A community of male-voice singers who sing for health and joy: we are the Victoria Arion Male Choir. Our history goes back to 1893 when the Arion Club of Victoria gave its first public concert. Our mission is to maintain the great tradition of male-voice choral music, and to share that music through two main concerts each year. We also perform at seniors’ residences, at the Victoria Remembrance Day ceremony, and at other public events. We support music education through our choral scholarship program, which allows up to four student musicians to sing with us each year. We welcome new members: come and share with us the joy of choral music!
The choir rehearses on Monday evenings (September – June) from 6:50 – 9:15 pm at Cordova Bay United Church, 813 Claremont Avenue and presents 2 major concerts plus a number of shorter programs at care facilities each year. We are always looking for new members – men who love to sing a wide variety of music in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.
For more information and news, please visit our Facebook page.
Artistic Team
Music Director
Sean has been Music Director of the Victoria Arion Male Choir since 2020 and joined the Linden Singers of Victoria as Music Director in 2024. He has studied conducting with Lars Kaario, Adam Con, Mike Keddy, and Gerry King, and was the apprentice conductor of the B.C. Youth Choir in 2017 under the direction of Kathleen Allen.
A cellist by birth and a singer by training, Sean has sung in choirs of all sorts in Vancouver and Victoria. He enjoys close harmonies, descending sixths, and compound metres. In his spare time, Sean enjoys following Formula 1, spending time with his wife, and playing with their young son.
Collaborative Pianist
Jennifer Mitchell has extensive experience in playing for choirs, beginning in 1999 as a volunteer for a church choir. During her studies for Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance, Jennifer was the pianist for Via Choralis Chamber Choir from 2006-2011. In 2011-2012 Jennifer was the pianist for the UWO Chorale as part of her studies for Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano.
From 2013-2018 Jennifer was the organist for Holy Angels Catholic Church in St. Thomas, ON, where she worked mainly with the Traditional Choir and in 2017 was asked to be music director of the Angel Funeral Choir for the same church. Since moving back to Victoria in November of 2018, Jennifer has worked with the Chalice Choir at the First Unitarian Church of Victoria, and the Sooke Philharmonic Choir.
The Choir
Tenor 1
Ion Buicliu, Tom Fyles, Jim Gower, Stan Hack, Rusty Morgan, John Tucker, William Sease
Tenor 2
Bob Comerford, Lyle Eide, Jim Johnson, Ron Mastin, Bob Quicke, Levi Ross *
Baritone
Stan Ball, Graham Bleasdale, David Carl, Don Edie, Ieuan Edwards, Stephen Lee, Lander Meeusen, Eric Sager, Ron Wedman, Tom Zimmerman
Bass
Alex Andersen *, David Andersen, Keith Brandsma, David Buckman, Larry Dill, John Myers, Henrik Nordmark, Ron Skelton, Bruce Yoneda
* Choral Scholars
* Endowment Fund and Choral Scholars
A fundamental and important purpose of the Victoria Arion Male Choir is to promote male voice singing by providing opportunities for training in this unique vocal art. After receiving some significant donations more than 10 years ago and with the continuing support from members and friends, the choir has been able to provide scholarships to a number of students who participate vocally and in many other ways with us. The scholars must be students and do not need to be registered in a music program.
Currently we have four choral scholarships. Three are named to recognize people who were associated with the choir; Ursula Thomas and Pat Shumka were accompanists for many years and Harold Treloar was a long time Music Director at the end of the twentieth century.
This education element forms one part of our charitable status and it enables us to provide tax receipts for all donations or bequests to our Choral Scholarship Fund or to the choir. Donations can be made through our web site www.vamc.ca or by cheque to our registered office: Victoria Arion Male Choir Society, 606 Douglas Street, Victoria V8V 2P8.
We started the search for new choral scholars for our fall season starting in September. If you are interested, please check our poster for details.
Special Thank You
We would like to give a special thank you to Cordova Bay United Church and Gateway Baptist Church for their continuing support.
Honorary Patron
The Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia is Honorary Patron of the Victoria Arion Male Choir.
British Columbia Choral Federation
Victoria Arion Male Choir is a member of British Columbia Choral Federation.
