Vancouver, BC – Saturday, April 19, 2025 – Long Interview with Erick Lichte
Elke Porter: Hello! How are you?
Erick Lichte: I’m fine. How are you?
Elke Porter: Let’s start with the inspiration behind “The Big Roar.” Can you share the story behind this? And what themes or messages do you hope to convey through this performance?
Erick Lichte: The Big Roar is turning 10 years old this year, and I’m in my 13th season as Artistic Director. When I first joined Chor Leoni, I could feel the incredible energy surrounding the choir—especially around its then-fledgling education program, MYVoice. The enthusiasm was contagious, and I thought, we need to create a showcase that brings all these elements together.
I envisioned an event where people could not only participate but also witness the full spectrum of lower-voice singing in action—from young kids stepping onto the stage for the very first time, to seasoned professionals, to the talented singers of Chor Leoni. We’re talking about children as young as 8 years old, all the way to adults, sharing one stage. It struck me as something truly special—an experience audiences don’t often get to see. And it became a meaningful way for Chor Leoni to live out its mission and values by uniting our community through a single, powerful event.
Elke Porter: Let’s talk about your personal musical journey. With your diverse career as a conductor, composer, and record producer—including your work with Cantus and your tenure as Artistic Director of Chor Leoni since 2013—how have these experiences shaped your artistic vision? And more specifically, what initially drew you to pursue a career in choral music?
Erick Lichte: I think, like many people, you eventually find that thing in life—the thing that completes you. It doesn’t feel like work. It brings you the most joy and the deepest sense of connection. For me, I found that as a young person singing in choirs. That feeling was incredibly powerful, and the desire to keep experiencing it is a huge part of why I do what I do today.
Without those formative experiences, I don’t think any of us truly discover what brings us to life. That’s a big reason why our education programs are so important—we’re trying to give young people the chance to feel what it’s like to be part of a choir. Because you never know—maybe the next person who dedicates their whole life to this art form is sitting right there.
When I had that epiphany as a young singer, I’m sure the people on stage or organizing the concert didn’t realize what kind of impact they were having. For them, it was probably just another performance. But that moment changed everything for me. And that’s really where it all began.
Elke Porter: What made you pursue a career? You already talked about that, and how these experiences shaped you, so maybe go back to what was your first memory of being in a choir?
Erick Lichte: I really like that question—you know, what’s shaping this? In many respects, people don’t always understand what a conductor or artistic director actually does within an organization.
For me, it’s really about creating spaces for meaningful experiences. And in the arts, those are often emotional experiences. That applies not just to the audience, but also to the singers on stage. Some have been in the choir for 20 years—others are brand new. But the repertoire keeps evolving, and the world keeps changing.
So, the question becomes: how do we take what we love to do together and make it feel vital and relevant to the world around us?
A big motivation for me is remembering what it felt like to be someone who didn’t know all the “inside baseball” of choral music. How do we take the very best of what we can offer and meet people where they are—then bring them into this community?
That’s what inspires me most these days.
Elke Porter: Okay, and then a little bit about the vision, mission, and values of Chor Leoni.
Erick Lichte: How do I say this… I think that sometimes in the arts—especially for someone in a leadership position like mine—there’s an assumption that the decisions about what goes on stage are based solely on a personal vision or artistic journey. That’s a common narrative, and often it is the case.
But for us, the vision, mission, and values of Chor Leoni are truly centered on uplifting the world through song—through the transformative power of singing.
That transformation happens in many ways. It can be internal, when we give young singers the chance to experience the magic of choral music for the first time. And it can also be for our audiences, who come to be moved, inspired, or simply connected. Ideally, we erase the divide between those two groups—performers and listeners—so that everyone feels part of something meaningful.
That’s what I aim for every day: to lead in a way that lives out our mission, vision, and values.
Lots of organizations have these ideals posted on their websites or printed in their programs. But living by them—truly living them—is much harder. There are days when it would be easier to take a shortcut, to make a quick decision that bypasses those values. But when you’re guided by purpose, even the harder path feels worthwhile.
So, while our mission might not look radically different from others on paper, what I hope people feel—every season, every concert—is that we’re living it. That it’s real. That it’s palpable.
Elke Porter: And has anything changed over the years as people have come and gone, or as things in the world have changed?
Erick Lichte: Everything changes—it’s kind of wild to think about. When I first came on board 13 years ago, we were still regularly selling CDs. That was just the norm back then!
So now the question is: how do we share our music in today’s world? The vision, values, and mission are still the same at their core, but as the world changes, our methods need to evolve too. If we just kept making CDs, we’d quickly become irrelevant.
That’s why we’ve made a huge investment of time and resources to ensure our concerts look as good as they sound. We’re hiring lighting designers, filming performances, and putting them on YouTube—because if we want to remain a vital part of people’s lives, we have to meet them where they are.
It’s not about how I want to engage with audiences. It’s about how they want to engage with us. Just like every individual conversation shifts depending on who you’re talking to, the way we connect with people evolves over time.
A lot of what we do now is online, with a far more visual component than I ever imagined when I first became artistic director. But honestly? It’s been a lot of fun trying new things.
And it’s exciting to think beyond our core audience. Who else is out there? Who might fall in love with this music if we could just reach them—if we gave them the chance to discover it?
That’s the real challenge: finding the right entry points for new audiences and figuring out how to draw them in.
Yes, there’s still the core artistic work—commissioning new pieces, working with composers, rehearsing with singers. That remains a huge part of the job.
But honestly? That’s not what takes up most of my brain space anymore. Because I know that if we get the rest of it right—if we put in the effort to reach people where they are—the impact of the music can be so much greater.
Elke Porter: The audience experience—what do you want the audience to feel or take away from The Big Roar and other musical performances? Given your track record of bringing exceptional choral music to life, how do you think this performance will resonate emotionally?
Erick Lichte: Yeah, this concert is really special. The fact that there are singers of all ages on stage—ranging from professionals to first-timers—makes it incredibly moving.
Chor Leoni is Canada’s most-heard choir, and while it’s a volunteer ensemble, it’s an exceptionally high-caliber one.
What’s also great about these Big Roar concerts is that, since there are other conductors involved, I actually get to sit back and watch parts of it. That’s a real gift.
Honestly, I often get a little emotional during those moments. I walk away feeling like—despite everything—the world is going to be all right.
Elke Porter: That sounds good.
Erick Lichte: Yeah, because I don’t think that’s our usual daily takeaway—especially right now. When you see an 8-year-old singing their heart out next to an 80-year-old doing the same—and they’re making music together—that’s something truly special. That’s pretty amazing. It makes you think, okay, maybe we’ll make it through—whatever these moments are that we’re in. It’s powerful. And honestly, it’s not something we talk about during the event… but it’s definitely something you feel.
It’s just—you experience it. And I think that’s one of the big takeaways for our audience. It’s why, for many people, this ends up being their favorite concert.
Elke Porter: Wow! Yeah, I mean, I was there just at Christmas, and I loved the lighting and the music. It created such a beautiful, welcoming atmosphere.
Erick Lichte: It’s also about giving people space. A lot of times, organizations or artists say, “I want you to like my work—but only in the way I want you to like it.”
But what we’re really trying to do is create a visual and sonic world, offering such a wide range of music that there are multiple ways in. The reason one person loves a holiday concert might be completely different from the reason the person next to them does—and that’s the beauty of it.
Do I have my own favorites? Of course. But it’s not about imposing those on the audience. What makes it special is that our community is incredibly diverse, and that means we don’t just tolerate our differences—we celebrate them. That includes our audiences. It’s about creating moments that resonate with everyone, in their own way.
Elke Porter: That’s lovely! I mean, I can tell I love it when I get that shiver down my spine and think, “This is the powerful song.” Okay, so—memorable experiences. Can you share a performance with Chor Leoni that had a lasting impact on you? For example, did you ever perform for royalty?
Erick Lichte: Back in 2018, the choir went on tour to Singapore and Bali, which was truly spectacular. We participated in the Singapore International Choral Competition and made it to the Grand Prix round—essentially, the best of the best choirs from around the world. The performance took place in the stunning Esplanade Concert Hall. Our final piece in the 20-minute set was a Bollywood number.
Picture this—a group of Canadians performing Bollywood! But we had worked closely with local experts, including professional dancers, and had cultural guidance to make sure we approached it with authenticity and respect. The choir sang it beautifully, and we felt really proud.
What stood out most was the reaction of a small choir from India—maybe not the most polished ensemble, but full of heart. They were just thrilled to be part of the event. And as we began our final piece, despite the usual quiet competition setting, they went wild—cheering us on mid-performance. Afterward, they made a point of finding us, and we ended up singing together in the lobby. It was one of those incredibly sweet, unforgettable moments.
It reminded us that when you do the work with care and respect, music becomes a bridge—something that connects people across cultures in a truly meaningful way.
Elke Porter: That sounds really beautiful! So, my next question is about the impact of new music. You’ve commissioned over 300 works?
Erick Lichte: Yes.
Elke Porter: What role do new compositions play in the evolution of choral music? And how does The Big Roar fit into that? Or—what are your thoughts on AI?
Erick Lichte: New music is incredibly important. This ensemble is often referred to as a TTBB choir—a lower voice choir—coming from the male choir tradition. But that label doesn’t fully reflect who we are anymore. The term “male choir” implies both a specific sound and a specific gender identity, and there aren’t many places in the arts where those two things are so intertwined. It just doesn’t capture what we do. And not everyone in the choir identifies that way. There’s a real gap in language here.
That’s why new music matters. When we commission new works, several things happen. First, the music and the texts reflect what’s happening in the world right now. One of the major pieces we’re performing is Things We Leave Behind, commissioned last year. It’s a 30-minute work for choir, harp, and soprano saxophone—an absolutely gorgeous combination. Each movement explores who we are as human beings, through the idea of what we leave behind.
Think archaeology—we understand ancient civilizations through what they left behind. That’s how future generations will understand us, too. One movement focuses on Crawford Lake in Ontario, which scientists have identified as a possible marker for the beginning of the Anthropocene—the geological age of humans. That lake’s unique sediment layers record environmental changes in remarkable detail.
The piece uses this scientific concept to tell a musical story about where we are in history and who we are as people. That’s the beauty of new music—it allows us to connect with stories we actually live. It’s different from singing Schubert. Vienna in the 1820s? That’s hard to relate to. But modern-day Ontario? That’s real. That’s relatable. That’s storytelling.
Another powerful part of new music is who is being commissioned. We’re seeing a much wider range of voices in composition—composers who historically didn’t have access to classical spaces are finally being heard. That makes the music more dynamic, more compelling, and more human. And no, artificial intelligence will never replace that.
Elke Porter: For me personally, I’ve always written songs, but never had anyone to put them to music. So, I started using AI tools.
Erick Lichte: I hadn’t really explored it much until a friend showed me what it could do. It was super interesting. People say it can save time; help brainstorm ideas. But honestly, I like the struggle. I’ve never really learned much from things that came easy.
You might stumble onto something that works—you get lucky—and that’s fine. I could throw enough darts at a board and hit a bullseye eventually, but that doesn’t make me a good dart player. The struggle is where I grow as an artist, maybe even as a human being. So, I’m okay with it. They pay me to wrestle with ideas—I might as well make it count.
There’s also the ethical side. This technology learns in ways that are… questionable. Where is it pulling its source material from? If you ask it to write music in a specific choir’s style, there’s probably enough info out there to mimic it. And it’ll only get better. But I don’t think it’ll ever replace what I do. Not unless we’re talking full-on holograms.
The live experience—that goosebumps, tingling moment—you can’t replicate that through a computer speaker. There’s something thrilling about the edge of live performance. It could all fall apart at any moment. That’s the magic. We go to the circus to watch the high-wire act, not someone walking safely on the ground. Live music has that same risk, that rawness—and that’s what makes it powerful.
Elke Porter: Okay, final question. Future projects—what’s next? Are there any upcoming collaborations you’re excited about?
Erick Lichte: I’ve got several things in the works for next season, including a composer-in-residence from Montreal. There’s also a big project coming in a few years—not quite ready to announce, but it’s taking shape.
We’re continuing to expand how we share our work—through recordings, online platforms, and new uses of technology. We’re especially looking at ways to connect more directly with our local audience, right in the city.
Since it’s a volunteer choir, time is always tight. Everyone has full lives, and we still manage to present quite a few performances each year. We’re constantly trying to balance that with new ideas—especially using technology to offer experiences people may have never seen before. We definitely have a few surprises coming.
Also, thanks to a generous sponsor, we’re able to offer tickets at an incredible price. To experience a performance in the best concert hall in BC for just a few dollars? You can’t beat that. Those seats are going fast, but I think anyone who comes will be in for a real treat.
Elke Porter: Excellent. Well, thank you so much for your time. I wish you all the best with your concerts!
Erick Lichte: Thank you!
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