Elektra Women’s Choir Vancouver’s Elektra Women’s Choir, founded in 1987 by co-conductors Morna Edmundson (new Artistic Director) and Diane Loomer, C.M. (Conductor Emerita) is regarded as an international leader in the classical women’s choir movement. Its mandate is to inspire and lead in the choral art form through excellence in performance and through the creation, exploration and celebration of women’s repertoire. Elektra is known for its adventurous programming, seeking out music written specifically for women and frequently commissioning new works. These are some of the qualities that have allowed Elektra to maintain its place among the choral elite nationally and internationally. This spring marked a unique landmark in the life of Elektra. Morna Edmundson, was appointed sole Artistic Director for the choir and her enthusiasm for continuing to augment the well established reputation of the choir is strong and secure. Elektra has a rich history of awards and national and international appearances. Elektra was Canada’s representative at the World Symposium of Music in Sydney, Australia and appeared by invitation at the National Convention of American Choral Directors in New York. In 2008 Elektra was an invited guest of the Northwestern Division Convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Vancouver. In recent years, Elektra has also appeared at several Podium conventions of the Association of Canadian Choral Communities (ACCC). Multiple first place awards in the CBC biennial Choral Competition established Elektra as a leader in the choral community of treble voices worldwide. Ongoing outreach programs are a priority for Elektra: Mira Mentorship Program for Young Singers (annually), Composer Reading Sessions (every 2 years), Conductor Mentorship Program (every 2 to 3 years), and a Women’s Singing workshop (every 2 years) ensure that Elektra’s music and activities are accessible to all. Elektra participates enthusiastically in shared projects with other arts organizations such as the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, ArtsWay, MusicFest Vancouver, and Chor Leoni Men’s Choir. Each Christmas, Elektra welcomes a local children’s choir to sing alongside Elektra and in their own solo spotlight. Besides the live performances it gives in Vancouver, it has become a valued resource, especially for conductors the world over looking to program the best of Canadian repertoire for treble voices. Elektra has commissioned nearly 60 compositions in its 22 year history. On its website, Elektra houses a permanent Canadian resource called “Thirty-Top Picks” (created with the assistance of the Vancouver Foundation). This resource has become invaluable to conductors from around the world. Ongoing updates and the development of a new international section are planned for the near future. Elektra now has nine CDs available. Its first CD, Elektra Women's Choir (1992) was nominated for a JUNO award. Elektra's ninth recording and its first self produced album, Elektra's Garden was released May 2009. Elektra CDs are available through CDBaby.com and iTunes and are in constant demand locally, nationally, and internationally.