Photo: Vivian, Maxine and Kathy enjoy a chat before rehearsal begins. (Via Barb Bottriell)
It was all systems go when the West Ottawa Ladies Chorus took part in their first rehearsal of the fall season on Sunday September 16th. There was lots of laughter and conversation as returning singers chatted with each other and two new singers were introduced. Conductor Robert Dueck then launched straight into some interesting warm-ups with names like “Listen and Blend” and “We are Crescendoing”.
The West Ottawa Ladies Chorus has 39 singers on its roster for the fall term and 43 for the Spring term. That’s just about at capacity as its combination of discipline, musical excellence and enjoyable rehearsal atmosphere has attracted singers from various parts of western Ottawa, with a number of them coming from Stittsville.
Those who attend the annual Christmas and Spring concerts, don’t always realize the amount of time and effort that goes into preparing for these concerts. Starting in September, two-hour rehearsals take place both on Sundays and on Wednesdays. Some choristers attend both and some can only come once a week, but a pretty regular attendance is necessary to achieve the excellence the Chorus strives for.
Part of the joy of being in the Chorus is the beautiful music we get to sing – pieces like “See Amid the Winter Snow” and “Cold December Rose” for the upcoming Christmas concert on December 7th and 8th. Tickets for that won’t go on sale until the end of October but it’s something to keep in mind. You can always check the website, Facebook or twitter to confirm when they go on sale.