Ottawa Choral Society - Sing with us

Are you looking for a new choral home?

If singing is your passion, you’ll feel right at home with the Choral Society where you’ll find new friends who share your love of music and your pride in achieving a thrilling performance.

We’re looking forward to meeting you. Registration for auditions are now open!

In this period of COVID-19 personal-distancing, and while we are unable to hear prospective singers in a live audition, we invite you to audition by video.

To arrange an audition or learn more about the choir contact our Choir Manager.

Meet Three of our Choristers

THE OTTAWA CHORAL SOCIETY

Since its inaugural concert in 1941, the Ottawa Choral Society has evolved into one of Canada’s most ambitious and accomplished large choruses. With more than one hundred and twenty auditioned voices, the Society presents a rich tapestry of sacred and secular masterpieces. We focus on choral excellence, and challenging, innovative programming. You will experience the thrill of preparing and performing choral masterworks with our outstanding artistic team led by McGill University choral pedagogue and OCS music director Jean-Sébastien Vallée, world-class concert artists, distinguished National Arts Centre Orchestra conductors, and Ottawa’s leading instrumentalists.

In addition to its self-produced subscription series, the Choir regularly appears as the guest of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and has partnered with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, and with the Ottawa International Chamber Music Society in concerts that have featured legendary tenor Ben Heppner and the renowned King’s Singers.

Auditions

Entrance into the choir is dependent on an audition to determine placement and readiness for the choir.

NEW member auditions will consist of the following:

Interview about your choral and vocal experience (via Zoom)
Sight-reading and range exercises (via Zoom)
Pre-recorded song of your choice. This can be a choral part from a piece you have sung or a solo

To arrange an audition, contact our CHOIR MANAGER.

Requirements of Members

Membership in the chorus requires a certain level of music and vocal capability:

Ability to read music.
Previous choral singing experience.
A basic knowledge of music theory (key signatures, intervals, rhythms, etc.)
Knowledge of scales.
Ability to sight read a vocal music score.
Must be 18 years or older.

Membership Fees

We are a member supported chorus which relies partially on the financial commitment of our member choristers to sustain our organization and concert season.

Membership Fees are $375 per season ($275 for singers 30 and under). Financial assistance may be available.
Students: Membership fees are $100 per season for full-time students.
Membership fees for only the Fall semester are $190, $150 if under 30, and $50 for students.
We have several bursaries available to support our singers.
Information | Contact

Rehearsals

The choir holds rehearsals on Wednesday nights from 7:00-9:30 in a central location, and occasionally on weekends.