
Winter 2023 begins Wednesday Feb. 1st
The theme this fall will be
Peace in Harmony
The theme this fall will be
Peace in Harmony
We will continue to offer hybrid practices,
which include zoom for those unable to join us in person.
Note that there is also zoom meditative singing on Sunday nights online.*
*See the Registration page.
which include zoom for those unable to join us in person.
Note that there is also zoom meditative singing on Sunday nights online.*
*See the Registration page.
Previous Concerts and Performances:
Note that practices and concerts have been in different locations in past years.
Our last concert was in December 2019.
Note that practices and concerts have been in different locations in past years.
Our last concert was in December 2019.
May 13th, 2019
April 8th, 2019 Our first cabaret!
December 17th, 2018
May 2018 Songs from Hair
May 2017 Canada: 150
Events in December 2016:
Friday December 2nd: Christmas Carolling downtown for Festive First Friday. 7 -9 pm
Sunday December 11th: Christmas Fund Broadcast at the Roxy. Meeting time and place TBA. We are onstage at 1:20.
Monday December 19th: Our last practice and party. Public invited at 8:00. Proceeds to Standing Rock and O'Share.
Wednesday December 21st: Christmas Carols with Keira and the Cello Choir at the Heartwood. 7 pm. All participants invited to make a donation towards hall rental, Standing Rock and O'Share.
Friday December 2nd: Christmas Carolling downtown for Festive First Friday. 7 -9 pm
Sunday December 11th: Christmas Fund Broadcast at the Roxy. Meeting time and place TBA. We are onstage at 1:20.
Monday December 19th: Our last practice and party. Public invited at 8:00. Proceeds to Standing Rock and O'Share.
Wednesday December 21st: Christmas Carols with Keira and the Cello Choir at the Heartwood. 7 pm. All participants invited to make a donation towards hall rental, Standing Rock and O'Share.
Following the release of the Truth and Reconciliation report, we celebrated Indigenous peoples in our April 2016 concert. The M'wikwedong family drummers joined us.
Nokomis: Grandmother Drum for M’Wikwedong
After hearing the stories brought to light by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and attending Wasa-Nabin at the Harmony Centre last year, I felt it was a good time for our community choir, OSSIA, to acknowledge and honour First Nations people through song and drum, in a concert in Owen Sound. The proceeds from the concert will go to build a Grandmother Drum for the M’Wikwedong Native Cultural Centre. Within many First Nations, the drum represents the heartbeat of the people and mother earth. It provides a place to for people to come together in community, to sing, to share the teachings, and to pass them on to each generation. Mishomis/Grandfather Drum, and Nokomis/Grandmother Drum, bring balance and oneness to men, women and families on the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual levels. The idea to build this new drum came from the heart of elder, Shirley John, who is a source of wisdom for the community. The community will come together in a community social, to build the drum. Drum circles, led by Mara Bouman and Tanya Coulter, are held every Wednesday at 4:00 at M’Wikwedong, and are open to the whole community. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples are welcome. All ages participate in drum circle, from babies to grandmothers. Eight year old Lindsay told me that the drum is calming and it relaxes her. In a drum circle I attended, an eight year old boy drummed steadily with exceptional control and focus, while a tiny baby slept blissfully as her mother and grandmother drummed. OSSIA’s concert, called Earth Tones, will be held at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on Saturday April 16th, 7:30 pm, and Sunday April 17th, at 3 pm. Admission will be by donation. For more information about OSSIA, and the programs offered by M’Wikwedong, the websites are: www.ossiachoir.com and www.mwikwedong.com/ by Louise Jarvis Director of OSSIA (renamed Oh Sing!) |
2015 concert: Spring Forward : Celebrating Five Years of Singing On May 8th, 2015, our concert celebrated our 5th year as a choir, and also supported both the Men’s Program and the Women’s Shelter of Grey Bruce, with guest musicians Joachim Ostertag on flute and Keira McArthur on cello. In the past, we have sung for The Grey Grannies for Africa, in Thornbury, at the One World Festival in Owen Sound, busked at the local market to raise money for Safe 'N Sound and entertained in various seniors' homes. We also send some of our proceeds to an organization called ArtsCanCircle, which accepts donations of musical instruments and sends musicians to teach Indigenous youth at risk in Northern Ontario. Check back for details about our 2016 concert. : |
In December 2014, a group of OSSIA singers sang Christmas Carols at Moreston by Candlelight, and old-fashioned Christmas celebration held at Grey Roots Museum in Owen Sound.