For two decades, Ensemble Laude has enchanted audiences on Vancouver Island with its creative blend of medieval repertoire and contemporary choral works from around the world. Ensemble Laude is a community united by a passion for choral music and the vision of our Artistic Director, Dr. Elizabeth MacIsaac. We celebrate the beauty and resilience of women’s vocal traditions through the ages and seek to share this art form through joyful, soulful, and life-enhancing performances that gladden the heart, lift the spirit, and expand the mind.
Ensemble Laude began in 1999 with a group of 12 singers focused solely on medieval music. It has since expanded into a vibrant community choir of over 60 vocalists. Today, our concerts offer an eclectic repertoire, mostly unaccompanied, encompassing early music, sacred and secular works, and folk and world music. We are committed to expanding choral repertoire for upper voices and regularly commission new Canadian works that contribute to the Canadian musical lexicon and since have been performed internationally.
Ensemble Laude enjoys a special niche in BC as a 60 voice high-calibre choral performance group for
women. With a strong following of over 1500 email subscribing choral enthusiasts throughout BC, and
exquisite, innovative repertoire, the choir inspires our community with our exceptional performances.
Beyond its powerful local following, Ensemble Laude is accoladed beyond BC, spotlighted at Canada’s National Choral Festival “Podium” (2018), and featured in France at the International Choralies Festival (2016).
Acclaimed as Victoria’s premier women’s choir, Ensemble Laude provides opportunities for women and non-binary persons from a wide range of backgrounds to perform at a high level of excellence.
“Ensemble Laude seem to have positioned themselves in a new league. From mediaeval to baroque to contemporary, they seem fearlessly at home.” – Music in Victoria
Photo Credit: Carla Unger 2023