Bishop Carroll High school

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

bishop carroll choirs

Imagine a school with no bells, no classes. Students learn what they want, when they want and how they want. This is Bishop Carroll High School. Canada’s flagship self-directed learning school has been on the cutting edge of educational pedagogy for over 50 years. A truly inspiring place to teach and learn, Bishop Carroll serves close to 1200 students from around the city of Calgary. Known for its outstanding music program, Bishop Carroll provides musical opportunities for students of all levels, from those just beginning their music study, to those preparing to become professional musicians.

The Bishop Carroll High School music program is incredibly dynamic and vibrant, with 24 performing ensembles, including Bands, String Orchestras, and Choirs. Bishop Carroll High School has six choral ensembles, including two award winning vocal jazz ensembles, an auditioned chamber choir, concert choir, touring choir, and treble choir, all under the leadership of director, Andrea Ciona. Choristers work with many world class clinicians and conductors, through an ongoing partnership with Mount Royal University. John Morgan, director of the Mount Royal Kantorei Choir, has been the choral accompanist at Bishop Carroll since 2010, and also regularly coaches the groups as a choral clinician.

Bishop Carroll Choral Ensembles have received local, national and international recognition, including First Place at the Beijing International Music Festival, a first place, and “Best In Class” award at Festival Disney, in Orlando, and Gold Seals at the Calgary Performing Arts Festival. Featured performances have included joint performances with the Calgary Civic Symphony, the Kenyan Boys Choir, the Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede, the Kantorei Choir, the Mount Royal University Artio Choir, and a special Easter Sunday concert with the choir of Basilica di Sant’Alessio, in Rome.

Carroll Choir students can expect

World Class Music Program & Instruction
Personalized Musical Experiences
Life Changing Performance Opportunities
Personal Development: Understanding of Music, Sight-Reading, Improvisation, Collective Creation, Music Theory, Ear Training, Solo Recital Opportunities
Community, Belonging & Support

student experience

Rehearsals: Full Group & Small Sections

Professional Accompanist & Regular Vocal Coaching

Visiting Professional Artists & Guest Voice Instructors

Personalized Learning Opportunities

Quality Musical Experiences for ALL levels: From experienced vocal musicians, to students with no previous singing experience

CARROLL CHOIRS ONLINE

Many of our Carroll Choir performance moved online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

We created several virtual choir projects, and put on several full length virtual concerts featuring our entire music program.

MRS. Andrea Ciona, DIRECTOR OF CHOIRS

Andrea Ciona is a highly regarded conductor, performer, adjudicator and educator with over twenty years of experience directing instrumental and choral ensembles. Director of Choirs at Bishop Carroll High School in Calgary, Alberta, since 2010, her ensembles have received national and international recognition, including winning the top prize at Alberta's Provincial Music Festival. In 2020, she completed her graduate degree in Choral Conducting, at the University of British Columbia, where she directed the UBC University Women’s Choir - Vox Oriana, and worked with the Choral Union, Chamber Choir and University Singers. Founding Chorus Master of the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra Chorus (since 2019), Andrea has served on faculty at Red Deer College School of Music and is currently on faculty at the Mount Royal University Conservatory of Music, where she runs the Choral Conducting APP Program. She is also the Artistic Director of the Award Winning Spiritus Chamber Choir.

Andrea holds degrees from the University of Calgary (B. Ed) and the University of British Columbia (B. Mus & M. Mus). When she's not busy conducting, Andrea loves spending time with her husband and kids, travelling the world, and telling jokes.

Mr. John morgan, Collaborative pianist

One of Calgary's most highly regarded Choral Conductors and musicians, John Morgan has a passion for music education and performance. John believes in bringing out the best in musicians, vocal groups and individual artists he works with by creating a working environment that fosters learning, creativity, musical development, collaboration,and fun. John focuses on directing multi-genre vocal groups, as well as delivering full-service music direction for local artists, corporations and events through his studio, Morgan Music, in Calgary. He is a conductor, organist, pianist, recording engineer and published composer and arranger whose work has been performed by groups across North America including the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Currently the Artistic Director of both Rev52 and the Kantorei Choir, John is also the vocal director of the Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede.

When not performing or teaching, John can be found travelling, especially on long motorcycle trips, always looking for the next adventure.

John has been working with Bishop Carroll choirs since 2010.

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