Belle Canto Women’s Ensemble

Belle Canto Women’s Ensemble – Canada

International Choir Competition & Festival in Provence 2025

This diverse ensemble of adult female voices shares the common goal of making high quality choral music.  Belle Canto was the first choir formed in the Cantilon family of choirs and remains its only adult ensemble.  In touring and recording, Belle Canto has distinguished itself as one of today’s foremost women’s choirs.

Originally a group of university students, the choir now consists of amateur singers from all walks of life.  Belle Canto particularly enjoys exploring the contemporary repertoire of Eastern Europe and Scandinavia and has recorded much of this on their two discs, Invocation and Sing!

Since its inception, this women’s vocal ensemble has received national and international recognition.  Belle Canto has been honoured to receive first prize for women’s choirs in four consecutive rounds of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s National Radio Competition for Amateur Choirs, as well as an award for the best performance of a Canadian composition by an adult choir in 2000.  In 2007, Belle Canto was awarded 2^nd place at the Cork International Choral Competition in Ireland. In 2010, Belle Canto was awarded three gold place standings and two 2^nd place awards at the prestigious 49^th Concorso internazionale di canto corale “C.A. Seghizzi” in Gorizia, Italy.

During its most recent European tour in 2013, Belle Canto competed at the 8^th International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival & Competition in Wernigerode, Germany. There, Belle Canto was the only choir to receive Gold standings in all the categories that it had competed in (Chamber Choirs of equal voices, Folklore, and Sacred Choir Music).

Heather Johnson, Conductor

Heather Johnson holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Lethbridge (Canada), a Bachelor of Education degree and a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of Alberta (Canada), and a diploma from the Kodály Pedagogical Intézet in Kecskemét, Hungary.  Following a five year term at Alberta College as the Artistic Director of the Schola Cantorum Program, Heather founded the Cantilon Choral Program in 2001.  This comprehensive community-based choral program involves over two hundred singers ranging in age from five to adult.  Widely recognized for her ability to inspire young musicians, Ms. Johnson seeks to create an atmosphere in which every singer may experience the joy of the choral art and, through this, understand the importance of their own individual role in the creative process.

Since their inception, Ms. Johnson’s choirs have been honoured with many awards in provincial, national, and international competitions.  Her women’s choir, Belle Canto, most recently competed in International Johannes Brahms Choir Competition in Wernigerode, Germany (2013), where they were the only choir to receive three Gold standings, placing second in both the Folk and Chamber choir categories. At the Seghizzi International Choral Competition in Gorizia, Italy (2010), they were awarded 2^nd places in both the Romantic and Contemporary categories, as well as the prize for the Best Artistic Program of the festival.

Previously, Belle Canto attended the Cork International Choral Festival in Cork, Ireland in 2007, where they were awarded second place in the Fleischman International Trophy Competition.  As well, this choir was awarded second place for Women’s Chamber Choirs in the 3^rd Annual International Choral Olympics held in Bremen, Germany in 2004.

The Cantilon choirs have repeatedly received first place awards in Provincial and National Music Festivals.  Both her women’s choir, Belle Canto, and her children’s choir, the Cantilon Chamber Choir, have been consistent first place winners in the prestigious CBC Choral Competition for Amateur Choirs.  Ms. Johnson’s choirs tour regularly throughout Canada and in Europe.

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