Our History
The Prince George Cantata Singers made its debut in 1968, conducted by Imant Raminsh, founding conductor of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra, in our first performance of Handel's Messiah. We have grown from that small community choir to become British Columbia’s Central Interior premier adult mixed-voice chorus with up to 80 members and recently celebrated our 50 years of song. Over the years, we have had the privilege of working with many talented and exceptional Music Directors and currently are led by Music Director Ariane Crossland.
We have performed with celebrated names such as Tyler Duncan, the Celtic Band, Out of Alba, chamber ensemble Borealis String Quartet featuring former Prince George Symphony Orchestra Cellist Joel Stobbe, and with CBC radio personalities. We enjoy performing a variety of musical styles including classical, folk, gospel, jazz, ethnic, and pops and have performed with other local, regional, and national artists. Our long-standing collaboration with the PGSO has resulted in performances of Mozart's Requiem, Spirit of the Haida Gwaii by the late Bill Reid, the songs of Cole Porter, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, and the biennial production of Handel's Messiah.
We participate in the annual Prince George Music Festival, and in 2019 received the honour of being recommended to attend BC's Provincial competition. We have traveled to other BC communities such as Smithers, Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, and Mackenzie to perform. We also regularly participate in the Prince George Music Festival, in community fundraisers and outreach performances. We are proud to play an active role in the local arts community.
After 50 wonderful years, sharing our voices with each other and the surrounding community continues to be our passion! If singing is your passion, come try us out! Everyone who loves to sing is welcome to join us.
Our Programming
Concert programming encompasses a wide range of repertoire that includes choral classics, works by Canadian composers, and popular pieces. The heart of the choir lies in its willingness to stretch the boundaries and embrace new and challenging work.
The choir will be producing You Tube video recordings of rehearsals during the pandemic and making these available to members who are unable to participate in person.
Our Supporters
The Prince George Cantata Singers are appreciative of the support we receive from the BC Arts Council and the contributions we receive from our supports. We are a registered charity and can offer tax receipts for donations over $25.00.
Volunteering
The Prince George Cantata Singers are looking for volunteers in several capacities. If you are interested in helping with production, rehearsal set-up, or Covid safety, please let one of our Board Members know. For more opportunities, please look at the attached.
What is a Choir?
A choir is more than a group of singers, it is a group of people from all walks of life who come together and form a supportive, inclusive community whose goal is to enjoy making music together and growing as musicians and people, and then to share that joy of music-making with our entire Prince George and area communities.
Ariane Crossland, Music Director
Rehearsal Schedule
Wednesday7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Contact Us
PO Box 2001, Prince George, BC, V2N 2J6