FACES OF VLACC | Sérgio Pires

Meet Sérgio Pires, Brazilian from Rio de Janeiro and the music director of Canto Vivo –The VLACC Choir– created in 2017 to celebrate and promote community through Latin American music. Having been involved with VLACC for the past eight years, Sérgio attests to the organization’s key role as a gateway to Latin American cultures in Vancouver. As he puts it, “For Latin Americans, VLACC is a way of keeping in touch with their roots. For non-Latin Americans, it is a chance to immerse themselves in the culture.” 

Before moving to Canada, Sérgio was a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and completed a doctoral degree in Musical Arts and Choral Conducting at Boston University. Through his involvement with VLACC, Sérgio has had the opportunity to share his passion for Latin American and choral music and witness the growth of Canto Vivo.

“Along those years, the choir grew not only in numbers but in its artistic, cultural, and social purposes. It became a community of friends that have in common a passion for Latin American Music. Because of the constant exchange of ideas with the choir members from many different countries in Latin America and beyond, myself, and every member of the choir have immensely enriched our musical and cultural knowledge of Latin America.” Sérgio reflects. 

Canto Vivo has performed in numerous venues throughout the city with repertories that blend popular and traditional songs, most of which are specifically arranged for the group by Sérgio. Given the success of last year’s Spring Concert—A Journey Across Latin America–, he looks forward to this year’s iteration. The choir is still accepting singers, particularly tenors and basses. Sérgio invites all music enthusiasts to join the group and together create beautiful musical performances that may soothe the nostalgia or saudade of Latin America’s enchanting rhythms.

If you are interested in participating, contact Thais Bouez at thais@vlacc.ca.

Photo by Adrian Ortega

February, 2025
[Text edited by Mirella Livoti]