Antigonish Choral Ensemble is a community choir which was first established in 2013 and now falls under the umbrella of the Antigonish Choral Society since 2018. ACE’s dedicated group of singers is lead in preparation and performance of beautiful and eclectic music in venues around Antigonish Town and County. Managed by a Board of Directors, ACE prepares two-three concerts per season, sharing its performances with a wide-ranging local audience, and collaborating with other local musicians and organizations.
The Antigonish Choral Ensemble (ACE) is open to community members, university students, and anyone who enjoys singing a varied repertoire, from folk songs to classical. While it is predominately an adult choir, some exceptions have been made for high school students, with an audition. The objective is to bring people together to work toward a polished sound while having fun in the process. An ability to read music is not essential, but a commitment to learn parts and attend practises is needed for all members.
ACE is currently directed by Janice Alcorn and accompanied by Dr. Amy Hendricks.
Check out our Artistic Directors page to learn more about Janice as well as those that came before her. A similar Accompanists page is coming soon.
History
ACE was co-founded in 2013 by Bonnie Quinn and Rosemary Melchin. They had discussed how they missed singing after the local university changed their policy on who could sing with the university choir (namely a change which required choir members to be university students only) and had gauged that there were others in the area that felt the same. In its first year, it was under the direction of vocal professor Ryan Billington and he was joined by accompanist Emily MacPherson in January. The following year, Emily transitioned to Artistic Director for a year when Ryan took a sabbatical.
