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JOIN THE CHOIR
SING WITH US
Thank you for your interest in singing with the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir!
Our educational choral ensemble is open to admitting new singers aged 15 to 25, with varying levels of prior experience and any voice type, throughout the year. The largest influx takes place prior to the season’s first rehearsal in September, and again in early January, as these are ideal for allowing members to be performance-ready in time for our concerts.
Instead of formal auditions, the ORYC’s Artistic Director Jamie Loback holds voice placements, at St. Joseph’s Parish (174 Wilbrod St.) where the choir rehearses and performs. These meetings, which don’t require preparation in advance, involve running vocal exercises to allow him to assess where a singer would best fit amongst the other choristers. It’s also a great opportunity for new members to get to know both Jamie and the choir’s general manager Pirahashini Thayanithy. Voice placements are typically run on Tuesday evenings ahead of rehearsals, which allows singers to try out a practice with the ORYC right away during the season.
If you would like to schedule a voice placement, please fill in the form below. We look forward to meeting you!
Sing with Us
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
WHY ORYC?
The ORYC is known for being the bridge between children’s choirs and adult ensembles, with the roster of around fifty singers including members from a wide range of backgrounds and musical experience. The welcoming environment, importance placed on accessibility, and desire to continue training for all who want to be involved in choral singing make it an excellent choir for encouraging and challenging young musicians! Whether a member wants to improve their abilities to sing in harmony, perform a solo, conduct a vocal ensemble, compose for mixed voices, workshop with choral professionals, learn about theory and history in music, etc. the ORYC provides opportunities to explore and hone various elements of being a well-rounded chorister and person.
REPERTOIRE
Many of the concerts centre around choral symphonic works, with additional pieces rounding out the programs, highlighting contemporary and Canadian composers whenever possible. In the past, the ORYC has performed Mozart’s Requiem, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo amongst others, bringing in instrumental musicians to accompany impactful performances and giving young singers the experience of working with experienced musicians. Additional pieces have been in a variety of styles, languages, and settings. Singers have enjoyed performing well-known choral tunes from around the world and across the centuries, many of which are from our own nation and province, memorably premiering several compositions by Ottawa musicians including fellow ORYC choristers!
SCHEDULE
Weekly rehearsals are at St. Joseph’s Parish (174 Wilbrod St.) on Tuesdays from 6:45-9:00pm starting in September. As part of each performance cycle, there will typically be a daytime rehearsal on a Saturday, which is set up to allow choristers to bond and then dive deeply into the concert program at hand. There will be at least one dress rehearsal (run-through) in the week leading up to each of our five shows, and choristers will have a break for the holidays immediately following the December concert, finishing the season after the final concert in May. You can view all of the performance dates and details at the Events section of our website!
REGISTRATION FEE
In order to offer quality choral programming over eight months, the chorister fee for the 2025-26 season is $500. This can be paid in full, but we allow a completely flexible payment schedule, which allows as many participants as possible to provide the full amount over the course of the season. Payments can take many forms, do not have to be equally spaced out or equally divided amounts, and we understand if unforeseen circumstances require amendments to the original payment plan. We also understand that, particularly for this age group, $500 is simply not a feasible amount, so our Inclusion Fund initiative exists to provide financial assistance to choristers who would find our fee to be a barrier to their participation. Each chorister will coordinate with our Director of Operations and Finance to figure out what works best throughout the season.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
Sheet music will be provided in preparation for performances, and must be returned following each concert. Singers should remember to bring a water bottle, as well as a pencil for marking scores, at every rehearsal. Choristers are encouraged to have a choral music folder to organize and protect their music, which can be purchased for $35 from the ORYC. Along with black folders, participants are expected to meet the head-to-toe black clothing requirements for performances. For those who drive, parking passes covering the times of regular ORYC activities can be provided upon request in advance, so members do not have to use the meter for the paid lot or risk being given a parking ticket.
GET MORE INVOLVED
We encourage our choristers to explore their interests and take on leadership! Those who are curious about composing, conducting, and accompanying for choirs, or even stage management, event planning, arts administration, and so on can ask to learn through experience with our staff and volunteers. In the leadup to performances, singers will be asked to participate in concert planning, promotion, and execution. This could be through leading sectionals for challenging musical passages, assisting in our social media and digital marketing, and making our materials educationally valuable for our audiences. We always welcome our singers to bring up any ideas they may have to improve the organization or their experience, which is why multiple positions on our Board of Directors are designated for Chorister Directors who represent their fellow ensemblemates. At any time, even those who do not have a more formal role within the group can provide feedback, and help us tailor the season’s experience to the needs of our ever-evolving choir.
HEAR FROM
OUR CHORISTERS
“Singing in choir has been a necessity in my life. I love
this choir”
Aurora
Chorister
“ORYC is the only choir I’ve been a member of that
both challenges me musically but doesn’t give me
stress and anxiety, due to the welcoming atmosphere
of the choristers and staff.”
Laura
Chorister
“[I love] Jamie's jokes! Laughing with the whole choir
has got to be one of the best experiences.”
Yann
Chorister
“My love of choral music is what made me join first. I
come back year after year for the welcoming
atmosphere, social chorister community, and the
musical challenge.”
Anonymous
Chorister
“There are a lot of friends who I see only in the choir,
and without ORYC, I would gradually lose touch with
them.”
Sean
Chorister
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