Well, fellow Jaysuits, in the heart of our cherry blossoming Vancouver, a symphony of voices is set to roar louder than ever before. Admist the multitude of symphonies and sounds we’ve witnessed in this city; think BACH’S concerto’s, the electric rebellion of Cambodian Rock Band, or the magic of Chor Leoni’s very own Christmas concerts, buckle up:
The Big Roar is back, and under artistic director,conductor, composer, and record producer (phew) Erick Lichte’s baton, this year; it’s louder, prouder, and more community-driven than ever.
Mark your calendars for May 3rd, 2025, because the Chan Centre at our beloved UBC is about to host a choral earthquake. Celebrating its 10th anniversary; it’s a seismic event where over 250 voices unite to shake Vancouver’s soul.
Lichte’s pitch?
“$5“
“Come out and give it a try. I mean, especially right now—five bucks! Where else are you going to do and sit in the best concert hall in British Columbia for five dollars?”
Thanks to a game-changing $25,000 sponsorship from TD, over 800 tickets are priced at just $5, tearing down barriers to live music like a lion (heh, get it?) ripping through tissue paper.
Ready to dive in with a roar?
(Alrighty, I’ll stop with the puns…)
A Choral Tapestry of Voices
As someone who’s covered Chor Leoni’s magic before, from their Christmas concerts at St. Andrew’s-Wesley to the fiery energy of their TRANSFORM Festival sets; I can tell you this: what makes their events unforgettable isn’t just the music. It’s the people. The singers; young and old, who pour their souls into every note. For their 10th anniversary, this element shines brighter than ever:
“We’ve got an eight-year-old and eighty-year-old on the same stage, and they’re all going to make music at the exact same level,” Lichte says. “The price of entry into the choral world is so low. You don’t have to own a cello. You don’t need to have a piano. So help identify that person in your sphere, in your community. Most people love music, but I don’t think they realize that a choral concert can be this fun, engaging, hyper-emotional kind of space.”
-Stir Magazine
Featuringa vibrant mosaic of over 250 singers spanning five distinct ensembles. Each group represents a unique facet of their mission to educate and inspire through choral music. Here’s a closer look at the artists taking the stage:
Photo credits, Philip Jack
Chor Leoni(JUNO-nominated headline choir)
The Leonids(professional ensemble of North America’s finest vocalists)
MYVoice Educational Choirs (ages 12–24, free program across Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, and Coquitlam)
MYVoice PRÉLUDE(new in 2025: grades 5–7, led by educator Carrie Taylor)
The same JUNO-nominated ensemble that turned “O Magnum Mysterium” into a festive revelation last December is back, this time anchoring The Big Roar with their signature blend of precision and passion. Under Artistic Director Erick Lichte (the same maestro who reimagined “Angels We Have Heard on High” as an Irish jig), they’ll perform a set that bridges sacred depth and playful innovation.
When Lichte first stepped into a Chor Leoni rehearsal over a decade ago, he saw a revolution waiting to roar:
“I absolutely adored everything about this organization, this choir, these people, this place” he recalls. “It was one of those very few moments in life where you’re like, ‘I see the vision.’ The matrix becomes clear to you. You can see all of it in front of you. And thankfully, I got it.”
Growing up in Appleton, Wisconsin, his obsession with communal singing was forged in a 250-member boys’ choir, belting hymns like it was the most normal thing in the world. It wasn’t until later; co-founding the Grammy-nominated ensemble Cantus and landing in Vancouver, that he realized how rare that sense of belonging was, sharpening a philosophy that now fuels this ensemble:
“We want to fix all the toxicity in the world—it’s about bringing people into a place where we have these positive outlets. We’re all going to have emotions. A lot of them are negative. But if we have a place for them to have an outlet—and people to share them with—then we don’t act out in those terrible ways.”.
A sentiment that has echoed not just throughout the various spaces dotted throughout Vancouver that I’ve explored and witnessed; like The Birdhouse, but also through those various art exhibits and installations that have provided a voice for the marginalized and unheard.
For The Big Roar, Chor Leoni will perform a curated set showcasing their signature blend of classical, folk, and contemporary repertoire.
Having watched them in past festivals, I can attest to their dual role of not just being performers but torchbearers, modeling what it means to commit fully to the craft.
The Leonids: Professional Excellence in Action
Vocal alchemists, genre rebels, low-note titans. The Big Roar is not complete without The Leonids, the nine-member professional ensemble that serves as both the festival’s headline act and its secret weapon. Drawn from top-tier soloists and choral artists across North America, these singers return year after year, not for a paycheck, but for the chance to ignite sparks in the next generation.
Hailed as “some of the brightest lights on the North American choral scene” and aptly named after the spectacular meteor showers, this professional supergroup has collaborated with singers and Grammy-winning ensembles like Chanticleer, Conspirare, Trinity Church Wall Street, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Clarion Choir, TENET, Skylark, Phoenix Chorale, ANÚNA, and many more.
Their mission?
To mentor, inspire, and elevate every voice in the festival.
Lichte describes The Leonids as central to Chor Leoni’s aspirational ethos: “Our mission is to transform people’s lives through male choral singing. This ensemble allows our home audiences to get to know these extraordinary artists while giving our singers—from MYVoice youth to Emerging Artists—a direct line to learn from the best of the best.”
Notable Members:
Tomás Cruz, Tenor: The Jazz-Opera Hybrid
This NYC choral rogue swings from Philip Glass’ Einstein on the Beach to dropping beats with Grammy winner Arturo O’Farrill. When he’s not slaying SNL stages or bending genres with experimental ensemble Ekmeles, he’s probably out-jazzing your local coffee shop playlist. “Mellifluous, pure tone”? The New York Classical Review called it, we Jaysuits call it sorcery.
Brian Hinman, Tenor: The Chanticleer OG
Fifteen years with the Grammy-winning Chanticleer? Check. Road manager, producer, and arranger of their pop/jazz album Someone New? Double-check. This Tennessee tenor’s voice has circled the globe 120 times a year—literally. When he’s not serenading sold-out halls, he’s probably in a San Fran boardroom fighting for your right to bop to Bach.
Harrison Hintzsche, Baritone: The Schubert Whisperer
“Sonorous.” “Suave.” “Gentle poignancy.” Opera critics throw dictionaries at this guy. After debuting at London’s Wigmore Hall with Schubert’s Complete Songs, he’s been collecting awards like Pokémon—first place in the Colorado Bach Competition, the Margot Fassler Prize, and a Grieg Society crown. Bonus: He’s the only bass Pilate you’ll ever need in Bach’s St. John Passion.
Sam Kreidenweis, Baritone: The Globe-Trotting Bass-Baritone
From Dublin’s Anúna to Arizona’s desert chorales, Sam’s voice has serenaded temples in Japan, palaces in Belgium, and your mom’s living room via Grammy-nominated Rachmaninoff albums. Oh, and he’s dabbled in opera roles so intense, even Dayton’s stages couldn’t contain him. Rich sound? Understatement.
Glenn Miller, Bass: The Basso Profundo Titan
Forget the jazz legend—this Glenn Miller’s low notes could crack the Liberty Bell. A Russian liturgical god with five recordings of Rachmaninoff’s Vespers, he’s the reason composers write concertos for “basso profundo” (yes, that’s a thing). The New York Times calls him a “champion weightlifter among bass singers.” Translation: his voice could bench-press a grand piano.
Matthew Newhouse, Tenor: The Medieval-to-Avant-Garde Maverick
Texas-born, Yale-trained, and Icelandic-curious, Matthew’s range spans plainchant to Aaron Jay Kernis’ Edensongs. Carnegie Hall debut? Check. Baking sourdough between Schütz’s Weihnachtshistorie? Also check. If early music had a cowboy, it’d be this guy—spurs, St. John Passion, and all.
Jacob Perry Jr., Tenor: The Baroque Heartthrob
Praise his “gorgeous and stylish” Baroque chops? ClevelandClassical.comdid. From Apollo’s Fire to the Carmel Bach Festival, Jacob’s the tenor making 17th-century hymns sound like Billboard chart-toppers. Fun fact: He co-directs Bridge, a D.C. ensemble that’s basically Baroque-meets-Billie Eilish.
Daniel Schwartz, Bass: The Philly Phenom
Two-time Grammy winner with The Crossing? Check. Bit roles in Oscar with Opera Philadelphia? Check. Founding member of vocal sextet Variant 6? Triple check. When he’s not harmonizing with the Philadelphia Orchestra, he’s directing Philly’s Voices of Pride—because why not?
Gregório Taniguchi, Tenor: The Eco-Conscious Storyteller
From Bach’s St. John Passion to staging Schütz’s Exequien with Peter Sellars, Gregório’s voice is a narrative powerhouse. When he’s not touring with Clarion or germinating native wildflowers (yes, really), he’s probably teaching your fave choir how to mean every note.
Being the backbone of this programme, they will anchor most of the demanding works as well as mentoring the Emerging Choral Artists in side-by-side rehearsals. Their dual role as performers and educators embodies Chor Leoni’s vision, as Lichte emphasizes:
“We want to bring something extraordinary here. These artists are an aspirational force—for our singers, our audiences, and the community we’ve built.”
MYVoice: Where Tomorrow’s Stars Find Their Sound
The concert’s most electric energy will come from MYVoice, Chor Leoni’s free youth program for singers aged 12–24. Now expanded to Coquitlam, the 2025 cohort includes over 80 teens and young adults from across Metro Vancouver, many of whom discovered choral music through school outreach or community workshops.
Here, they will perform works like Tracy Wong’s arrangement of the Malaysian folk song Wau Bulan, Lakeside Lullabye by Jacob Narverud and Ritmo by Dan Davison, blending global traditions with contemporary choral techniques. The program’s growth reflects Chor Leoni’s commitment to accessibility and mentorship. As Lichte notes:
“Our vision for The Big Roar is to be a beacon of hope, where audiences from all walks of life experience the energy of live choral music. TD’s generosity helps us provide unprecedented access to those who might otherwise miss this transformative art.”
Photo credits, Basia Kowalska
New this year, PRÉLUDE is Chor Leoni’s answer to a question some have had to grapple with: How do we hook kids on choir before TikTok does? Designed for grades 5–7 and led by educator Carrie Taylor, this program is all about playful discovery. Think less “sight-reading drills” and more “rhythm games that double as laughter therapy”; slightly wobbly, utterly sincere, and impossible not to love.
Emerging Choral Artists: The Bridge to Pro
Mentorship matters. Enter the Emerging Choral Artists, the program where raw talent meets the razor-sharp guidance of The Leonids. These 18–30-year-old tenors, baritones, and basses diving headfirst into the deep end of choral professionalism.
During the week leading up to The Big Roar, these rising stars rehearse side-by-side with The Leonids, absorbing everything from breath control to the art of storytelling through song. It’s like a vocal boot camp where the stakes are high, and the rewards are higher. This year, they anchor several key pieces in the program:
David Lang’s avant- garde, Manifesto :
As well as John Pamintuan’s O Nata Lux, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi’s somber and melancholic Grim and Glacial Funeral Waltzes and Benedict Sheehan’s Song of Simeon, each distinct in application and technique, thus gaining an invaluable hands-on experience in a world-class setting.
Sneak Peek: Harmonia Concert (May 1)
Want a pre-game warm-up? Catch Choir Leoni, the Leonids and Emerging Artists at the Canadian Memorial United Church on May 1 for Harmonia, a teaser of the concert’s programming. Think of it as The Big Roar’s rebellious little sibling, same heart, smaller venue.
So, Jaysuits, this is your call to arms—er, voices?Drop the Netflix, grab a $5 ticket, and let more than 250 voices remind you what human connection sounds like.
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