Early Music Vancouver has announced the appointment of Suzie LeBlanc C.M. as Artistic and Executive Director.

LeBlanc will become the first female to take the helm at EMV since its founding in May 1970 and will assume the role on Jan. 4, 2021.

LeBlanc is an internationally acclaimed Canadian soprano who is a specialist in early music and is an educator who is admired by artists and administrators alike. The soprano has managed a globe-spanning career for 35 years and has served as Director of Cappella Antica at McGill University since 2018. She was also the Founder and Artistic Director of Le Nouvel Opéra from 2005-2019.

In a statement, LeBlanc noted, “I am tremendously excited to be joining an organization I have long admired—and with whom I have a deeply personal connection—having first performed with EMV in 1984. As I lead EMV in its next chapter, I approach this opportunity with great enthusiasm and a profound sense of responsibility,” says LeBlanc. “We are in an unprecedented time fraught with challenges, but also with great opportunity. I look forward to building on the strong foundations of EMV and its excellent reputation to create meaningful and inspiring experiences for performers and audiences alike. Throughout my career, it has been important to me to uncover the work of women composers and amplify undervalued voices in historical music.