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live concert - the road home
May 14
4pm - 30 Cleary Ave $15 Suggested Donation FirstU's singers are so excited to be home again and presenting "The road Home", our first concert in over two years! Join us on Saturday, May 14 at 4pm for an hour-long live, in person performance featuring our contemporary Fusion ensemble, our Three Rivers Singers women's ensemble, and our Chalice Choir, presenting music about community, resilience, and finding home. Please Note: You must be fully vaccinated to enter our building and masks are required for attendees. You can download the passive covid19 screening tool by clicking here. Proceeds support FirstU but you can also come early and make a visit to the Unitarian GoGos annual Garden Plant Sale where bedding plants and perennials will be available on a pay-what-you-can basis in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. |
our choirsAll choir are still active and thriving in our new Zoom rehearsal environment! All are welcome.
The choirs are always looking for new voices and there is a place for everyone to sing at First Unitarian! If you are interested in being a part of our musical community, please contact Jenn Berntson, Music Director at music@firstunitarianottawa.ca 
Chalice Choir meets Thursday evenings from 7:00-9:00 and is our largest group. Our repertoire covers it all, from pop arrangements to hymns; folk tunes to choral standards. We value community building, dedication to musical development, laughter and learning. We sing in services approximately twice a month. This is a non-auditioned choir and everyone is welcome. Previous musical experience is helpful but not necessary.
Three Rivers Singers meet on Wednesdays from 1:00-3:00pm. We are a small women’s ensemble that sings in a variety of styles, aiming to highlight female composers and themes of welcome, community and empowerment. Three Rivers sings in services on a monthly basis. Fusion rehearses on Monday afternoons from 1:00-3:00pm. We like to sing music that has lush harmonies and funky rhythms and we work on blend and ensemble development. Fusion sings in services on a monthly basis and is designed for experienced singers. Ability to sight-read and/or learn music quickly is an asset. |
our music director
After a competitive search with talented applicants, input from our Music Search Team , Choir members, Revs. Pat and Eric, we are excited to announce that Jennifer ("Jenn") Berntson will be FirstU's new Music Director starting August 16.
Jenn just recently became the Ottawa Children Choir's Chamber (for 11-15 year olds) conductor for the 2021-2022 season. She has also been the conductor for OCC's Prima choir (for 6-7 year olds) for the last four seasons. In addition, Jenn is the founding artistic director of Aella, an advanced treble ensemble based in Ottawa, known for its innovative and engaging programs and sings with the Capital Chamber Choir. Here is an example of Jenn's work (do note the full length is 16 minutes) Jenn holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice from Mount Allison University and a Master of Arts in Music and Culture from Carleton University, where her research focused on collective music-making as a form of protest. We are excited for Jenn to bring her experience, talent, creativity, and passion for choral music to FirstU. Please give a warm welcome to Jennifer Berntson when she joins our FirstU community in August! music is meaningfulWe asked "What makes singing at First Unitarian meaningful to you?" Here are just some of the answers:
Fusion Choir in rehearsal with Jenn
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