The Sooke Community Choir has been lifting spirits with harmony and fostering new friendships since 1989.
"It's created a real sense of community," said Laura Dowhy, the Sooke Community Choir's musical director. "Many of our members have forged friendships that date back to when they first joined."
The choir, which has 40 members, performs a mix of traditional, popular, mostly secular selections.
"Vancouver Island is a hub for choirs of all sorts," she noted. "So the kind of music you perform is important because that's how a lot of singers decide on who they want to join. We're a non-audition choir that rehearses only in Sooke and welcomes everyone."
Dowhy has been involved with the group since the early 1990s, first as an accompanist, and then as a singer, before taking on the director's role two years ago.
She trained to be a music teacher at the University of British Columbia, has a degree from ther Royal Toronto Conservatory of Music, and has taught piano for 25 years.
The choir has concerts in December and May, performs at the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Sooke Legion, and hosts an annual Spring Sing Out with students from Sooke's elementary school choirs.
"We love to work with the kids," Dowhy said. "The kids, the teachers and the choir members get very excited about this event every year."
She had plenty of praise for Nancy Washeim and Allie Picketts for the improvements in the choir during the past few years.
"Nancy's a professional soprano who's been very helpful in improving our sound," Dowhy said. "Allie Picketts, our accompanist, has been an amazing resource as well. She takes the time to record music tracks for us to practice with. Allie and Nancy are a wonderful leadership team that's helped us grow."
Visit https://sookecommunitychoir.com/ for more information.
