About Us
For 50 years, The Calgary Boys’ Choir has been delivering dynamic, engaging, high quality choral instruction, performance opportunities and formative experiences designed for boys. Our vision is to empower boys to be remarkable, expressive and creative citizens. We operate with the core values of stewardship, integrity, creative leadership, excellence, growth, friendship, fun and humour.
Kathryn Berko, B.Mus., B. Ed.
Artistic Director
As a native Calgarian, Kathryn Berko continues to be active in the city’s choral scene. While growing up she was involved with the Calgary Children’s Choir, the Mount Royal Youth Choir, Ad Libitum Vocal Arts Ensemble, and the University of Calgary Chamber Singers. She has completed her Bachelor of Music in Education as well as her Bachelor of Education, both from the University of Calgary.
After marrying a Calgary Boys’ Choir Alumnus, she decided to become involved with the choir. Now in her sixteenth season with the Calgary Boys’ Choir, she has fulfilled all roles, with the exception of General Manager. Ms. Berko continues to instruct many youth in music throughout the city. On top of her time with CBC, she is a director with the Calgary Children’s Choir, the Canadian Martyrs Youth Choir, teaches with the Calgary Catholic School District and has a private home piano studio. She has completed her Kodály Level 2 certification.
All Thanks to Our Staff
We are extremely proud of our staff. Each artistic staff member is an accomplished musician in their own right, and has many years working with children in educational and musical endeavours.
Elizabeth Garrett
General Manager
Elizabeth Garrett was in love with choral music after her first junior high rehearsal. High school brought her to Cawthra Park School for the Arts in Mississauga, Ontario, where she continued singing in vocal ensembles while taking courses in Theatre, Dance, Musical Theatre, and Photography.
Elizabeth received an academic scholarship to attend the Fine Arts Studies degree program at York University, where her major focused on the interplay between arts disciplines and culture, politics and history. During her studies she was accepted into the Classical Voice Performance courses and sang with the York U. Chamber choir. She was also president of the York U. Fine Arts Studies Student Association.
Since moving to Calgary, she has sung with a number of groups including Spiritus and Fresh Blend Acapella.
Previous arts work experience includes Marketing Coordinator positions at Calgary Opera and the CPO. After time away from arts management, Elizabeth is thrilled to be back and working with Calgary Boys’ Choir.
​Eileen Kosasih
Accompanist
Eileen Kosasih is a freelance musician, visual artist, and presenter of especially inspired and inspiring content. She is a M. A. Fine and Decorative Arts and Design candidate (Sotheby's Institute of Art NYC 2022) and holds a pre-collegiate piano diploma, B. A. Music, and M. Music. Eileen is principle 2nd violin of the Symphony of the Kootenays and concertmaster of the St. David's United Church Orchestra. She ran and conducted Calgary Arts Orchestra for one season. Accompaniment residencies have included Calgary Multicultural Choir, Suzuki Talent Education Society, UUphonia, and Calgary Girls Choir.
Eileen has led workshops for the Youth Orchestra Symposium at the Banff Centre, Clinic Line Alberta, and Calgary Instrumental Society. She is a teaching artist and curriculum developer for Calgary Philharmonic's Phil Kids. Adjudication gigs include the East Kootenay Music Festival strings and the Edmonton Regional Heritage Fair. Her favourite things include paintings by the benchmark Abstract Expressionists, her animals, and musical works by Bartok.
Léane Mercier-Tardif
Director, Masters Choir
Léane Mercier-Tardif studied at the Faculté St.Jean of the University of Alberta where she obtained her Bachelor of Education with a major in French and minor in Music. Following University, Léane obtained a scholarship to study music pedagogy at the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of Music in Kecskemét, Hungary where she studied for 1 year. She also obtained a Diploma of Fine Arts (Kodály Focus) from the U of C. Léane taught for 6 years as a music specialist in Edmonton and Calgary before moving to the UK for 3 years. While in the UK she attended the Dalcroze International Summer School in Canterbury.
Léane’s choral experience ranges from teaching on and off with the Calgary Boys Choir since 2004 to leading children’s choirs at her schools to singing with several choirs in every city that she has called home. She is currently a member of the EnChor Chamber Ensemble. What Léane loves doing most is sharing her love of music with young children. She moved back from Houston 3 years ago with her husband Pierre and 3 children: Olivier, Évangeline and Amélie. She is very happy to be home and a part of the Calgary Boys Choir staff again.
Louisa Adria
Director, Young Singers
Louisa began studying voice as a chorister in the Rocky Mountain Youth Choir, under the direction of Erica Phare-Bergh. While she was in the choir, she began to pursue voice training and received her BMus in Voice Performance from the University of Calgary, studying with Dr. Laura Hynes. Upon graduation, she moved to Milan for a year, where she studied voice, sang ancient Ambrosian chant with La Cappella Musicale Ambrosiana, and learned to speak Italian. Returning to Canada, she began leading youth and conducting seasonal choirs at Foothills Mennonite Church. A lifelong learner, she recently completed the Spiritus Choral Society Conducting Workshop and served as Rehearsal Assistant with the Alberta Children's Choir. Louisa is on the board of Early Music Voices Calgary and sings with the Philharmonic Chorus — she is excited to share her passion for local music-making with students of all ages and abilities, whether in choirs, with youth, or in her work as a voice teacher at Leroux Studios in Calgary.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we come together and create music on land known by the Blackfoot name Moh-kíns-tsis, which we also call Calgary. This land is on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), the Stoney Nakoda (Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations), and the Tsuut’ina First Nations, as well as the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.
We honour this land and all those who share it in a spirit of peace, friendship, and respect.