SINCE 1982

ABOUT US

Founded in 1982 by Barbara Clark (CM) and incorporated in 1983,

The Ottawa Regional Youth Choir Society (ORYC) musically challenges the young people of the Ottawa region to attain excellence in vocal and choral performance.The ensemble is open to all individuals ages 15 through 25. 

Choristers must demonstrate a commitment to their art through active participation in planned rehearsals and performances, self-managed study of selected pieces between rehearsals, and working collaboratively towards the overall goals of the organization.

Through experiences with professional groups and artists such as the members of the National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO), the Capital Chamber Choir and Heritage Canada, choristers are prepared for a possible future within the diverse arts communities.

This organization believes that its longevity and current vitality is the demonstration of commitment to its goals, not only by its current members but also those who have gone before.  Alumni, supporters, friends and family have coloured and shaped this organization over the years. We believe that everyone’s continued contributions are key to the organization’s success.

MEET THE

ARTISTIC TEAM

The ORYC organization is made up of several core groups of staff and volunteers, all of which are integral to our current and future successes. It is only due to the commitment and belief in the importance of what ORYC does that this organization continues to provide this opportunity of high-level choral singing to the young people of the Ottawa region.

Jamie Loback

Artistic Director

Jamie Loback

Artistic Director

Holding a Master of Arts degree in music from the University of Ottawa, Jamie Loback is the Artistic Director of the Capital Chamber Choir and Ottawa Regional Youth Choir. Since 2005, he has served as Director of Music at St. Joseph’s Parish in Ottawa conducting the church choir.

In 2012, Jamie became the Artistic Director of the newly-formed Capital Chamber Choir. During his tenure, the choir has expanded to over 35 members with a focus on contemporary Canadian and international composers with a special focus on repertoire from the regions of Eastern and Northern Europe. The choir performs its own concert series each season in addition to various collaborations with the National Arts Centre and other local arts organizations.

Jamie has been the Artistic Director of the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir since 2013. Choristers range in age from 15 – 25 and emphasis is placed on the introduction of standard choral-symphonic repertoire balanced with works by contemporary composers. Experiences with professional and more practiced artists such as the members of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Capital Chamber Choir ensure choristers are prepared for a possible future within our diverse arts communities.

Jamie is a passionate advocate for contemporary choral music, especially regarding works by Canadian composers as well as young composers who require performance opportunities for their music. He is dedicated to fostering inspiration, enthusiasm, and creativity in the next generation of choral musicians.

Aude
Urbancic

Collaborative Pianist

Aude Urbancic

Collaborative Pianist

Aude Urbancic is currently working on her Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano with a specialization in vocal accompaniment at the University of Montreal studying with Francis Perron and Liz Upchurch. She holds a diploma in Collaborative Piano at the University of Montreal and a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Ottawa.

Aude has a particular passion for opera and choral music and was recently engaged as accompanist for Ana Sokolovic’s Golden Slumbers Kiss Your Eyes, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Britten’s War Requiem, and Handel's Messiah at the National Arts Centre. Based in Ottawa, Aude keeps busy with her large teaching studio and is a sought-after clinician. She is the music director at Church of the Ascension, the conductor and artistic director of the Ottawa Carleton Male Choir. She is also employed as vocal coach at the University of Ottawa School of Music. Most recently, she has launched her debut album, Batkivshchyna, alongside baritone Laurence Ewashko.

Sara
Leblanc

Apprentice Conductor

Sara Leblanc

Apprentice Conductor

Sara LeBlanc has been singing with choirs from a young age, having sung in both the Ottawa Children’s Choir and the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir. She is currently pursing her undergraduate studies in oboe with Charles Hamann at the University of Ottawa School of Music. In recent years, she has won several oboe awards with the Ottawa Kiwanis Music Festival and placed third at the Ontario Provincial Music Festival in 2021. When she is not making music, you might find her teaching swimming lessons or making oboe reeds.

Madox
Terrell

Tenor/Bass Vocal Coach

Madox Terrell

Tenor/Bass Vocal Coach

After studying voice and piano for over a decade, Madox Terrell’s attention is now primarily focused on composition. He has been a member of the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir for close to 9 years and sings with several Ottawa choirs throughout the calendar year such as the Capital Chamber Choir and the Ewashko Singers. A recent electronic-choral work, “Lost in Translation”—commissioned by the Orpheus Choir of Toronto and co-written by Madox Terrell and Kai Leung—was selected by Interkultur to be featured in their World Choir Council Choral Topics video series. Under his artist name Madox on all major streaming platforms, Madox will soon be releasing his 3rd record of the year, Breaking Point, an album of works composed, performed, and produced by himself.

MEET OUR...

BOARD MEMBERS

secretary (officer only)

Treasurer

Directors-At-Large

Directors-At-Large

Choir representative

Librarian

Communications

DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE

treasurer Emeritus

EX-OFFICIO AND KEY VOLUNTEERS

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Administrative Volunteer

policy and governance volunteer

ADMIN TEAM

Pirahashini
Thayanithy

General Manager

Pirahashini Thayanithy

General Manager

An avid chorister since the age of seven, Pirahashini has been singing with various types of ensembles for over fifteen years. She was a vocalist in a high school Regional Arts Program, where she began to study solo voice more seriously, and truly honed her leadership skills within choral settings. Pirahashini completed her Bachelor of Arts and Sciences at the University of Guelph in 2020, specializing in Music (largely vocal performance) and Neuroscience. She went on to graduate from her Master's of Education with the University of Ottawa in 2021. Aside from singing and playing instruments, she loves to read, paint, and make new friends. Pirahashini is very excited to be joining the Ottawa choral community!

Mikayla
Odut

Communications Coordinator

Mikayla Odut

Communications and marketing Coordinator

Mikayla Odut leads a varied life as a student with the aspiration of artistic administration and stage management as the forefront of her future goals. She is currently completing a degree from uOttawa in classical voice along with a certificate from Algonquin College in Esthetics and a certificate of Fundraising Management. Holding an ARCT from the Royal Conservatory of Music in flute performance, she is thrilled to find the wide variety of both orchestral and voice music in the Ottawa region. Odut has a particular passion for baroque music, and believes the genre is accessible and inclusive for her and other young singers to take part in.

Future ideas for studies include programs for arts administration or nonprofit management. A devoted equity advocate, she promotes accessibility, awareness and acceptance in the forefront of everything she does. Mikayla has been involved with the ORYC since 2019 including being involved on the Board of Directors, specializing in social media and marketing and as a member of the COVID-19 Advisory and Fundraising Committees.

Kate
Stolwyk

Librarian

Kate Stolwyk

Librarian

Kate has been singing with the ORYC for eight years – this is her first as librarian. Born and raised on the outskirts of Ottawa, she loves birdwatching and clomping through the woods in snowshoes. She looks forward to another year with the choir and to all the fun (and maybe chaos, on concert days) it will bring!

MEET OUR

CHOIR

We are a group of youth with a shared passion for music and singing. Hover over a member to get to know them a little bit better!

SOPRANO

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Kiran (she/they)

Creatively Curious
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Talia (she/her)

Rock Climber
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Anouk (she/her)

Adventurer
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Maria (she/her)

Mad Scientist in Training

ALTO

38A989E1-3894-43F7-A52E-9C9349432F0E - Esmée Peets

Esmée (she/her)

Artsy
ORYC Emblem Logo-Red BG

Paula (she/her)

History Buff
BAB70F89-EF41-41B2-8D7D-7D80D0132045 - Kat Lovric

Kat (any/all)

Art Enthusiast
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Brie (they/them)

Nerd
Olivia Harvey

Olivia (she/her)

Mixologist
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Naomi (she/her)

Matcha Lover
Annabel Scott

Annabel (she/her)

Bookworm
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Sofia (she/her)

Beatles Enthusiast

TENOR

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Alex (he/him)

Camping and Portaging
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Cinematography

Will (he/him)

Cinematography
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Erika (she/her)

Tolkien Obsessed
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Jace (they/them)

Crochet-a-holic

BASS

Ray-Lechasseur

Ray (he/him)

Ferrari tifosi
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Logan (he/him)

Everything Enthusiast
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Ashton (he/they)

Metal Evangelist
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Matthew (he/him)

Multi-instrumentalist
Richard

Richard (he/him)

Hockey & History
madox

Madox (he/him)

Music-meister
OUR HISTORY

TIMELINE

1982 - 2007

Founder

Barbara Clark

Barbara Clark

Founder | 1982 - 2007

Ms. Clark, CM, founded the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir in 1982 and retired as its conductor in 2007.

In addition to the ORYC she has been artistic director for UNISONG, the Niagara International Music Festival, and the Canterbury International Music Festival in England.

Amongst many other awards, in May 2001 Ms. Clark was honoured to receive the Order of Canada, in recognition of her service to choral music in Canada and in 2011, the ORYC was very proud to successfully nominate her for the Choirs’ Ontario President’s Leadership Award.‏

Sought after for her talent as a vocal clinician and music educator, she is a popular leader of workshops and music camps throughout Canada.

As Artistic Director of the Niagara International Music Festival and UNISONG, a feature attraction of annual Canada Day celebrations, she continued to encourage the development of choral music across the country.

2007 - 2012

Director

Kevin Reeves

Kevin Reeves

Director | 2007 - 2012

Mr. Reeves succeeded Barbara Clark, C.M., founding Director of the ORYC. He brought his extensive and varied conducting experience to the choir, having founded Seventeen Voyces – one of Ottawa’s premiere chamber choirs. He has led that choir on national radio and television, and was one of three conductors for CBC television’s Easter Sunrise in 2003. He has also prepared choirs for renowned conductors, including Trevor Pinnock, Franz Paul Decker, Lydia Adams, Jiri Belohlavek, Iwan Edwards, Robert Cooper, Jean-François Rivest and Pinchas Zukerman.

In addition, Mr. Reeves is a highly respected vocal coach. He has sung and toured as a tenor soloist and chorister with the Notre Dame Cathedral Choir; the Anglican Chorale; La Chapelle of Quebec City; the Winnipeg Singers; the Tallis Choir and St. Simon’s Choir of Toronto; the Cantata Singers of Ottawa; and St. Matthew’s Choir. His personal repertoire ranges from Monteverdi’s Vespers to Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and St. John Passion; Haydn’s Creation, and Britten’s St. Nicolas.

Kevin is President of Zephyrus Productions Ltd., which has won numerous awards for its television drama and documentaries. He is also a published author and caricaturist of note.

2012 - 2013

Director

Marg Stubington

Marg Stubington

Director | 2012 - 2013

Marg Stubington, a native of Montreal, received a Bachelor of Music from McGill University (1984) where she studied piano performance with Tom Plaunt, choral arranging with Donald Patriquin, song interpretation with Jan Simons, and conducting. She held several church positions in Montreal as organist and choir director, taught piano, worked as accompanist, led a 100-voice children’s school choir, and taught music theory and choir at the Suzuki Summer Institute.

As Director from June of 2007 to May 2010, Marg developed the KidSingers program, now a thriving children’s choir which is part of the Leading Note Foundation’s Orkidstra program. She has also worked as Music Director of the Canadian Centennial Choir, and of the Carleton University Choir. Aside from her regular conducting duties, Marg is a busy piano teacher, composer and arranger.

Marg served as Music Director of the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir from August 2012 to the Spring Concert, “Short and Sweet(s)”, in April 2013.

2013 - Present

Director

Jamie Loback

Jamie Loback

Director | 2013 - Present

Holding a Master of Arts degree in music from the University of Ottawa, Jamie Loback is the Artistic Director of the Capital Chamber Choir and Ottawa Regional Youth Choir. Since 2005, he has served as Director of Music at St. Joseph’s Parish in Ottawa conducting the church’s three choirs.

In 2012, Jamie became the Artistic Director of the newly-formed Capital Chamber Choir. During his tenure, the choir has expanded to over 35 members with a focus on contemporary Canadian and international composers with a special focus on repertoire from the regions of Eastern and Northern Europe. The choir performs its own concert series each season in addition to various collaborations with the National Arts Centre and other local arts organizations.

Jamie is a passionate advocate for contemporary choral music, especially regarding works by Canadian composers as well as young composers who require performance opportunities for their music. He is dedicated to fostering inspiration, enthusiasm, and creativity in the next generation of choral musicians.


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Madox
Terrell

Tenor/Bass Vocal Coach

Madox Terrell

Tenor/Bass Vocal Coach

After studying voice and piano for over a decade, Madox Terrell’s attention is now primarily focused on composition. He has been a member of the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir for close to 9 years and sings with several Ottawa choirs throughout the calendar year such as the Capital Chamber Choir and the Ewashko Singers. A recent electronic-choral work, “Lost in Translation”—commissioned by the Orpheus Choir of Toronto and co-written by Madox Terrell and Kai Leung—was selected by Interkultur to be featured in their World Choir Council Choral Topics video series. Under his artist name Madox on all major streaming platforms, Madox will soon be releasing his 3rd record of the year, Breaking Point, an album of works composed, performed, and produced by himself.