About Us

We are an adult treble choir located in Nanaimo. Our members bring wonderfully diverse backgrounds to the choir – the binding factor is that we all love to sing. Island Bel Canto Singers started in 1997 and, with the exception of the recent pandemic years, it has been producing concerts at least twice a year ever since. Island Bel Canto has also collaborated with other choirs and has appeared as guest performers.
Our music is diverse, challenging and fun! We perform both a cappella and accompanied pieces – with such instruments as piano, organ and harp. Our repertoire ranges from classical music to newly composed pieces, pop and folk songs, musical theatre favourites and everything in between. We also sing in numerous languages.

Listen to us here: 

 

Our Artistic Team

Fiona Blackburn is our Artistic Director.

Fiona has been directing Island Bel Canto Singers since the spring of 2021. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of choral music and singing to our choir. She has earned a Bachelor of Music in voice performance, a Bachelor of Education in secondary music, and a Master of Music in choral conducting.

Fiona has either sung or conducted in some of the world’s greatest venues. As a professional singer, Fiona has been a featured soloist on numerous Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio and television broadcasts, and with various orchestras. For 13 seasons, Fiona was a member of the Vancouver Chamber Choir. She also performed various roles with companies such as Vancouver Opera, North Shore Light Opera and Theatre under the Stars.

As an educator, Fiona has taught music from kindergarten to university. She was an adjunct professor in the Department of Education at UBC. We are fortunate to have her as our artistic director! More information about Fiona can be found here

Stefanie Unger is our Collaborative Pianist.

Pianist Stefanie Unger thrives in collaboration with fellow musicians across a broad range of vocal, choral and instrumental works spanning classical, opera, oratorio, chamber music, musical theatre, church music, contemporary, pop and jazz. In the four decades since first accompanying her elementary school choir, she has worked with numerous choirs in Indiana, Lithuania, Southern Ontario and Vancouver Island.  She has enjoyed accompanying Island Bel Canto Singers since 2018 and looks forward to Monday afternoons spent music-making with the energetic young singers of Island Flora.