Calliope Women’s Choir returns to St. Andrew’s United Church in Pakenham on June 7 at 3pm with “Love Is in the Air”, a spring concert at that blends joyful exuberance with heartfelt storytelling and beautiful harmonies, all hallmarks of this Ottawa Valley ensemble. Guest soprano Jessica Bélanger, with her expressive artistry and warm stage presence, will round out the musical afternoon.
The program is a sensitively curated journey through Canadian contemporary choral writing, folkinspired gems and warm harmonies, with a small detour along the way to visit a couple of works by British composer Bob Chilcott.
April I Love You is Mark Sirett’s tender, lyrical celebration of spring’s arrival while Bob Chilcott’s Circles of Motion is full of rhythmic vitality and a musical reflection of life’s constant forward movement. There will be several a cappella selections, including Jeff Enns’ serene plea for peace Da Pacem and James Gordon’s haunting Frobisher Bay, which evokes the stark beauty of the North with a sweeping melody that has made it a modern Canadian classic.
Katarina Gimon’s contemporary celebration of collective empowerment Our Song is also on the program along with Stephen Smith’s arrangement of If My Love Leaves Me, a medley of Irish folksongs including the ever-popular Danny Boy.
Founded in the fall of 2024, Calliope has quickly grown into a vibrant musical home for singers from Arnprior, Braeside, Pakenham, Renfrew, Almonte and beyond. For Fulya, who moved to Arnprior from Turkey, the choir has been a bridge into this new life: “Being part of Calliope helps me feel connected to the community,” she notes, “and I truly enjoy singing with this choir”.
Lorie Easton, founder and director of Calliope Women’s Choir, is a lifelong music educator, conductor and performer with deep roots in Ontario’s musical community. After retiring to Arnprior in 2020, she found it a bit challenging. “It was still pandemic days, so it was difficult to meet people or get involved musically,” she recalls. But after getting together with Lisa Webber, a fellow singer and musical director, things changed and she soon became active in the region’s arts scene. “It was Lisa who encouraged me to consider forming a women’s choir… and with her help, that’s how it got started”. Lorie has also been the musical director for Two Rivers Musical Productions and sings with the Arnprior Community Choir and CAMMAC Ottawa Valley.
Calliope’s singers often say that the music is only part of what makes the choir special — there is also the sense of connection and community. For others, Calliope has rekindled a longheld passion. Valerie, a retired nurse and former Sweet Adeline (Barbershop) chorus singer says: “I was intrigued when Lorie emailed me about starting up a small women’s choir, indicating that there would be a number of a cappella pieces — I was delighted to hear this, and love the sound we produce.”
Joining Calliope for this concert is Renfrew native Jessica Bélanger. She studied voice performance at McGill University and is an active soloist in the region, performing with ensembles including the Pembroke Symphony Orchestra, Deep River Symphony, and CAMMAC Ottawa Valley. She is also a familiar face in musical theatre, appearing with Streetlight Theatre, the Mississippi Mudds, and Really Cool Initiatives. Beyond the stage, Jessica is an elementary music teacher and has directed the Renfrew Children’s and Youth Choir since 2009.
Returning to accompany Calliope is pianist Joanne Moorcroft, whose sensitive, nuanced playing adds depth and colour to the ensemble’s sound.
Come and find out for yourself why so many enjoy Calliope’s concerts! Freewill donations will be gratefully accepted.