YWCA Women of Distinction Award Presented to Violet Goosen

The Vancouver Chamber Choir is pleased that its General Manager Violet Goosen has received the 2012 YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Arts, Culture and Design. Presented at a gala dinner at the Westin Bayshore on May 24, the awards series is recognized nationally as one of Canada's most prestigious awards for women, honouring those whose outstanding achievements contribute to the well-being and future of our community.

Ms. Goosen has enabled the award-winning Vancouver Chamber Choir to not only survive in an increasingly difficult financial climate, but to thrive. For 38 years she has sung, led, mentored, inspired and single-handedly made the Vancouver Chamber Choir an international tour de force. She has championed Canadian music by raising funds to commission hundreds of new works by local composers as well as those from outside British Columbia.

In addition to her tireless efforts to advocate for the arts in Canada, Violet has been instrumental in developing and enacting initiatives in the area of music education and outreach programs for youth and young professionals.