10 Years of Causing Treble
As we near our 10th season, the Orange County Women's Chorus is stronger than ever! What started with eight enterprising women in a living room has blossomed into one of the top amateur choruses in the region-a 32-voice ensemble performing diverse, challenging, and (above all) enjoyable music from all eras and cultures.
Founded in 1997 under the baton of Dr. Raymond Egan, and directed by Eliza Rubenstein since 2000, the OCWC has performed in some of our best local venues and with some of our finest local artists. Recent performances have taken us to the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Disney Hall's REDCAT Theater, the Irvine Barclay Theatre, and the 2004 western-division convention of the American Choral Directors' Association (one of only 19 choirs invited!). We've collaborated with ensembles such as Men Alive, the Saint Joseph Ballet, the South Coast Symphony, the Agape Voices of Praise, and Men in Blaque.
Our wide-ranging repertoire has included medieval chants, multicultural folk songs, classical masterworks, protest songs, gospel tunes, and more. We're especially proud of our commitment to new music and up-and-coming musicians; our 2006-07 season includes two world premieres and two west-coast premieres, and our conducting internship program, designed to encourage young women entering the field of choral conducting, has been a model for other choruses around the nation.
Praise
Here's what members of our audience had to say after a recent performance:
- "Wonderful selection, lovely theme, beautifully performed. Brava!"
- "A delightful concert."
- "Brilliant program. I love you guys!"
- "The music tonight was an oasis of refreshment in the desert of life's stress."
- "You are wonderful! What a gift you give us!"
We hope you'll come and find out what they're talking about!
Artistic Director
Eliza Rubenstein, the OCWC's Artistic Director, is also the Artistic Director of the Long Beach Chorale, the music director at Mesa Verde United Methodist Church, and an instructor at the Colburn School of Music. She attended Oberlin College and UC-Irvine, and she's a former animal-shelter supervisor and the co-author of a book about dog adoption; she even presented a seminar called "Sit, Stay, Sing: What Choral Conductors Can Learn from Dog Trainers" at the 2006 ACDA western-division convention! Eliza shares her home with Frances the beagle mix and can always find time for Brahms, vegan Thai food, or anything to do with the St. Louis Cardinals.