By: Marie Jen Galilo, Staff Writer
Back in May, the Vancouver Youth Choir (VYC) led by artistic director Carrie Tennant won first place with an impressive score of 95.1% in the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition, one of the many events in the Cork International Choral Festival. The VYC sang a total of four choral pieces in the competition, including “Angelus Domini” by Giovanni Gabrielli, “Fire” by Katerina Gimon, “Õhtul” by Pärt Uusberg, and “O Sapientia” by Tadeja Vulc. Tennant was also awarded the McCurtain and McSwiney Memorial Trophy for expressing her creativity and musical artistry through her choral leadership. In addition to the competition, the festival also has several non-competitive events, such as fringe concerts and pop-up performances, some of which the VYC also participated in.
The VYC, which was founded in 2013, is now Canada’s largest youth choir consisting of more than “700 singers across 16 ensembles in 8 levels,” between the ages of 5 to 24. The VYC aims to create an environment where singers feel supported as they learn various vocal techniques and grow into their own unique voices. The VYC participates in events at both the national and international level through which they share their passion for music, such as the 2025 Jeju International Choral Symposium.
The Peak spoke with Zayan Kassam, a tenor 2 apprentice section leader in the VYC, to learn more about the festival experience.
When he was first told that the VYC’s application to compete was accepted, Kassam said he was “very excited certainly.” As he reflected, VYC isn’t “exactly a traditional choir per se,” which led him to wonder about how the competition’s judges would receive their entry, but he was nonetheless intrigued about the preparation process that would follow.
In preparation, Kassam said that the choir did “lots of rehearsals and at-home practicing,” but also collaborated with a “fantastic clinician (guest conductor),” who assisted the choir with several persistent challenges. It was here that Kassam and the VYC learned how to practice “setting intent,” which he described as “thinking about the music, what we want to portray, and focusing on our artistry,” so that “we can put our whole heart into that performance.”
Having the opportunity to visit Cork and be a part of the festival was a truly incredible moment for Kassam and the team, as they shared the stage with hundreds of “musicians of such a high calibre.” Personally, he reflected that, “stepping on stage is something I’ve done many, many times in my life, but I’ve never competed before. That was a really exciting feeling.”
“Watching an audience see their first VYC performance is always so fun because of how much it transforms people’s perspectives on choral music, and I’m so grateful that I get to be a part of that.”
— Zayan Kassam, VYC Member
After the competition, the VYC — as is customary for the winning team to perform a piece following the announcement of winners — also performed “Kei Wareware i a Tātou” by Margaret Ngaropo Hati, Charles Te Wake-Mathews, and Latoya Leef-Mathews. Following that, at the closing gala, they went on to perform “Quizassa” by Merrill Garbus and “Here Comes the River” by Patrick Watson.
The VYC and choral events like the Cork International Choral Festival show that choral music is more than singing notes on a page — it is a bridge that brings people together, transcending time, space, and language so that the harmonious blend of their voices can bring the notes on sheets of music to life.
