Calgary Men's Chorus

Jean-Louis Bleau

Jean-Louis Bleau

Jean-Louis Bleau has been very involved in the Calgary and area arts scene for a number of years - organizing numerous concerts and music festivals while maintaining a successful career as a choral conductor. He is a very active conductor who, in addition to directing the Calgary Men's Chorus, also directs the choir at Calgary's St. Gerard's Parish, and the Calgary Renaissance Singers & Players. He has also directed the Airdrie Community Choir and is in demand as a choral clinician. His passion for music, especially choral music, is evident through his unique and expressive conducting style and his enthusiastic approach to rehearsals. He is known for asking his choirs to engage difficult music, always seeking to push the members past their perceived limitations in order to produce music which - while challenging - is ultimately very rewarding.

As a concert producer, Jean-Louis has organized a number of different music events, many of which seek to explore alternative approaches to music. These include an annual event called Wilderness Songs which takes place around a lake in the heart of Kananaskis. In 2005, while completing his Bachelor of Arts in Music at the University of Calgary, Jean-Louis was presented with the Faculty of Fine Arts' Creative Achievement Award. This award was in recognition for the work he did to organize and produce a week-long conference and music festival based on the music of John Cage. Jean-Louis has returned to the University of Calgary to complete his Master of Music in Choral Conducting.

While he spends most of his time on stage directing, Jean-Louis can also be heard performing as a counter-tenor and sound poet. His most recent vocal adventures have included his involvement in the 2007 production of R. Murray Schafer's Princess of the Stars. His wide vocal range and unique vocal abilities are definitely assets to his choral conducting career.

Jean-Louis is also an exceptionally strong advocate for the music of Canadian composers, which he seeks to promote not only as the Artistic Director of the above-mentioned choirs but also as a board member of New Works Calgary.

When not engrossed in music, Jean-Louis can be found with his partner on their farm northwest of Calgary where they raise cashmere goats. In his spare time Jean-Louis engages in recreational dog sledding with his team of beautiful white Samoyeds.