"…In the silence your heart is singing.
Dream deeply, listen well.
Know the single point of stillness
Where all things are born."

—"Winter Song" by Debra White

Back in 1978, on Christmas Eve, a group of musically-minded souls from the hills surrounding Occidental, California gathered around a campfire in the center of town to sing carols. We didn’t want to go home, so we started a choir. Perhaps not surprisingly, we named it the Occidental Community Choir (OCC).

The choir is now in its 34th year and has long-since solidified its reputation for excellence by producing unique concert experiences that combine humor, storytelling, poetry, varied instrumental accompaniment, and an off-the-beaten-path repertoire.

Our mission is both simple and clear:  To create, collaborate in performing, and in promoting great music, much of itcomposed by our members. We mentor and support one another in developing our skills as singers, lyricists and composers. Our music encompasses a wide range of personal experience and reflects the authentic connection we have with one another and the larger community.

The OCC has been fortunate to have had a succession of highly talented, passionate and dedicated leaders over the years. Long-time choir followers will remember with affection and respect the work of Philip Rolnick, Allaudin Mathieu, Doug Bowes, and Daniel Canosa.

In 2009, we welcomed Occidental native Sarah Saulsbury to the helm. Sarah first joined the choir in 1980, at the age of 14, and developed her musicianship under the tutelage of the choir’s previous directors. Her enthusiastic and joyous direction has enabled the choir to grow in size and technical proficiency while maintaining its distinctive charm and the intimate emotional connection with audiences that is our hallmark.

Sarah took the helm of the chorus at an exciting time in the history of the West County arts scene. The choir worked in partnership with the Occidental Center for the Arts to realize the dream of finally creating a permanent home for the OCC—and a venue for all the arts—in the town of Occidental.

The dream came to fruition at Harmony Village, the former site of Harmony School, a development of live/work units created by developer Orrin Thiessen, who generously donated a portion of this property to the OCA.. To learn more about this thriving arts hub to life in West County, please visit www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org/

Mission Statement

The Occidental Community Choir creates, performs, and promotes choral music composed primarily by its members. Our music reflects a wide range of personal experience and represents an authentic connection we have with one another and the community at large. We mentor and support one another in developing our skills as singers, lyricists and composers. We strive to share a meaningful musical experience with our audience community.