A Coquitlam-based vocal group has scored another high note in a national competition.
The Coastal Sound Youth Choir (CSYC) under the direction of Carrie Tennant took first place in the Association of Canadian Choral Communities' (ACCC) contest, formerly known as the CBC Choral Competition. The 70-member group was up against Chorale De La Salle of Ottawa and Medway Madrigal Singers of London, Ont., in the category of mixed-voice youth choirs.
The victory comes less than a year after they were picked as the top overall choir at the National Music Festival in Fort McMurray, AB. Last month, they also clinched the provincial title at the BC Festival of the Arts in Chilliwack.
Yesterday (Tuesday), the choir left for Montana to take part in the triennial International Choral Music Festival in Montana.
Besides leading CSYC, Tennant also conducts the Sarah McLachlan School of Music Youth Choir and the Chor Leoni MYVoice Vancouver Choir, and she is the associate artistic director of the Coastal Sound Music Academy.
"All of us at Coastal Sound are extremely proud of these singers, and of Carrie and George," said Diana Clark, the academy's artist director. "It's really a wonderful feeling to have helped these singers along the way (some have been singing in our choirs since they were five years old) and to watch them grow up to be such poised, caring and engaged artists."
