Back in sync: Oakville Choir for Children & Youth reunites

The Oakville Choir for Children & Youth is reunited - and it sounds so good.

The choir is singing in person again after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the group to go virtual. When the pandemic hit, the Oakville Choir quickly shifted to online rehearsals and concerts.

"I missed the sense of camaraderie I felt amongst the other choir members," says 17-year-old Tomi Ayeni, who is part of the choir’s ‘A Few Good Men’ ensemble. "Through a virtual format, it was difficult to gauge how each boy was doing."

The decision to resume in-person rehearsals was not made lightly. The choir has implemented rigorous COVID-19 safety protocols, and families say it’s worth the extra effort.

"My daughter is so happy to be back," says Karen Ferreira, whose 13-year-old daughter Natalia sings with the choir’s ‘Raise Her Voice’ ensemble. "She missed being with the group and singing in person. Having the songs come together with her peers has been so great."

The pandemic didn’t just disrupt music-making; it hit the choir financially, too. That makes November 30th’s Giving Tuesday campaign especially urgent.

The choir’s goal is to raise $15,000 for its bursary fund, to support singers from lower-income families. 

"Similar to many arts and nonprofit organizations, the Oakville Choir was impacted by COVID with the challenges of delivering the artistic programs to choristers while experiencing significant loss of revenue," says Board Chair Houri Houldsworth.

"It was imperative that the Oakville Choir continue to operate through these challenges, and adapt to the new approaches of singing in person."

The seven ensembles that make up the Oakville Choir are hard at work, preparing to record video performances for a seasonal celebration that will premiere on YouTube at 7 p.m. on December 11, 2021.

And the choir has big plans for an in-person concert in May.

"As we return to in-person singing and the joy of being together again, a theme we are exploring is how our music reflects our community and the world around us," says Interim Co-Artistic Director Cheryl Duvall. 

"We are reaching out to our choir community to explore the different backgrounds and cultures that make us who we are. We are a beautiful fabric that is woven together of unique strands and we look forward to bonding even more as we learn and share our music throughout the entire season."

Donations to the Oakville Choir for Children & Youth can be made via CanadaHelps at: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-oakville-childrens-choir/

The Oakville Choir welcomes young people aged 4-24 who love to sing. To find out how to join, please visit: https://oakvillechoir.org/

You can also see a video of the Choir performing from their last live show in November 2019 here:

Heather McLennan is a member of the Oakville Choir for Children & Youth Board of Directors.