SING WITH US!
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 pride in achieving a thrilling performance. Find out more.
MASTERWORKS SERIES
In Fall 2020, the OCS community explored four magnificent choral masterworks together. Masterwork Series host, Jean-Sébastien Vallée, began each session with a lecture guiding participants to discover the complexity and motivation of these compositions through an exploration of their music, libretto, style, and historical contexts. Each session concluded with an informal group discussion focusing on the performance practice of the works with prominent guest artists. Featured guests included NACO conductor Alexander Shelley, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chorusmaster Duain Wolfe, baritone Russell Braun, and soprano and early music expert, Suzie LeBlanc. We invite you to watch these presenations here!
CHOIR CHATS
During the 2020-21 season, Artistic Director Jean-Sébastien Vallée helped our choir community stay connected by sharing his conversations with world-renowned artists who are rethinking and reshaping choral music. Featured guests included Brad Wells (Roomful of Teeth), Alexander Lloyd Blake (Tonality Choir), composer Carmen Braden, and Justin Jalea (Inspire Choir). This series was a unique opportunity to discover ground-breaking artists and explore several important issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the field of classical music.
CHORAL EXPERIENCES
OCS is proud to present a variety of practical and interactive workshops led by national experts focusing on expanding the participants’ musical and choral experience. These workshops explore body expression, vocal techniques, body mapping, gospel singing technique, improvisation, and more!
NEW DISCOVERIES: A World Class Platform for Emerging Vocal Artists
The Ottawa Choral Society’s New Discoveries Auditions are held in alternating years to provide emerging vocal artists with a professional platform, broad audience exposure, and career development opportunities. The Choral Society is proud to have encouraged many of Canada’s most accomplished concert artists to find success with audiences across the country through this initiative. Many of our past laureates are now appearing on opera and concert stages across North America and Europe.
IVAN C. HARDY TROPHY: Ottawa Kiwanis Music Festival – OCS Open Vocal Class (Operatic Voice)
The Ottawa Choral Society has sponsored this class from the very early days, and the present trophy was made by Mr. Art Price in 1960 to replace the original trophy. Mr. Ivan C. Hardy, President of the Society, died suddenly in August 1960, and the trophy was dedicated to his memory. It was presented for the first time in 1961 at the Kiwanis Festival. Many winners of this class are enjoying illustrious singing careers, including Gerald Finley, Julie Nesrallah, and Wallis Giunta. See our past Laureates.