Meet Orillia’s Jubilee Chorale

Contributor Hanna Dykstra shares news of Jubilee Chorale’s upcoming ‘Sweetheart Soirée’ concert in Orillia

If you happen to be looking for fun things to do in Orillia, maybe a musical performance is something you might be interested in exploring?

Orillia Ontario’s first community based choir, the Jubilee Chorale, hosts a number of popular performances throughout the year.Regularly scheduled performers include pianist Brent Mayhew, rhythm and blues pianist Blair Bailey, soloists Brenda Reynolds and Kent Dempsey, and instrumentalist Jim Harris, to name just a few.

Past events, such as 2020’s pre-Covid ‘Sweetheart Soiree’, have been held at venues including St Paul’s Centre on Peter Street North with great success, and have been held as fundraisers for such community groups as Helping Hands Orillia.

Jubilee Chorale – A Brief History

The choir’s rich history and the unique ambience their performances generate have resulted in their gaining a reputation for the quality of their shows. Formed in 1958 as a young people’s choir within the Christian Reformed Church in Orillia, the group now practices regularly at the Sundial Retirement Residence and has grown exponentially, with a broad base of singers from across Orillia and the surrounding area.

The Jubilee Chorale not only creates a strong sense of community for its members through their programs and performances, but also use their talents to have an impact on the community in which members live. Along with Helping Hands Orillia, the group has donated to the  Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the St David’s Anglican Church Breakfast Club program, to just mention a few.

Under the leadership of Director Brent Mayhew – who also serves as Jubilee Chorale’s accompanist – this group creates music within the community based on pure joy. Which is why prospective members aren’t asked to audition, but rather need to simply display the right attitude. (If interested in joining, the choir encourages prospective members to join them for rehearsals at Sundial Retirement Residence every Wednesday from September to May, 7-9pm.)

Be sure to also check the group’s website for details of future concerts. To learn more about Jubilee Chorale visit their website at www.jubileechorale.org.

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Hanna Dykstra is a social media expert. You can learn more about her work at www.cabinmuskoka.com.