North Shore Celtic Ensemble

Bio

The North Shore Celtic Ensemble is a dynamic community of young musicians from North Vancouver. The Ensemble brings raw energy and a whole new style to the Vancouver music scene. What started as Celtic is now a spirited no-boundaries exploration of music that inspires its young musicians. The result is a full-spectrum music experience that defies labels and spans conventional genres, drawing on Celtic, classical, jazz and folk influences. Seven CDs celebrate the ensembles music and its west coast roots. The Ensemble has produced music groups for children and teens in Metro Vancouver since 1998. They have toured across North America, Europe and China, performed regularly for local concerts and festivals, and support a number of charitable programs through their Community Concert Series. More than just a performing group, the North Shore Celtic Ensemble is a meeting place for youth to explore and share music. Music is about connecting, with people of all ages and cultures, and the Ensemble is committed to helping to build connections through exceptional community performances and creative collaborations with other artists and arts organizations.

Claude Giguere has a winning combination of passion and good humour that inspires music lovers of all ages. Since founding the NSCE in 1998 alongside Jay Knutson, his artistic vision has been the organization’s guiding light. Claude brings his orchestral violin experience from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, and the CBC Radio Orchestra together with a passion for folk music, creating an innovative youth strings program that has touched thousands on the North Shore. It sprung from a desire to explore and interact with all aspects of music, to connect with community and bring out the best in others, and an innate quest for excellence in music. For this accomplishment, Claude was recognized with a 2016 Outstanding Supporter of Youth Award from the City of North Vancouver. Beyond the NSCE, Claude teaches private violin lessons in Lynn Valley. When he doesn’t have a violin - or even a recorder - in his hands, he loves hiking in his backyard: the North Shore mountains. He also works toward becoming fluent in Japanese, his third language.