Les Jeunes chanteurs d'Acadie

Les Jeunes Chanteurs d'Acadie is a mixed choir of 40 young girls, ages 11–19, from Dieppe (Moncton), NB.

Les Jeunes Chanteurs d'Acadie is a mixed choir of 40 young girls, ages 11–19, from Dieppe (Moncton), NB. The choir was founded as the Chorale d'Aberdeen by Sister Lorette Gallant in 1969, and was renamed Les Jeunes Chanteurs d'Acadie in 1972. It has won many international prizes, sung for Queen Elizabeth II and represented New Brunswick in Montréal at the music festival held in connection with the 1976 Montréal Olympics.

Performance History

The choir, which sings in English, French, German, Latin and Welsh, has been heard frequently on CBC Radio, notably on the program A Cappella, and has appeared on television. In July 1978, it took part in international music festivals in Llangollen, Wales, and Middlesbrough, England. It gave two concerts in August 1978 at the 13th conference of the International Society for Music Education in London, ON. In 1980, the choir made a Canadian tour performing in Québec City, Montréal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver. In 1984, after participating in the Guelph Spring Festival, it undertook a European tour, again appearing at the Llangollen Festival as well as at the International Singing Week in Lausanne and in a few cities in France.

In 2005, Sister Lorette Gallant retired and was replaced by Nadine Hébert. The choir caught a second breath, participating in the Niagara International Music Festival in St Catharines, ON, in 2006. In summer 2008, the choir participated in the Laval’s Mondial Loto-Québec and represented New Brunswick at the UNISONG Choral Music Festival in Ottawa. The choir participated in the International Choral Kathaumixw in Powell River, BC in 2010, and was paired with the Guelph Youth Singers in the Senior Treble Choir Festival in Toronto in 2012.

Awards and Honours

The choir won three first prizes at the 1974 International Music Eisteddfod in Middlesbrough, England. In 1976, it sang for Queen Elizabeth II in Fredericton and represented New Brunswick in Montréal at the music festival held in connection with the 1976 Olympic Summer Games (see also Music at the Olympics). The same year, it won second prize in the CBC National Radio Competition for Amateur Choirs and in 1977 it received the George S. Mathieson Trophy, awarded annually by the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals to the best youth choir competing in Canadian festivals.