Cascade Peaks ChamberFest announces a world premiere for its inaugural vocal ensemble program
At a July 20 concert, faculty lead Mark Vuorinen directs Where Wildness Lives by renowned B.C. composer Imant Raminsh
SPONSORED POST BY Cascade Peaks ChamberFest
Chamber Vocal Ensemble Program faculty lead Mark Vuorinen.
Cascade Peaks ChamberFest has unveiled an exciting new initiative for its 2026 festival with the launch of the very first Chamber Vocal Ensemble Program.
Specifically tailored for accomplished voice students ages 18 and up, this immersive program will focus on singers who are keen to embark on a career of performing in professional chamber choirs and ensembles. Participants will benefit from hands-on mentorship with leading vocal professionals, enriching masterclasses, and inspiring performance opportunities. Whether folks are applying solo or as part of a preformed group, the program is a chance for them to elevate their ensemble skills in a stunning natural setting alongside like-minded musicians.
Included in the repertoire for the Chamber Vocal Ensemble Program will be the premiere of Where Wildness Lives, a newly commissioned work by renowned B.C. composer Imant Raminsh. Program lead Mark Vuorinen will direct the ensemble and the Borealis String Quartet in performing the piece at the Cascade Peaks ChamberFest Concert Series on the evening of June 20.
Vuorinen is associate professor and chair of music at Conrad Grebel University College at the University of Waterloo, where he directs the University of Waterloo Chamber Choir. He is also artistic director of the Elora Singers, Elora Festival, and the Grand Philharmonic Choir.
Cascade Peaks ChamberFest takes place at RockRidge Canyon resort outside of Princeton, B.C. from June 19 to 21. Full-access festival passes and a variety of accommodation options are available for out-of-town guests.
RockRidge Canyon
Raminsh was born in Latvia in 1943 and came to Canada in 1948. He is a two-time winner of the biennial Canadian National Choral Awards in the category of Outstanding Choral Work, first in 1990 for Magnificat and again in 1994 for Veni Sancte Spiritus. His music has been heard on six continents and performed in such renowned venues as Carnegie Hall and Notre-Dame de Paris. In 2007, Raminsh was made an Officer in the Order of the Three Stars of the Republic of Latvia, and in 2018 he was awarded the Order of Canada. He is the founding conductor of the Prince George Symphony, the Youth Symphony of the Okanagan, NOVA Children’s Choir, and AURA Chamber Choir. His love of the natural world informs many of his compositions.
Where Wildness Lives celebrates the transcendent effect that immersion with wilderness has on the human psyche, and the sense of serenity and exhilaration as one surrenders to the natural environment. The lyrics of the piece were written by Raminsh’s wife and frequent artistic collaborator, poet Becky Strube. It is scored for a mixed choir with soprano divisi, accompanied by a string quartet.
The Chamber Vocal Ensemble Program is supported by the Len Lythgoe Memorial Fund. The program is still accepting applicants up until April 1; the minimum age for registration is 18 years and up.
The festival’s other academy programs include the Emerging Artists Chamber Music Program for early-career string players and pianists, the Community Artists Program, and the individual-focused Residency Artists Program.
For more information, visit the Cascade Peaks ChamberFest website.
Post sponsored by Cascade Peaks ChamberFest.
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