Òran

Scott Leithead

Artistic Director
Conductor, Korora, Korus
Conductor Emeritus, Òran

Scott Leithead is the founder and Artistic Director of both Korora Choir Association and TIME Association. He has been invited to conduct provincial and state honour choirs on twenty-nine occasions and he has presented workshops in North America and beyond. Notable appearances include adjudicating the Tampere International Festival in Finland and conducting the Ellison Canadian Honour Choir nine times since its inception. He has adjudicated both the Choral Canada National Competition for Amateur Canadian Choirs and the Kathaumixw International Choir Festival (2014, 2016, 2023). Under his direction, Korora was the winner of both the 2015 CBC National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs and both the 2015 and 2016 Canadian National Music Competition.  In the summer of 2019, Korora was invited to perform at the IFCM World Choral Expo in Portugal, where they represented Canada on the world stage.  Also in 2019, Korora was featured on an episode of CTV's "The Amazing Race Canada”.

Scott has a passion for music from southern Africa, and he has been invited to work with choirs in South Africa and Namibia on numerous occasions. In 2008–2009, Scott was on sabbatical in Namibia, where he worked with the Mascato Youth Choir and many other choirs in southern Africa. Scott’s passion for innovative and unique choral music experiences has shaped the direction of the Korora Choir Association. In February 2023 he conducted the ISSEA Mass Choir in Johannesburg South Africa featuring international schools from across the African continent.

This fall he conducted the Eastman Honour Choir for the third time and was the featured guest conductor and adjudicator at the U Sing U Sask Festival presented by the University of Saskatchewan.  In 2025 he will conduct the Ellison Canadian Honour Choir (Toronto) and the Nova Scotia Youth Choir for the second time. He will also adjudicate the 2025 Ontario Vocal Festival and the Kathaumixw International Choral Festival.

Scott is a longtime member of the advisory committee for the Canadian Rocky Mountain Music Festival and the Edmonton and Whistler Cantando Festivals.

Scott was awarded Choir Alberta’s top honour, the Richard S. Eaton Award, in 2015. He also received Edmonton’s Salute to Excellence award in 2016. He has also been awarded the Syncrude Award for Innovative Direction.