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Based in Kji’puktuk/Halifax on traditional Mi’kmaq territory, Xara was formed in 2007 when Artistic Director Christina Murray and a team of four women began a year-long process to create an ensemble that embodied a passion for music making, meaningful art, and community building. Since then, Xara’s work has gained national and international recognition for its innovation, as we tell stories both true and mythical through a rich tapestry of challenging choral repertoire, movement, lighting, spoken word, and visual elements. We are Canada’s leading creator of narrative-based choral performance, and the only full professional choir in Nova Scotia.

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Xara’s creative team and many acclaimed collaborators have led the group to appearances at Festival 500, the Atlantic National Event of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, the Titanic 100 commemoration, a TEDx Nova Scotia event, and many tours across Canada. In 2013, we were named the top women’s choir in Canada in the Association of Canadian Choral Communities national choral competition. In 2015, Xara released our first full-length album, Here on These Branches, which was nominated for a 2016 East Coast Music Award for Classical Recording of the Year. In 2019, Xara was selected as one of 24 choirs (among 179 applicants from 44 countries) to present at the 2020 World Symposium on Choral Music in Auckland, New Zealand.

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Vision:

Young womxn exploring the boundaries of choral performance through voice, body, and community

 

Mandate:

• To provide a professional-style environment for an auditioned community of womxn ages 18-30 to grow artistically

• To foster the growth of choral music in Canada by drawing new and younger audiences to choral music

• To create interdisciplinary performances that draw on excellent choral singing, a strong narrative within each program, movement, lighting, and collaborations with non-choral artists

• To explore empowered models of leadership that function collaboratively among staff, singers, and volunteers

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