Via Choralis

Via Choralis, a mixed-voice SATB choir, performs a range of music, focusing on choral classics. The musical repertoire ranges from madrigals to baroque and contemporary works, including compositions by Canadian and Indigenous composers. Via Choralis is a community choir that enriches the lives of singers and audiences alike on the Saanich Peninsula. Local and area guest artists and musicians are invited to participate in our innovative Christmas and spring concerts. Rehearsals are from 7 – 9 pm on Monday nights in Sidney. 

Artistic Team

Grant Harville, Artistic Director

Resident in Victoria since 2020, Grant Harville acts as Music/Artistic Director for the Civic Orchestra of Victoria, Sidney’s Via Choralis, the Vancouver Island Chamber Choir, and the Victoria Harmony Choir. Locally he has appeared (and been invited back for repeat engagements) with the Victoria Symphony, Ballet Victoria, and the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

Previously, Harville held director positions with the Great Falls Symphony, Idaho State-Civic Symphony, and Bozeman Symphony, and was Assistant Director with the Georgia Symphony. His guest conducting appearances include the Okanagan Symphony, Boise Philharmonic, Southwest Michigan Symphony, St. Cloud Symphony, and Oistrach Symphony. He has directed opera productions for Manitoba Underground Opera, Fraser Lyric Opera, and the Madison Savoyards.

Harville’s compositions and arrangements have been heard throughout North America, live and on various public radio broadcasts. In 2022, he established the Second Performance Project, a program dedicated to bringing further performances to works which have already been premiered. In its first three seasons the program received over 200 submissions from more than 30 countries. His vocal experience includes various elite ensembles. Grant performed as soloist with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus at Carnegie Hall.

Dr. Kinza Tyrrell, Pianist

2026 marks the 49th year that Dr. Kinza Tyrrell has been immersed in music.  She made her orchestral debut at age 12 on the piano, and after high school pursued her musical studies at the prestigious Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Musikhochschule für darstellende und Kunst in Graz, Austria.

Some career highlights include singing with the University of Toronto Gospel Choir for Aaron Neville and Roberta Flack, touring with the violin/fiddle duo Bending the Bows, performing with Measha Brueggergosman at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, recording several Hollywood movie soundtracks with the Vancouver Film Orchestra, being the organist on IZombie, conducting Nico Muhly’s polygamist opera Dark Sisters at Vancouver Opera and translating Maxime Goulet’s new opera Flight of the Hummingbird into the German language.

Kinza has extensive experience in choral conducting and is really enjoying her time directing the UVic Chorus and Island Song Choirs currently.

President: Delia McCrae
Vice-President: Tsiporah Gottlieb
Treasurer: Kenneth Wodlinger
Secretary: Marina Fish
Music Librarian: Peggy Dayton
Members-at-large: Rosalind Coleman, Patrick Gage, Ruthe Tiessen

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