The Choir 

Concerto Della Donna (CDD) is a dynamic group of young singers based in Montreal under the direction of Maestro Iwan Edwards. Their emotionally-driven and highly communicative performances have captivated audiences at home and abroad for the past nine years.

In 2002, the singers gained recognition for the Best Performance of a Canadian Work in the CBC Competition for Amateur Choirs. That summer, the ensemble placed in the top three of each category in which they competed at the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales. 2003 brought CDD to Eastern Canada. They toured Nova Scotia and their performances at Festival 500, an international choral festival in Newfoundland, were greeted with enthusiasm and considerable acclaim.

Over the next two years the choir established its role as a part of Montreal’s cultural life, bolstered by the 2003 release of their self-titled first recording. Again in 2004, the choir successfully participated in the CBC Competition for Amateur Choirs, taking 1st and 2nd place in the Contemporary and Women's Equal Voice categories respectively. In November, Montreal was the featured city in the European Broadcasting Union’s 2004 Cité de la Musique Festival, where CDD was honored to record a full-length live broadcast.

In addition to their regular concert season in 2005-2006, the choir collaborated with many notable Canadians, from the CBC’s Danielle Charbonneau to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and released their second full-length recording. The album, appropriately titled Sisters, features works by a significant number of Canadian female composers.

In October 2006, CDD sang in a concert for the Anastasia De Sousa Memorial Award Fund. That holdiay season, CDD joined the St. Lawrence Choir for their annual Sing Noël concert. With Choeur des Enfants de Montreal (CEM) and soprano Karina Gauvin, the choir sang with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Kent Nagano, for their annual Christmas concert in Notre-Dame Cathedral. For International Women’s Day 2007, CDD was invited to perform in CBC’s 30 Years, One Voice concert broadcast live from the Spectrum. To culminate the 2007 season CDD and CEM joined forces with the St. Lawrence Choir in their final performance under founder/director Maestro Edwards.

CDD began their 2007-2008 season at a fundraising event for the Sarah Cook Fund, followed by a busy semester of choral performances in both Montreal and Ottawa. In the new year, CDD was honored to collaborate with the Vanier College choir, CEM and the McGill Conservatory Youth Choir in the stirring Montreal premier of Oratorio Terezin in May. In the final concert of the season the ensemble invited back some extraordinary alumni (Charlotte Corwin, Kaya Fraser, & Amelia McMahon) with a diverse range of styles to sing in Jubilation with CEM & CDD. The result was a moving and joyful performance for all, both for the singers and audience members alike.

2008-2009 proved to be a very thrilling year. It began with a concert of religious repertoire at Église Saints-Anges, in Lachine, which was later on broadcasted on Espace Musique. Alongside their regular concert series, CDD joined forces with many organizations and performers for numerous fundraising events. The year was topped off with a very successful tour to Serbia and Croatia.

As CDD looks to the future, with several concerts in Montreal, Ottawa, and their surrounding areas, 2009-2010 will prove to be yet another busy and exciting season full of challenges and growth. We look forward to you joining us on our journey!