Connie Foss More

Canadian Conductor Receives Prestigious Award

Victoria's Connie Foss More has received the Amy Ferguson Award for 'an outstanding choral director who is an excellent vocal teacher fostering superior vocal practice'; the award was presented to her at the VIVA Choirs' Spring Concert last Sunday on March 8, 2008 at St. Aidan's United Church.

Here is the citation that accompanied the award:
The British Columbia Choral Federation regularly honours outstanding personalities involved with choral practices in our province. One of the BCCF Awards recipients this year is 'our own' Connie Foss More, a name practically synonymous with VIVA Choirs in Victoria.

Since her arrival in the Capital Region in 1973, Ms. More has led scores of youngsters to musical success, becoming 'the' authority in vocal instruction. Her deep belief that a thorough foundation must be given before trying to build the superstructure, along with her natural ability to communicate with children has made her choirs into award winning choral groups both locally and internationally. Focussing on music education rather than just mere entertainment, she expects regular attendance at rehearsal and performance from the young singers, and encourages participation in hosting choral groups from abroad and touring programmes which lead the young singers around the world. Several of her former 'VIVA kids' have gone into successful professional careers in music, such as Timothy Haig, Marion Newman, Lucas Marchand and Kristen Birley, - to name just a few.

Connie Foss More achieved her B. Mus. at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in '68, her M. Mus. Kodaly specialty, Holy Names College, Oakland CA in '78, and received a US Government Grant to the Liszt Academy in Budapest where she received a Certificate in Kodály specialty in '69. She taught in Newhaven, Conn. as part of the US Government Grant, and after the move to Canada, where husband Bruce More founded the music programme at Malaspina College in Nanaimo in 1970, she taught piano and Kodály at the College. Ms. More is listed in the International Who's Who of Business and Professional Women and has been one of five members worldwide on the Early Childhood Commission of the International Society for Music Education.

Ms. More been a music teacher and clinician since 1969, with students from pre-school age through adulthood in public schools, universities, and at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Her choirs consistently have earned high acclaim in concerts, festivals and competitions.

Ms More founded the Greater Victoria Youth Choir in 1988, overseeing its transformation to VIVA Choirs in 1994 as an independent non-profit organization under the umbrella of the Victoria Youth Choirs Society. With endless enthusiasm and energy, she coaches treble-voiced children as well as singers with changing and changed voices. As VIVA's Artistic Director, she also conducts both Foundation Choirs, the West Shore, Girls and Boys Choirs, and the VIVA Chorale. The Boys Choir expanded into the "Young Men's Choir" for changed voices and is the only choir serving that great need on Vancouver Island.

Connie Foss More is currently the President of the Kodály Society of Canada, an organization which promotes singing by everyone.

Connie, very surprised at the presentation, responded, "I sincerely thank the BCCF for honouring me with the Amy Ferguson Award. The flattering words that accompanied the award were pretty overwhelming! Of course I want to thank the many other people who help to make singing accessible to all via VIVA Choirs - especially my husband Bruce, VIVA's General Manager Margaret Brownrigg, and VIVA Young Men's Choir Conductor Nick Fairbank - none of whom appeared in the write-up but who are important partners nonetheless. Thanks also to those who nominated me, including Judith Hirczy."