Chronos Vocal Ensemble prepares for 2024-25 season

Chronos Vocal Ensemble is a well-known choral group in Edmonton. They are gearing up for the launch of their twelfth season. Jordan Van Biert, the artistic director of Chronos Vocal Ensemble, discussed the choir’s approach to performing a mixture of contemporary and classical pieces. The season will consist of three concerts — trail of light, awakening, and human heart.

The first concert of the season, trail of light, took place on November 10 and featured pieces from Canadian composers. These included “I Am Not Yours” by Gerda Blok-Wilson and “The Poplar and the Moon” by Jeff Enns. The choir is dedicated to showcasing new choral compositions alongside classical works, Van Biert explained.

“[The] chance to perform brand new choral music, with the composer there live is always exciting,” Van Biert said.

The new season is about the “past, present, future, [and] of our perception of time”

Van Biert explained that this season’s theme is the “past, present, future, [and] of our perception of time.” He also noted that the trail of light concert “incorporates that element of the past and specifically of memory, and memories of love and of loved ones.”

The second concert of the season, awakening, takes place on January 19 and speaks to the “future” aspect of the season.

“In January we dust off things and we make our New Year’s resolutions. Or we set aside habits that we want to change. That’s a part of our mentality. So that concert is dedicated to the idea of looking forward and a spirit of hope to the future.”

Chronos Vocal Ensemble invites singers of all backgrounds to participate

Van Biert highlighted the nature of the choir as a “volunteer ensemble.” Members range from private music teachers to “folks who do church music.”

“[There’s] a lot of folks who have gained an appreciation for a high level of choral performance as they’ve grown up,” Van Biert explained.

Additionally, in the choir there are University of Alberta alumni from the Concert Choir, the Madrigal Singers, and the department of music. Van Biert is a U of A alumnus himself. He graduated with a Master’s of Music in Choral Conducting in 2007. He explained that a number of former Madrigal Singers contributed to the group’s formation back in 2013.

Overall Van Biert underscored that choir is “universal” and is not just for choral enthusiasts.

“There doesn’t have to be a significant barrier to initiation for folks to appreciate the experience in the moment of that beauty of unaccompanied voices. If it’s done well, I think it just gets you.”