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One of the largest choral families in Winnipeg is announcing a new exciting chapter with the appointment of a new artistic director.
Leanne Regehr Lee will be taking over the helm of Winnipeg Sonora Voices after years of accompanying and conducting three of the choirs that make up the choral collective.
“I’m very thrilled about it,” said Regehr Lee in an interview on Morning Light. “It’s really exciting to be part of the leadership team for the organization.”
The organization, which has undergone a revamp in the last few years after being known as Pembina Trails Voices for many years, provides opportunities for singers ranging for four to twenty-eight years old. Regehr Lee notes that while much has changed, the core value of nurturing musical involvement throughout a child’s developmental years. “That’s a really unique way of inviting collaboration amongst the singers and artistic staff, too,” elaborates Regehr Lee, “and also to be mentors and people of inspiration across ages.”
While the continuity of the artists involved helps with the administration of Winnipeg Sonora Voices as a whole, having choirs for a wide range of ages presents unique programming and logistical challenges. Regehr Lee is quick to credit the artistic leadership team with handling the individual operations of each group while also being willing to explore collaborations within the family. “To just create an overarching picture is actually very exciting because you’re pulling together so many ideas to create a unified organization,” she explains.
Winnipeg Sonora Voices also looks further afield for collaborations, with a performance alongside the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra already on the books for next spring. As she contemplates the first years of her tenure as artistic director, Regehr Lee is excited to see how far the ensembles can stretch themselves into new communities.
“Because of the [the choir’s] history and it [having] an association with the school division, that sometimes feels a little bit limiting in terms of our scope,” she says. “And so, to really make it a Winnipeg and outside Winnipeg organization... that’s very exciting to really feel like it’s opening up to a lot of people who are looking for that excellent choral singing and really special community with other musicians.”