The BC Choral Federation is bringing its flagship annual celebration of choral music, Chorfest 2026, to Cranbrook this weekend with two inspiring concerts at Key City Theatre featuring some of British Columbia’s finest young singers and adult choral performers.

Music lovers are invited to experience an unforgettable weekend of Canadian choral music on May 30 and 31, showcasing the talents of the British Columbia Teen Choir, the British Columbia Youth Choir, and Adult Chorfest singers from across the province.

BC Teen Choir & BC Youth Choir Concert

Saturday, May 30 — 4:30 p.m. at Key City Theatre

The opening concert features the British Columbia Teen Choir under the direction of Kitbielle Pasagui alongside the British Columbia Youth Choir conducted by Scott Leithead.

The performance will include singers from across British Columbia, including students from Mount Baker Secondary School (Evan Bueckert) and Selkirk Secondary School (Sven Heyde), highlighting local talent on a provincial stage.

Adult Chorfest & BC Youth Choir Concert

Sunday, May 31 — 3 p.m. at Key City Theatre

The weekend continues with “Songs of Home,” featuring Adult Chorfest — an ensemble of 85 singers from across British Columbia — alongside the British Columbia Youth Choir.

Audiences can expect a rich and moving program celebrating Canada’s landscapes, stories, and cultural traditions through music. Repertoire includes works inspired by rivers, forests, Indigenous voices, folk traditions, and Canadian poetry, with music by Canadian composers and arrangers.

The concert will also feature renowned choral leader Fiona Blackburn as guest conductor and pianist Tim Plait, a Kimberley-born musician and principal keyboardist with the Symphony of the Kootenays.

Blackburn is widely respected across Canada for her passionate support of choral singing and music education. Founder and longtime Artistic Director of the British Columbia Girls Choir, she led the ensemble to international acclaim, including winning the prestigious “Children’s Choir of the World” title at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales in 2018.

A celebrated performer, educator, and conductor, Blackburn has also sung with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and Vancouver Opera, and was awarded the BC Choral Federation’s Healey Willan Award for her outstanding contribution to choral music in British Columbia.

The British Columbia Youth Choir is one of Canada’s premier provincial honour choirs, bringing together exceptional singers aged 16–25 from across the province. Uniquely, the choir is run “by youth, for youth,” creating a vibrant and inspiring artistic community for emerging musicians.

This year’s choir is led by acclaimed conductor Scott Leithead, founder and Artistic Director of the Korora Choir Association and TIME Vocal Jazz Association in Edmonton. Leithead is internationally recognized for his work with honour choirs and award-winning ensembles across Canada and abroad.

Ticket Information

Tickets for both performances are available through the Key City Theatre box office and at the door.

Community members are encouraged to purchase tickets to support this unique gathering of singers from across British Columbia.

For more information about Chorfest and the BC Choral Federation, visit BC Choral Federation.

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