Artistic Director
Antonio Llaca
Cuban-born, Antonio Llaca is an active conductor, teacher and clinician. He studied conducting and classical guitar both in Canada and in South America. Mr Llaca holds a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Université de Sherbrooke, Montréal Campus, and has studied with world renowned masters.
Mr Llaca has been the Artistic Director of Coro Vivo Ottawa since 2009 where he has brought a wide variety of music and cultural style. His connections have allowed the choir to connect with different groups nationally and internationally.
Mr Llaca often collaborates with numerous ensembles and prepares choruses for Canadian orchestras and artists such as The Tenors and touring international orchestras including the China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra. His choral ensembles have performed on national and international stages including the National Arts Centre in Canada as well as the Tintqiao Peforming Arts Centre in China and Carnegie Hall in the United States. His choirs have been award recipients at international choral competitions.
In 2019, Mr Llaca was appointed Director of Choral Activities at Carleton University where he is the choral conductor and teaches choral and instrumental conducting. He is also a professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau where he conducts the choirs and orchestra.
Mr Llaca is a sought-after choral clinician having had a chance to present workshops at various Canadian and international institutions and festivals including the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) in Beijing 2018 and several universities and choral organizations across North and South America, Africa and Europe. As an instrumentalist, he is often called to perform at festivals and in instrumental ensembles across Canada including with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and Montréal’s Orchestre Métropolitain.
Mr Llaca is an advocate for Canadian choral music, incorporating prominent Canadian content in his programming as well as commissioning choral pieces for his concerts from local composers. He has been known for his innovative programming of new works as well as seldom-performed works of music. In addition, Mr Llaca has brought to the Ottawa music scene seldom performed works by New World early music composers such as William Billings, Esteban Salas, José Angel Lamas and Manuel de Zumaya, among others.
Mr Llaca has toured in Canada, United States, Latin America and Asia with his ensembles. He has earned a reputation for being a passionate conductor and pedagogue who is regarded for his musicality and knowledge of the choral art. In June 2021, Mr Llaca was appointed choirmaster for the Orchestre symphonique de Gatineau.
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Accompanist
Louise Léveillé
Louise is an accomplished musician, holding a Bachelor of Music and Master of Education degrees from the University of Ottawa. She is trained in solfege and choral technique.
Coro Vivo Ottawa is privileged to have Louise as their long-standing accompanist, benefiting from her generosity, expertise and professional skills. She has accompanied Coro Vivo since 1990.
Formerly, Louise was an ear-training teacher at the University of Ottawa under the tutelage of renowned conductor Agnes Grossman. She studied piano with Jean-Paul Sevilla and Jacinthe Couture in Montréal, and has studied accompanying with Evelyn Greenberg.
Louise has had many invitations, from groups of all ages, to give workshops on ear training and accompaniment. She has served as accompanist for the University Choir and le Théâtre lyrique de Hull, and has accompanied professional singers and instrumentalists when making recordings for the CBC. She has served as an accompanist for the University of Ottawa choir, Carleton University master classes, Conservatoire de Gatineau choir as well as for many professional singers, instrumentalists and various choirs. She continues to be involved as a consultant and accompanist in the Ottawa music community.