Occidental Community Choir

"...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

On Christmas eve in 1978 people drove from their homes in the hills surrounding Occidental, California and gathered in the center of town around a campfire to sing carols. We didn't want to go home, so we started a choir.

Since 1978, we’ve grown into a choir of singers and composers, writing and performing our own music. Our writing styles range from fugues and folk to madrigals and classical, from reverent to irreverent and everything in-between. Described affectionately by the media as “heartfelt, irreverent and quirky”, we generally perform two concert series a year of our original music. Subject matter can range from raccoons, Ford automobiles and therapy, to the cosmos and love.

The Occidental Community Choir has been fortunate to have had talented leadership throughout the years. In the beginning, Philip Rolnick was the director. Alaudin Mathieu took the helm for 10 years and led us on several adventures to San Francisco to join in exciting performances at Grace Cathedral and Davies Symphony Hall with Paul Winter and his Consort. Mr. Mathieu encouraged the composing process among interested choir members. His flamboyant conducting style and superior piano skill and composing inspired a higher level of musicianship. Doug Bowes became our next director, leading us for 16 wonderful years. He refined our ears and voices into a well-oiled, tuned, and blended group. His composing talent was showcased in each and every performance. In 2004, the choir welcomed our current director, Daniel Canosa. Once again we have in our midst, a talented conductor and composer. Mr. Canosa brings vocal training and passion to each rehearsal. His enthusiasm for the music we sing and the people in the group lift us up into a larger sound and a feeling kind of experience.

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.

 

SINGING UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN AND MOON

(click here to view photo album)

In June 2005, The Occidental Community Choir flew to Tuscany to join 18 other choirs from around the world in a choir festival. The Tuscan International Choir Festival takes place every year in Montecatini Terme in the heart of Tuscany. It is a non-competitive festival with an emphasis on friendship. This is the first trip the OCC has made since it was formed in 1978. Thirty two singers, director Daniel Canosa, and family and friends made a full contingent of 45.

The OCC did extremely well at the festival. We sang at the selected venues as well as spontaneous locales such as streets, restaurants, porticos, and even in cathedrals, including the Duomo in Florence! In between singing at every opportunity, the choir rehearsed to keep sharp…even rehearsing one hot afternoon in the hotel pool. We were a happy group eating gelato every day and putting our taste buds to a rigorous daily workout. This was a truly bonding adventure for us. We want to thank all of you who supported our effort to make this happen.

JOURNEY TO HUNGARY-A MAGICAL TRIP

(click here to view photo album)

In June 2007, 16 current and former members of the Occidental Community Choir joined with 23 other singers and director Daniel Canosa on a magical journey to Hungary. The singers, known as the California Redwood Chorale, were drawn from 7 Bay Area choirs to form the chorale. Our destination in Hungary was Lake Balaton, Europe's largest natural lake. While staying at a lakeside hotel, the singers were able to soak up the spectacular natural beauty while preparing for 5 concerts. Each concert was special....from the celebration of the summer solstice in an outdoor square followed by unbridled joy and dancing, to a mini choir festival with 2 Hungarian choirs. Various Hungarian choirs shared the stage with the chorale at most of our venues. We always sang a Hungarian folk song together with the choirs at the end of our concerts. Following the concerts, we were in awe of the food prepared for us, the dancing, the gifts, and the friendship. Serious and tender connections were made in Hungary that will endure for years.

Members of the Occidental Community Choir on the trip.
DIRECTOR - Daniel Canosa
SOPRANOS - Gerry Schultz, Diane Masura, Kathy Horan, Alexis Garcia, Ruth Gustafson
ALTOS - Ruthann Tye, Pat Hagopian
TENORS - Michael Fontaine, Tor Krieger
BASS - Bill Middleton

Former members of the Occidental Community Choir on the trip.
SOPRANO - Andrea Van Dyke
ALTOS - Bonnie Brooks, Khatiba Grais
BASSES - Steve Fowler, Elliot Simon

ROBIN ESCHNER WINS JULIAN WHITE MEMORIAL CHORAL COMPETITION

The Julian White Memorial Choral Competition is sponsored by the Berkeley Community Chorus directed by Arlene Sagan. Its purpose is to find a new choral work for their group to perform. This year they requested that all submissions be written for SATB, no divisi, and orchestra. This particular orchestration was to match that of the Mozart Requiem because the winning competition will be performed as part of a concert that includes the Mozart Requiem. The 150-voice Berkeley Community Chorus will sing Robin's new piece,"Hear the Bell," next May, 2008.

Congratulations OCC alto and composer Robin Eschner!

HALLOWEEN FUN!