Diane Loomer Receives Honorary Degree from University of British Columbia

On May 25, 2011 the University of British Columbia honoured Diane Loomer with a Doctor of Letters honoris causa in recognition of her lifelong dedication to choral music.

Diane Loomer, C.M. is a recipient of the Order of Canada, the director and founder of Chor Leoni Men’s Choir, co-founder and conductor emerita of Elektra Women’s Choir, and most recently founder and conductor of EnChor Chamber Choir, and is internationally recognized as one of Canada’s leading musicians. Her choral compositions have been published and recorded internationally, and she frequently appears on CBC national radio as a spokesperson for the classical arts. She has taught on the Music Faculty of the University of British Columbia. The first woman to conduct the National Youth Choir of Canada, Ms. Loomer received the Willan Award in 1990 for her service to choral music in British Columbia; in 1994, she was named YWCA Vancouver’s Woman of Distinction for Arts and Culture; and in 1997 and 2004 received Distinguished Alumni Awards honouring her achievements. In 2002, she was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for her significant contribution to Canada’s culture.

The following year, Ms. Loomer was appointed by the University of Victoria to the University Women’s Scholar Lecture Series and in 2005 was appointed conductor emerita at Dalhousie University. In 2008 she was named a Paul Harris Fellow to the International Rotary Foundation for her tangible and significant assistance for furthering better understanding among peoples of the world, and in 2010 the Association of Canadian Choral Communities presented Diane with their Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her work promoting choral music in Canada. 

“I was thrilled to receive an honorary doctorate from my alma mater”, said an excited Diane, “But also to know that UBC has recently been named as one of the top 50 universities in the world. Such recognition is both humbling and exhilarating.”

The text of Diane’s address to the UBC Spring Congregation of 2011 may be read here.