Annapolis Valley Honour Choir

Vision Statement

Our AVHC goal is to is to deliver a complete choral education, nurture healthy developing voices, and achieve musical excellence - all while building a community of knowledgeable, thoughtful young musicians and caring, engaged citizens who will share in a life-long love of singing.

Biography and History

The Annapolis Valley Honour Choir (AVHC) is an instructional music program that emphasizes musical and vocal training through choral music experiences. It exists to enrich the artistic lives of its members, their families, and the community they serve.  Expanding into 2 ensembles in the fall of 2013, there are currently 120 talented choristers from Grades 5-12 in these growing ensembles, representing over 18 communities from across the Annapolis Valley.

Singers receive a well-rounded choral education that includes the nurturing of healthy vocal technique, strong musicianship and aural skills. The choir also provides a powerful means for young choral musicians to express themselves musically. Repertoire includes the full range of musical styles, suitable for developing voices.  This program also nurtures confidence and self-esteem in the choristers and promotes their healthy emotional and social development. The choir involves singers in activities that provide opportunities for leadership development, community involvement and volunteerism.

The choirs present two or three full-length concerts each season.   In addition, the choirs perform at many community functions throughout the region and for special events.  As part of our outreach, the choir has helped raise money for a variety of community projects.  Most recently the choirs presented a concert with “VOX: A Choir for Social Change” to raise money for the “Don’t BE Afraid” campaign against homophobia and the Valley Youth Project - a program that provides assistance and education to LGTBQ youth within the local community.

The choir also takes part in the Annapolis Valley Music Festival and other festivals in Nova Scotia. They have won their classes at both the local and provincial level and have been sent to represent Nova Scotia at the National Music Festival.  In May 2014, the Senior Choir was selected from choirs across the country to perform at Podium - Choral Canada’s biennial National Conference, hosted in Halifax.  

In order to incorporate a worldly musical education and life experiences for the singers, the AVHC considers travel to be an extremely important part of the vision and mandate of the organization.   The choirs now travel every two years both within the Canada and abroad.   In March 2016 the Senior Choir participated in a cultural exchange to Cuba.   In April 2015, the Junior Choir completed a government funded SEVEC Exchange with Coastal Sound Children’s Choir, travelling to Vancouver BC.   Previous trips have included Budapest, Vienna and Venice. (2013), Paris and Prague (2008), Barcelona (2003), Germany and Austria (1998), and Britain (1993).