For mother and daughter Emily (née Cunningham) and Claire Hamilton, music has always been more than just another extracurricular. As alumni of the Canadian Children’s Opera Company (CCOC), their stories span decades yet echo many of the same themes of discovery, discipline, friendship… and the joy of singing together.
From bumblebee costumes to the Met
Emily’s journey with the CCOC began in the mid-1980s and was rooted in a childhood filled with music. “We were a family that enjoyed singing,” she recalls, describing evenings around the piano, church choirs, school music programs, and listening to opera broadcasts on the radio. She joined the CCOC in 1984, part of what she fondly remembers as the era of the “bumblebee” uniforms: long blue velvet skirts paired with bright yellow turtlenecks.
During her three years with the company, Emily performed in memorable productions such as Amahl and the Night Visitors and HMS Pinafore, the latter igniting a love of Gilbert and Sullivan that she would carry into adulthood. Two standout memories remain especially vivid: a trip to Vancouver for Expo ’86, where the choir performed at both the Canadian and Ontario Pavilions (the red and white ties they wore for those performances were later repurposed for sailors’ costumes in the recent CCOC production of Dido and Aeneas), and a graduation trip to New York City that included seeing Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera.
The CCOC’s Expo’86 Vancouver trip.
The CCOC’s Expo’86 Vancouver trip.
“The calibre of music education…is second to none”
While her time as a chorister was formative, Emily’s connection to the CCOC did not end there. She remained closely involved as an adult, first as a volunteer when Claire joined the company, and later through her service on the Board.
Alongside friends she made as a child in the CCOC, she also formed meaningful adult friendships while volunteering as a parent. One such connection has endured for years: this past New Year’s, she travelled to the wedding of a former General Manager of the CCOC with a fellow parent volunteer, with whom she had shared a room as a chaperone during the 2011 tour.
For Emily, the CCOC reinforced the understanding that singing in a choir is inherently communal. “You are part of something bigger”, she says. “It requires discipline and commitment—but when everyone shows up and does their best, the outcomes are glorious.”
Today, Emily continues to support the organization as a donor. Being able to contribute financially, she says, is deeply meaningful; an opportunity to give back and help sustain the same enriching experiences that shaped her own life and her daughter’s. “The CCOC offers an experience that cannot be found elsewhere,” she says. “The calibre of music education and opportunity is second to none.”
Emily Hamilton (right) and Anne O’Niell, long-time friends.
“A rite of passage”
Claire’s introduction to the CCOC came naturally—something she describes as “a rite of passage”. Joining at just six or seven years old, she followed in her mother’s footsteps and remained with the company for a full decade, from 2005 to 2015. Over those ten years, she progressed from Apprentice Chorus to Youth Chorus, immersing herself in a wide range of performances and experiences. “To have stayed with the CCOC for 10 years, it’s safe to say that I not only loved performing and the productions, but the people I got to share these experiences with!”
A Dickens of a Christmas stands out as a defining experience, one she grew with over time, eventually stepping into a principal role. She also fondly recalls Alice in Wonderland and Laura’s Cow, created during the celebrated collaboration between Errol Gay and Michael Patrick Albano.
Among Claire’s most remarkable experiences were performing in four Canadian Opera Company productions—A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Carmen, Tosca, and La Bohème. “Not many people get to say they performed for thousands, night after night,” she says—an experience that gave her confidence as a performer and remains her go-to personal “fun fact”.
Claire’s time with the CCOC also extended beyond the stage. A European tour in 2011 took her to Vienna for the Summa Cum Laude Festival, blending competition with unforgettable travel experiences with friends. Another highlight was contributing to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics anthem as part of a children’s chorus, an opportunity she describes as surreal.
The CCOC’s Laura’s Cow production.
The COC’s La Boheme production.
The CCOC’s Alice in Wonderland production in 2015.
Through laughter and tears
Although choristers thirty years apart, Emily and Claire share a deep appreciation for what the CCOC represents. For Emily, the organization combined exceptional musical training with a strong sense of community. And for Claire? “It sparked my interest in the arts,” she says, emphasizing how it fostered both personal and artistic growth. Though she has since transitioned into a career in communications and no longer performs regularly, her connection to music remains strong through the performances she continues to attend.
Claire also treasures memories of having her mother involved behind the scenes—ready to congratulate the group for staying on time with the orchestra in La Bohème, helping to secure bonnets before the finale of A Dickens of a Christmas, or offering encouragement before a daunting solo performance. “The CCOC deepened our bond,” she says, “and I am thankful we have those ten years together to reminisce on, through laughter and tears.”
Today, Emily continues to sing in a community choir and volunteers with a free children’s choir, while Claire channels her creativity into her professional life and love of the performing arts as an audience member. Both carry forward the lessons they learned at the CCOC: about commitment, collaboration, and the power of music to connect us.
Recent image of Emily and Claire.