Louise Lemire-Elmore will be honoured in song this week.
The Victoria Philharmonic Choir and Music Director Peter Butterfield will be dedicating the Saturday, June 9 performance of J.S. Bach’s Mass In B Minor with orchestra to Lemire-Elmore, a founding member of the choir, who was found dead in Sooke on May 30.
“The tragic accident … was a profound shock to the members of the Victoria Philharmonic Choir,” said Joan Athey. “Louise was a founding member, founding donor, a board member and a mainstay in the alto section.”
A graduate of St. Ann’s Academy in 1963, Lemire-Elmore majored in Music and English at the University of Toronto and taught for a number of years in Toronto elementary schools, specializing in children’s choirs.
After returning to Victoria with her family in 1981, she served as church organist and continued to enjoy singing in larger choirs.
The police investigation into Lemire-Elmore’s death is ongoing. Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue divers recovered her remains from her car which was found just below the surface in the ocean near her Sooke home. Tire marks indicated she drove off the driveway near her waterfront property, over the rocky embankment and beach and into the ocean.
“Louise’s life has always been one of nurturing, educating, and making the world more beautiful, whether she was singing, running a fundraiser or creating wonderful food for hungry choristers after a concert,” said choir member Sherry LePage. “The Victoria Philharmonic Choir was very dear to Louise’s heart, and she has many friends among the singers who will miss her and her rich alto voice terribly.”
The concert in her memory is at 8 p.m. at the First Metropolitan United Church, 932 Balmoral Rd. Visit www.vpchoir.ca. for more information. Tickets are available at Munro’s, Ivy’s and Tanner bookstores and Long and McQuade.
“Choristers are expressing a deep desire to honour Louise’s commitment to excellence by singing this beautiful Mass to the very best of our ability,” said LePage.
- with files from Sharron Ho