reviewvancouver: Vancouver Youth Choir

The massive queue snaking around the Orpheum Theatre signaled the immense scale of the Vancouver Youth Choir’s (VYC) finale. Closing the 13th season, Artistic Director Carrie Tennant’s organization now boasts 720 singers, 600 of whom performed for Village. Fresh off winning the Fleischmann Trophy in Ireland, the evening felt like a homecoming, despite a muddy opening microphone mix.

With no physical programs, a digital version was displayed via a fast-rotating QR code on a screen inside the hall near the stage. The VYC Kids (Grades 3–4) wearing green T-shirts opened with a spirited "Do-Re-Mi," followed by guitar-backed solos.

As groups aged into black attire, musical complexity grew. The Treble 1 group offered a playful Irish song that shifted from bouncing rhythms to a hushed lullaby. They closed with Dr. Stephen Ho’s Mandarin piece, featuring streamers simulating fireworks. The Junior ensemble launched their set with sharp hand-clapping, delivering a rhythmic Venezuelan piece alongside "We Must Be the Sun," a gorgeous work by senior chorister Kelk Jeffery.

To manage moving hundreds of children, Tennant turned transitions into part of the show, leading the audience in an impromptu sing-along of "I've Got Peace Like a River."

The second half focused on global sounds, including the canon "No Time" and."Se Vire No", a Persian pop piece in Farsi. Singer-songwriter Luke Wallace joined for his anthemic "Big Brave River," and a surprise appearance by an all-adult parent choir added a heartwarming layer.

A prime display of professionalism came about during the Cranberries' "No Need to Argue." When a crying infant pierced the silence, Tennant simply turned her head; her authoritative body language instantly quieted the room, leaving the singers unfazed.

The formal program concluded at 9:00 pm. with "Tapachimum,," an epic piece by VYC alumnus Alex Vollant evoking northern landscapes with drums and four-hand piano. Tennant also announced that the choir will soon record their first album at the Chan Centre.

For the finale, "Love Has Broken Down the Wall," half the youth singers stood from their audience seats, completely enveloping the auditorium in sound. A roaring standing ovation and a stage flooded with flowers closed the evening. VYC have proven that exceptional artistry and community can go hand in hand.