate Choral Society and featured
Dvorak's Mass in D. The choir has
also toured extensively in British Columbia and attended the Kathaumixw
Festival at Powell River on two occasions. In 2007, Linden toured the
Atlantic provinces of Canada; their main focus being participation in Festival 500, in St. John's,
Newfoundland. The latest tour was to Cuba, with a focus on Corhabana 2010, an international choral
festival presided over by Digna Guerra, head of the National Chorus of
Cuba. Its artistic collaborations
include a joint performance of Rachmaninoff's Night Vigil, under the baton of Simon Carrington, with Chor Leoni,
Electra and the Christ Church Cathedral choirs of Vancouver, and Capriccio of
Victoria for ChorPodium 2006, a
national conference held in Victoria.
Linden prides itself in singing to provide enjoyment and edification of both its audiences and its members. As part of its mandate, Linden has been involved in community service by performing for different charities and groups in the local area. Most recently, it participated in a most successful fund raising effort for Haiti earthquake relief in Sidney, B.C. It has continued to support and mentor young singers/choristers through artistic collaborations and as guest artists. Linden has provided an award to a developing adult singer in the local music festival for many years.