Elektra Women's Choir

With a mandate to inspire and lead in the choral art form through excellence in performance and through the creation, exploration and celebration of women’s repertoire, Vancouver’s renowned Elektra Women’s Choir has taken a leadership role in the international classical women’s choir movement. A multiple national award-winning ensemble under the leadership of artistic director Morna Edmundson, Elektra is known for its adventurous programming, seeking out music written specifically for women and frequently commissioning and recording new works. Its appearances include performances at the distinguished National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association. Elektra was honoured to represent Canada at the Fourth World Symposium on Choral Music in Sydney, Australia.

Elektra offers a series of outreach programs, with a strong emphasis on encouraging and developing the skills of youth. These include the Mira Mentorship Program for High School Students, a Conductor Mentorship Program, Singing Workshops for women of all ages, Reading Sessions of New Works, and a new Choral Leadership for Young Women workshop. The choir’s 11 compact discs and its Repertoire Resources tool on elektra.ca are important ways in which Elektra continues to promote the finest repertoire, particularly Canadian music, to choirs around the world.

Elektra was founded in 1987 by co-conductors Morna Edmundson and Diane Loomer, C.M. In 2009, Morna Edmundson was appointed artistic director and Diane Loomer (1940 – 2012) became conductor emerita.