Vancouver's Elektra Women's Choir is proud to announce that Morna Edmundson, who shares the co-conductorship of the choir with Diane Loomer, C.M., is a recipient of the 2009 BC Community Achievement Award.

"Having worked side by side for the last twenty-two years as co-conductors of Elektra and also as good friends and colleagues, I am delighted and proud to see this recognition bestowed upon Morna," says Diane. "She has brought so many positives to the community and cultural fabric of Briitsh Columbia through her work in the arts. I know this well-deserved recognition will inspire her to bring even more!"

"Morna is an outstanding leader in Vancouver's music world," adds Elektra's president, Arlene Higgs. "She is known among artists, composers, and conductors for her musicality and insightful leadership. We are thrilled that she's been recognized in this way."
 
The awards, announced February 20 by Premier Gordon Campbell and Keith Mitchell, chair of the British Columbia Achievement Foundation, honoured forty-five individuals who enliven their communities.

"Together, British Columbians build a stronger province, and in the midst of these demanding times, we gather confidence from those in our province who consistently and honourably create safe, caring and vital communities," said Premier Campbell. "I applaud the outstanding contribution these individuals have made to regions throughout British Columbia and their commitment to making our province the best place on earth."

"The initiative, impact and inspiration to others demonstrated by this year's award recipients warrants public affirmation," added Mitchell. "We're privileged to showcase and celebrate the contributions of these exceptional British Columbians."

Edmundson received the award in recognition of her leadership as co-conductor of Elektra Women's Choir, her involvement in the Coastal Sound Music Academy, and her ongoing work with MusicFest Vancover (formerly Festival Vancouver). In all of these endeavours Morna has shown she is a gifted organizational talent who leads by example, encouraging others to pursue their musical and choral goals.

Morris Biddle, the President of the MusicFest Vancouver (formerly Festival Vancouver) Board of Directors, echoes the congratulations coming from Elektra.

"In addition to the great work Morna has done on behalf of Elektra Women's Choir, her contribution to MusicFest Vancouver as Administrative Director has been equally tireless and invaluable," he states. "She is a superb strategist, manager and motivator of people, and it is wonderful to see her efforts acknowledged and rewarded in this manner. Congratulations Morna!"

 "The whistling, whooping applause at our Elektra rehearsal last night after the announcement of her award demonstrated the deep affection and respect we all have for Morna," adds Higgs. "Brava Morna, from all of us!"

After months of planning, Elektra is proud to welcome three guest choirs for this week's Tapestry International: Brilliant Harmony, all the way from Tokyo, as well as Victoria's Balkan Babes and the Western Washington Women's Chorale from Bellingham.

Thursday evening's concert marks Brilliant Harmony's first visit to North America, and we are thrilled they chose Tapestry International for their debut.

They were formed in 1988 by conductor, Ko Matsushita, and in a very short time the choir has gone on to collect many accolades, culminating in the 2005 European Grand Prix Award. This recognized their first place wins in an astounding six major European choral competitions - in one year!

Saturday's concert, The Singing World, features solos sets from each of our guest choirs as well as Elektra. Victoria's Balkan Babes won the Pan-Cultural category of CBC Radio's Choral 2008 competition and we are sure you'll understand why when you hear them interpret music from Macedonia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and other Eastern European countries.

The University Choir Women from Western Washington University (Bellingham) is a highly select ensemble that performs music of all styles and periods. The UCW performs regularly throughout the year, and in 2005, was featured at the American Choral Director's Northwest Division Convention.

Exhilaration!, Sunday's celebratory finale, again features solo sets from each choir, before combining into a massed ensemble of 120 voices for the second half of the concert. Joining the massed ensemble are members of Mira, Elektra's forward-looking mentorship program.
Elektra will premiere Ramona Luengen's How the Blossoms are Falling during their solo set. This evocative new work to poetry by Joy Kagowa is dedicated to Diane Loomer in celebration of her 22 years as co-conductor of the choir. The massed ensemble will premiere The Garden of Dreams by Timothy Corlis, who chose poetry by Bliss William Carman.

Morna praises the work for it evocative setting of text. "The voices and piano create a spinning, dreamlike mood at the opening, building to a dramatic climax," she explains. "We're proud to introduce other choirs to the work of our own composers, and hope that this piece might find its way into a choral concert in Japan in the future."

As the host choir for Tapestry International, Elektra will sing in all three concerts, performing a welcoming set for Brilliant Harmony on February 26, and presenting their own sets of music on February 28 and March 1, as well as singing in the massed ensemble works that close Exhilaration! Celebratory Finale. Each performance of Tapestry International will close with Allistair MacGillivray's Here's to Song, newly arranged for women's choir by Diane and presented to Elektra as a gift by the arranger.

Concerts on February 26 and 28 take place at Ryerson United Church, with Tapestry's Exhilaration! Celebratory Finale on March 1 at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Vancouver.

Three days of concerts, four amazing choirs, over 120 voices raised in song - it's Tapestry International Celebration of Women's Choirs, and it's happening this week. Don't miss it.

Elektra gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts, City of Vancouver, Government of British Columbia, CBC, Cypress Choral Music, Lang Michener LLP, BordenLadnerGervais, Martha Lou Henley Charitable Foundation, the Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation, and BC 150 Years. Elektra also thanks its many generous individual donors and volunteers - their support makes us sing.