Our background and traditions.
Kokopelli was founded in 1996 by director Scott Leithead. Located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Kokopelli is made up of singers ranging in age from 14 to 24 years from accross Western Canada. The choir is known for a unique style of presentation, striving for high-quality musical delivery combined with creative staging, singing music ranging from canonical classical repertoire to experimental and avant-garde contemporary works. Kokopelli pushes the boundaries of choral music, at times incorporating extra-musical aspects into performances to create a multi-layered aesthetic experience for audiences. Most importantly, the group aims to share music across the boundaries of culture and place, using song as a tool of communication and community.
Kokopelli has been a featured ensemble at many events, provincially, nationally, and internationally. These include the Rocky Mountain National Music Festival, Podium (the biannual conference of the Association of Canadian Choral Communities), the regional conference of the American Choral Directors Association, the International Society of Music Educators conference, and others. In addition to many North American cities, the choir has toured to Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Malaysia, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia. Kokopelli is often the ambassador for the choir association and as such, has received several awards for their work with youth, music education, and the African Projects Fund. Most recently, Kokopelli was given the YMCA Peace Medal in 2008.