Leslie Dala picks up the baton as new Music Director of the Vancouver Bach Choir.

The news of Leslie Dala's appointment was announced in December 2009. At the time, Anthony Roper, President of the Vancouver Bach Choir, expressed great pleasure at the appointment and the expectation of many years of stellar music making.

Leslie Dala agreed, "I am thrilled to be chosen as the new Music Director of the Vancouver Bach Choir. This is one of Canada's most acclaimed choirs and it is a great honour to succeed Bruce Pullan who has left a remarkable legacy during the course of his tenure. It is never an easy time when there is a changing of the guard, but I relish this opportunity and I look forward to the challenges ahead and to working with this wonderful ensemble in exploring the great works for chorus and orchestra".

Described as "a dynamic young conductor, equally at home with symphonic music, opera and contemporary work", Leslie Dala is in demand across Canada. He has been Music Director of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra for the past seven seasons, Chorus Director and Associate Conductor with the Vancouver Opera for five seasons and was recently appointed Principal Conductor of the Vancouver Academy of Music Orchestra.

During his tenure with the Prince George Symphony the orchestra has given many first performances of important works from the 20th Century as well as several premieres of newly commissioned works. As Chorus Director and Associate Conductor of Vancouver Opera, Leslie has assisted with over fifty main stage productions and conducted the company premiere of Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera, and Verdi's Rigoletto.

Leslie Dala's experience and interests fit well with the Vancouver Bach Choir specializing as we do in symphonic choral music. Through our own series of concerts presented at the Orpheum each season, the choir has become known for presenting the Canadian or British Columbian premieres of many important choral works such as Mahler's 8th Symphony, Berlioz' Messe Solennelle, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem and Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio as well as a broad spectrum of music from the symphonic choral repertoire. The choir has also made several successful films for television including Whalesong, the Gemini Award-winning film of its Expo 86 concert, and has toured nationally and internationally, singing from London to Tokyo and from Warsaw and Paris to Toronto and Calgary.

Our new Music Director has put together a very exciting season for 2010/2011, the choir's 80th, and we look forward to welcoming our audience to New Beginnings, a season built on the choir's eight decades of experience and tradition, guided by a young conductor of exceptional talent, knowledge and commitment.

 

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