Willi Zwozdesky
A life-long love of choral music continues to fuel Willi Zwozdesky’s career as a choral conductor, arranger, publisher, and administrator. Now in his 43rd season as artistic director and conductor of the Vancouver Men’s Chorus (VMC), Willi’s record tenure as conductor of the VMC is unmatched in the global movement of 2SLGBTQI+ choruses. His long-term dedication to choral music has been recognized with both a Legacy Award from GALA Choruses and a Willan Award from the British Columbia Choral Federation for outstanding service.
At Canada’s national Unison Festival 2023 in Halifax this past May, Willi was honoured to conduct the festival men’s chorus of rainbow-dog-tag-adorned singers from across Canada. A festival highlight was the world premiere performance of D. Geoffrey Bell’s “The Commanded Heart”, one of three works commissioned by the Festival with funds from the LGBT Purge Fund www.lgbtpurgefund.com. The establishment of the LGBT Purge Fund resulted from the settlement of a nation-wide class action lawsuit against the Canadian government; moneys have been allocated for reconciliation and memorialization measures, including the 2023 choral commissions for Unison Festival and the creation of a superb 2SLGBTQI+ National Monument on parliament hill (opening 2025). Willi Zwozdesky’s undergraduate work at the University of Alberta (BMus) led to graduate studies (MA in music theory, MMus in choral conducting) at the University of Washington. Following his move to Vancouver in 1981, he undertook the development of the voice of the Vancouver Men’s Chorus. Under his direction, the VMC has distinguished itself internationally through concert performances, recordings, broadcasts, and choral commissions. In 1990 he established Rhythmic Trident Music Publishing, which focuses on his own and others’ new Canadian work. An active choral clinician and adjudicator, Willi has also volunteered on a number of national and regional organizations, including the Canadian Music Centre and GALA Choruses, Inc. In addition to his freelance work, he serves as the Executive Director of the British Columbia Choral Federation and on the national Board of Directors of Choral Canada.