History
The parent body of Encore! Women’s Choir, the Opus 1 Singers Society, began as a four-part SATB choir. It was formed by its music director, Peter Yelland, in 1997, when it became evident there was a niche for a choir interested in performing the smaller celebrated works of choral repertoire composed by the great masters.
During their years together, the Opus 1 Singers delighted the Cowichan Valley with performances of numerous masses, cantatas, motets and requiems by Handel, Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Rutter, to name but a few. Accompanying these works were often small ensembles, piano, organ and for a special performance of Vivaldi’s “Gloria” the Victoria Chamber Orchestra was hired.
In their tenth year (2007), the Opus 1 Singers noticed a change of focus among the senior retired male members of the choir from singing to traveling. The resulting absences still left an abundance of highly developed female singers. Not to be discouraged by this turn of events, the board of directors, together with conductor Christine Dandy, decided that the Opus 1 Singers would move forward as a women’s choir.
It is the intention of Encore! Women’s Choir to remain committed to the objectives of its parent organization. Since its inception, Encore! has presented concerts during the Christmas season and in the spring; participated in the Cowichan Music Festival and in a fund raising benefit concert for the Duncan United Church; and presented several free outreach concerts supporting various charitable organizations from the Salvation Army Kettle drive to the Food Basket Association. The choir competes at the local level in at least one of three local musical festivals in Duncan, Nanaimo or Victoria where, with success, the winners can advance to the national level.
Christine Dandy served as music director from 2007 until 2022.
In the spring of 2022, Michelle Weckesser took on the role of interim director, and became the new music director in the summer of 2022.
Also in the spring of 2022, longtime member Deborah Sumner was named Encore's composer-in-residence.
During their years together, the Opus 1 Singers delighted the Cowichan Valley with performances of numerous masses, cantatas, motets and requiems by Handel, Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Rutter, to name but a few. Accompanying these works were often small ensembles, piano, organ and for a special performance of Vivaldi’s “Gloria” the Victoria Chamber Orchestra was hired.
In their tenth year (2007), the Opus 1 Singers noticed a change of focus among the senior retired male members of the choir from singing to traveling. The resulting absences still left an abundance of highly developed female singers. Not to be discouraged by this turn of events, the board of directors, together with conductor Christine Dandy, decided that the Opus 1 Singers would move forward as a women’s choir.
It is the intention of Encore! Women’s Choir to remain committed to the objectives of its parent organization. Since its inception, Encore! has presented concerts during the Christmas season and in the spring; participated in the Cowichan Music Festival and in a fund raising benefit concert for the Duncan United Church; and presented several free outreach concerts supporting various charitable organizations from the Salvation Army Kettle drive to the Food Basket Association. The choir competes at the local level in at least one of three local musical festivals in Duncan, Nanaimo or Victoria where, with success, the winners can advance to the national level.
Christine Dandy served as music director from 2007 until 2022.
In the spring of 2022, Michelle Weckesser took on the role of interim director, and became the new music director in the summer of 2022.
Also in the spring of 2022, longtime member Deborah Sumner was named Encore's composer-in-residence.
