Come Sing with Us!

Choir Camp 2023

July 10-14, 2023

What is Choir Camp 2023?

Choir Camp 2023 will be a full week of large and small choir rehearsals, singing workshops, and a concert for the community at the end of the week.

Come sing with us in Owen Sound, Ontario, from July 10 to 14, 2023.

We are welcoming adults of all ages and youth ages 14+.

Participants can choose to sing a wide range of musical styles including classical, folk, music of various cultures, a cappella, musical theatre and more.

Anyone who loves to sing and make music together will find something fun and challenging to do!

Read our most recent email update here.

General camp information

Dates: July 10-14, 2023 (Monday to Friday)

Tentative schedule: Afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., with a Friday evening concert at 7:00 p.m. More details here.

Location: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 865 2nd Ave W, Owen Sound, Ontario

Who’s invited? Adults of all ages and youth ages 14 and older

Accommodations: Book an Airbnb, Bed & Breakfast, or hotel if you are coming from outside Grey and Bruce counties

Meals: We will provide recommendations for our local restaurants or connect you with local singers to eat meals with them.

How do I register? Head to our online registration form.

What is the cost? Read our most recent email update here.

Meet Dr. Elaine Choi, our guest conductor

We are very excited to have Dr. Elaine Choi as our guest conductor for our mass choir rehearsals and to also lead some workshops, especially with our high school singers.

Elaine is the Artistic Director of the Pax Christi Chorale, the Director of Music at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church (overseeing four choral ensembles including singers from age 5 to 80), conducts the University of Toronto Soprano/Alto Chorus, and leads Babεl (an SATB choral ensemble whose mission is to bridge cultures through choral music).

Elaine holds a Doctor in Musical Arts and a Master in Music Performance (Choral Conducting) degree from the University of Toronto under the guidance of Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt and Dr. Doreen Rao. She is a four-time recipient of the Elmer Iseler Fellowship in Choral Conducting (2008, 2009, 2014, 2015) and was a finalist in the Sir Ernest MacMillan Foundation Fellowship Award in Choral Conducting (2012).

Elaine is active as an adjudicator and a clinician for various community events, such as the Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival, CAMMAC reading sessions and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Singsation Saturdays.

Elaine is an advocate for Chinese Orchestral and Choral music. She was the conductor of the Toronto Chinese Orchestra from 2010-2017 and is currently a guest conductor and educational outreach representative.

Meet Dr. Julia Davids, artistic director of the Canadian Chamber Choir

We are excited to announce that Dr. Julia Davids and the Canadian Chamber Choir will lead a vocal workshop for Choir Camp singers on Wednesday, July 12.

Julia Davids is a founding member of the Canadian Chamber Choir and has led the ensemble on concert and workshop tours of every province. She directed the CCC’s 2010 debut recording In Good Company as well as their Juno-nominated 2015 release Sacred Reflections: A Canadian Mass. Julia has led workshops and master classes for choirs and conductors throughout Canada and the U.S. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of choral conductors and is committed to giving emerging and established Canadian composers a forum for their work.

A native of London, Ontario, she grew up singing in the Amabile Youth Singers, the Ontario Youth Choir, and the National Youth Choir, for whom she was the first apprentice conductor.

Julia is the Stephen J. Hendrickson Professor and Director of Choral Activities at North Park University, Chicago where she directs the University Choir, the Chamber Singers, and teaches choral conducting and music education. Julia is co-author with Stephen LaTour of Vocal Technique: A Guide for Conductors, Teachers, and Singers, winner of Choral Canada’s 2014 award for best choral publication.

Julia is also the music director of the North Shore Choral Society, a 130-voice amateur community choir and serves as director of music ministries at Trinity United Methodist Church in Wilmette, Illinois.

Julia earned a Bachelor of Music in education and a Bachelor of Education at the University of Western Ontario, Master of Music degrees in conducting and voice performance at Michigan University, and a Doctor of Music in choral conducting at Northwestern University.

Meet the Canadian Chamber Choir

The Canadian Chamber Choir is a national ensemble of professional level choral artists who travel from across the country to promote Canadian music and build community through singing. Under the leadership of Julia Davids, the choir convenes in a different region of Canada at least twice a year, offering concerts and mentoring choral practitioners of all ages and stages.

Wherever the Canadian Chamber Choir performs, they are met with praise for their expressive, committed interpretations, and their warm enthusiasm for sharing their gifts in the community. Concerts feature world premieres on every tour, workshops draw singers at any ability-level into vibrant musicmaking, and masterclasses offer conductors and composers hands-on experience with one of the finest choirs on the continent.

Mass choir rehearsals

All singers at Choir Camp will sing together as a large choir under the direction of our guest choral conductor, Elaine Choir.

We will rehearse between five to ten challenging and fun pieces of choral music.

Rehearsals will take place each afternoon and evening, culminating in a concert for the community on Friday evening.

Small choir options (tentative)

All singers will have their choice of daily small choir rehearsals. Here are a few ideas we are considering:

Soprano and alto choir
Tenor and bass choir with Linda Finlay and Jane Siegel
A capella and learn-by-ear choir with Louise Jarvis
Medieval and renaissance choir with Matthew Allard
Tenor and bass barbershop choir with Rob Tite
Musical theatre choir with Cydney-Madison Morris
Popular music choir
Youth choir (ages 14-18)

Each small choir will rehearse a few songs each day and perform them at our Friday evening concert.

Workshop options (tentative)

All singers will have their choice of daily music workshops. Here are a few ideas we are considering:

Learning to sing well:
- Beginner’s workshop
- Experienced singer’s workshop
- Individual voice lessons with Lauren Best
Learning to read music
- Absolute beginner’s workshop: the basics of music notation
- Experienced singer’s workshop: more advanced reading skills
Choral gestures with Dr. Elaine Choi: learning to understand how a conductor communicates with a choir
- Singer’s workshop
- Conductor and music leader’s workshop
Youth singers workshop with Dr. Elaine Choi will be time with our high school singers to learn more about singing and to discuss topics like music and music-adjacent careers, and “What does music mean to you?”
Voice care fundamentals with david sereda
“The Food of Love” songwriting workshop on local food with david sereda
Ensemble improvisation (vocal and instrumental improv games) with Lauren Best
African and Caribbean music with Louise Jarvis, Cydney-Madison Morris, and Jannet Chitalo-Taylor
Campfire ukulele for beginners with Louise Jarvis: bring or borrow a uke and learn easy songs

We’ve created a short survey to get feedback about which styles of music our potential participants are interested in singing. Please click below to start the survey!

Take the Musical Styles Survey Here

Which small choirs would you like to sing with at Choir Camp 2023?

Use the survey link above or the message box below to let us know!

Contact us!

Let us know if you want to be added to our mailing list.

New information will be emailed out monthly!

Get in Touch

Arlen Wiebe and Matthew Allard

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Owen Sound, Ontario

choir.camp.owen.sound@gmail.com