The chamber choir Bel Canto was founded by the conductor Dan Lönnqvist in 1989. Bel Canto has performed at around 180 concerts. The choir have done projects with: Franz Schubert's Mass in G-major, Kaj-Erik Gustafsson's "Mässa i Pingstnatten", Gioacchini Rossini's Messe Solennelle, Luigi Cherubini's Requiem in c-minor, Anton Dvorak's Mass in D-major, Felix Mendelssohn's symphony "Lobgesang", Johann Sebastian Bach's Motets, the Passion of St Matthew and the Christmas Oratorium, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Requiem, Zoltan Kodaly's Laudes Organi and Johannes Brahms' "Ein deutsches Requiem". A project with music by Karl Jenkins was performed a few years back.

The chamber choir Bel Canto with its 30+ singers is active in the Swedish community college in Pietarsaari. Bel Canto has mainly performed in Pietarsaari and surrounding areas, but has also made concert trips to Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, Luxemburg, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Italy. Bel Canto has had cooperation with the Orchestra of Pietarsaari, the chamber orchestra of Mid-Ostrobotnia, and Cracow Percussion Group as well as with other choirs in and around Pietarsaari. Bel Canto mainly performs a capella music. Many renown soloists have sung together with the choir - especially at the traditional Christmas concerts, mainly in the church of Pedersöre in Pietarsaari. The choir gave a special concert at the Valamo monestary church 2015.

In July 2005 the choir took the third place in the international choir competition in Llangollen International Musical Eissteddfod in Wales.

The voice coach of the choir is Marguerithe Sandstedt-Granvik and the conductor is Dan Lönnqvist. 

http://www.bcanto.com/wp/