Since 1983, the Choir has provided young singers with the opportunity to learn the foundations of choral music from plainsong and Renaissance polyphony to twentieth-century masterpieces and new commissions.
Rupert Lang was born in Red Deer, Alberta. After an exciting childhood as the son of an Anglican priest and an adolescence where he began studies for a career in the visual arts (painting, sculpture), he took his first degree in music at the University of Manitoba (B.Mus. Honours).
He then went on to England where he studied at The Royal School of Church Music, receiving the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Certificate in Church Music and diplomas from The Royal College of Music and Royal College of Organists. Lang completed his studies in England at the University of Cambridge, St. John’s College, receiving an MA (Music) studying with George Guest, Gillian Weir and John Scott.
After returning to Canada, Lang became Director of Music at West Vancouver United Church, where he founded the Vancouver Children’s Choir. Since 1986, he has been Organist and Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver. He has taken this choir on to win first prize in the Church Choir Category of the CBC National Amateur Choral Competition four consecutive times. In 2006 they also took the prize for Best Performance of a Canadian Choral Work.
As composer, Lang has written innovative music such as “Spirit of the Child” and “Cantate Domino” and more extended works like “Magnificat” for soprano soloist and men’s choir. His works are often premiered by the Christ Church Cathedral Choir and the Vancouver Children’s Choir, but other commissions have come from Central Bucks West High School in Pennsylvania, Surrey Children’s Choir, Syracuse Children’s Chorus, Vancouver Cantata Singers, Chor Leoni Men’s Choir, Elektra Women’s Choir, Vancouver Chamber Choir, Vancouver Men’s Chorus. A number of works are published by Boosey & Hawkes of New York – for example: “Agneau de Dieu”, “Bell Mass”, “Cantate Domino”, “Carol of the Child”, “Earth Teach Me”, “How Like an Angel”, “Kontakion”, “Like a Child”, “Mass For Many Nations”, “Spirit of the Child” and “Ubi Caritas”.
Dr. Lang marked his 35th anniversary as Organist and Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver in August of 2021. In that same year he was the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from the Vancouver School of Theology, and named an Honorary Fellow of Canada’s Summer Institute of Church Music in recognition of his lifetime’s dedication to church music. He also received the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Thomas Cranmer Award for Worship in recognition of his outstanding lifetime contribution to church music.
Originally from Regina, Claude pursued studies in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, London (UK), and Edinburgh. In addition to two degrees in music, he holds several diplomas.
Primarily a piano and theory teacher in his early career, Claude later shifted his career focus to school work: primarily elementary music including choral directing, and administrative duties. A number of his choirs have participated in MusicFest Canada over the years.