Elektra announces its 40th anniversary season with new voices and returning favourites
For 2026–27, the choir will premiere new commissions by Canadian composers Suba Sankaran and Alex Eddington, as well as revisiting works from its inaugural year
Elektra. Photo by Zenna Wong
TRADITION HOLDS THAT the appropriate gift for a couple celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary is rubies. It makes sense, then, that Elektra has dubbed its 2026–27 season—the acclaimed choir’s 40th—“The Ruby Season”.
Like any long-lasting marriage, Elektra owes its longevity to a solid grounding in harmony. In Elektra’s case, of course, that means actual musical harmony, and there is certainly plenty of that in the coming season, which kicks off on November 28 and 29 with Chez Nous: Christmas With Elektra. The Allegra String Quartet will join the choir at Pacific Spirit United Church for a seasonal program of music by composers including Stephen Smith, Sarah Quartel, and Levente Gyöngyösi, alongside works by Srul Irving Glick, Shireen Abu-Khader, and Marie-Claire Saindon.
Cassie Luftspring. Photo by Emily Cooper
On March 20 and 21, 2027, Elektra returns to its roots at a concert called Radiant Dawn by singing Gustav Holst’s Choral Hymns From the Rig Veda, which it first performed 40 years ago. Harpist Vivien Chen is featured in a program that also includes the world premiere of a new commission by Canadian composer Suba Sankaran and contemporary works by Shruthi Rajasekar, Reena Esmail, Katerina Gimon, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, and others.
Rounding out the season is Ruby: The 40th Anniversary Concert, with performances on May 15, 2027, at Vancouver’s Christ Church Cathedral, and May 16 at Good Shepherd Church in Surrey. The program includes a new commission by Canadian composer Alex Eddington, inspired by reflections shared by Elektra singers on the choir’s first 40 years. Elektra alumni will join the current ensemble, singing together under the direction of both current artistic director Cassie Luftspring and founding artistic director Morna Edmundson.
In addition to the concerts, Elektra will celebrate its 40th season with The Ruby Gala at the Terminal City Club on February 27. We don’t have all the details—watch for those in the coming months—but an announcement from Elektra promises that the evening “will bring together singers, alumni, supporters, and friends of Elektra for a joyful celebration of four decades of music and community.”
Season tickets are now on sale, offering 20 per cent savings on all three main-stage concerts through October 1. See the Elektra website for details. 
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