Island Voices excited for Fall season with New Director
As BC begins to open up again, Island Voices is planning for an exciting season of making music. With concerts tentatively scheduled for late November, the choir is eager to share new and familiar music with you, under the direction of Dr. John Hooper, our new Musical Director.
Dr. Hooper comes to us from Edmonton, where his conducting career was centred at Concordia University. He conducted several choirs and taught many music courses, as well as administering the School of Music. Recently, Hooper conducted the chamber and concert choirs at King’s University. He has conducted international music exams for the London College of Music for many years, and has been a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator at international ensemble festivals such as the Singapore Youth Festival.
As he takes on the Musical Director role, Dr. Hooper is excited to be starting this new chapter, saying, “I envision a strong future for Island Voices, building off its solid foundations and the strong commitment of its singers.” Hooper is also very keen to make musical connections and looks forward to future partnerships in the community. He can be contacted at islandvoiceschamberchoir@gmail.com.
The choir is grateful for our former Musical Director, Jenn Forsland, who led the choir with energy, creativity, skill and patience for six and a half years. “My tenure with the choir has been rich and rewarding,” she states, “and I am grateful for our collective growth. A change in directorship marks the start of new opportunities for me and the choir. I am excited for the next chapter in the story of Island Voices and I look forward to hearing the choir sing with John as conductor. I continue to be a devoted fan and an avid supporter of the community and their beautiful music”.