The CCOC’s recent Community Day was filled with music, memories, and meaningful connections as we opened our doors to welcome the neighbouring community.
In a special highlight, past and current choristers gathered for a special Alumni Sing-Along, celebrating voices from across the organization’s history. Participants were invited to request repertoire, resulting in a program that spanned decades of memorable performances and beloved concert favourites.
Requests ranged from Hamelin Was a Happy Town from The Pied Piper of Hamelin—recalling the choir’s performance at Expo—to This Most Magical of Nights from A Dickens of a Christmas. Longtime audience and chorister favourites God Bless the Master and Song for a Winter’s Night, both cherished winter concert closers, also brought many voices together to great nostalgic effect.
The complete repertoire included:
- Avec la garde montante from Carmen — Bizet
- Far over the misty mountains from The Hobbit — Burry
- Siyahamba — traditional Zulu
- Hamelin was a happy town from The Pied Piper — Rutter
- Operatic Chorus from Doctor Canon’s Cure — Holman
- This most magical of nights from A Dickens of a Christmas — Gay
- Bring me a little water, Sylvie — Lead Belly, arr. Smiley
- Finale from Alice in Wonderland — Gay
- God bless the master of this house — Vaughan Williams
- Song for a winter’s night — Lightfoot, arr. Bagan
More than simply a musical gathering, the Alumni Sing-Along was part of a broader effort to reconnect with the CCOC alumni community and strengthen the lifelong bonds formed through singing together. The enthusiasm and warmth throughout the day demonstrated just how deeply the CCOC experience continues to resonate long after choristers leave the rehearsal hall!
Feedback about our inaugural Community Day has been overwhelmingly positive, and we look forward to making this an annual tradition that welcomes both returning families as well as the wider community. As always, we invite any of our alumni looking to get involved by helping with either alumni itself or community events to please complete the CCOC Stay Connected form.