The 30-year History of the Alliance des Chorales du Quebec and Its Impact on Choral Singing in the Province

PATRICIA ABBOTT has been very active in the Quebec choral music scene for more than 20 years as a conductor, singer, teacher, adjudicator and arts administrator. She has conducted the Chorale du Gesù women’s choir (Montreal) since 1982 and the English Montreal School Board Chorale (formerly the PSBGM Chorale) since 1990. She also currently works as an artist-in-residence at F.A.C.E. (Fine Arts Core Education) School, where she co-conducts the FACE Young Singers Senior Choir and leads the Midi-Jazz chamber ensemble. She has taught musicianship and choral music history at the Université de Sherbrooke, musicianship and choral conducting at McGill University, as well as classes and workshops for the CAMMAC Music Centre and the Alliance des chorales du Québec. She has shared her knowledge and passion for French Canadian choral music at workshops, conferences and festivals across Canada, in the United States and in Europe, including two World Symposiums on Choral Music. She has served as the Executive Director of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors (ACCC) since 1993, and now also serves on the editorial board of ACDA’s The Choral Journal. Her work has been recognized with ACCC’s National Choral Award for Distinguished Service (2002) and the Alliance des chorales du Québec’s Ordre du mérite choral (2004). Patricia holds a degree in voice performance (vocal pedagogy) from McGill University, where she studied with Winston Purdy. She has also studied voice with Gail Desmarais and conducting with Louis Lavigueur, Patrick Wedd, Wayne Riddell, Nicole Paiement and Jean Ashworth Bartle.