MONIQUE RICHARD, Choir

Monique Richard is Full Professor in the Department of Music at the Université de Moncton, where she has been responsible for the vocal ensembles as well as courses in music education pedagogy and conducting technique. She directs the university’s Department of Music Choir and serves as Artistic Director of Chœur Louisbourg, Chœur Beauséjour, and the Chœur intergénérationnel du Faubourg du Mascaret.  

A graduate of the Université de Moncton (B.Mus., B.Mus.Ed.), she holds a master’s degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Doctorate in Education from the Université de Moncton. Her research focuses on teachers as cultural transmitters, on arts integration in francophone minority communities and on the impact of an intergenerational choir bringing together students from the Department of Music and older adults in a retirement home, examining its physical, cognitive, psychological, social, and identity-related benefits through interviews and community engagement.  

An influential figure in the Acadian choral community, Dr. Richard is frequently invited to adjudicate festivals and present workshops across Atlantic Canada, Quebec, and France. As Artistic Director of Chœur Louisbourg, New Brunswick’s only professional choir, she promotes innovative repertoire and creative partnerships, including collaborations with Symphony New Brunswick and Ballet Theatre Atlantique. The ensemble has toured France and released the recording Chansons d’amour d’Acadie et de France, on the ATMA Classique label, and Tapisserie canadienne au couleurs d’Acadie (Leaf Music) which showcases diverse choral works by Acadian and New Brunswick artists, centered on themes of hope, heritage, and love.  

For over thirty years, Monique Richard has played a defining role in shaping and advancing choral music in francophone New Brunswick. Deeply committed to Acadian culture, she combines artistic excellence with a strong belief in her role as a cultural transmitter. Recognized for her musical leadership, authenticity, and dedication to contemporary Acadian expression, she fosters collaborations that showcase local creators and bring artists together in meaningful, forward-looking projects.