Stabat Mater

Pergolesi’s beloved 1736 Stabat Mater is the musical map of a mother’s grief, and it’s the centerpiece of a program that will take you from Golgotha to Yad Vashem to the deep South. Come feel the passion of loss and love through the power of music. The women of the OCWC are joined by an outstanding instrumental ensemble for this remarkable and indelible performance.

March 16, 2019 at 7:00PM
March 17, 2019 at 3:00PM

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The Orange County Women’s Chorus

The Orange County Women’s Chorus is an ensemble of more than 45 singing women who believe in raising our voices in song and solidarity! Our repertoire spans many eras and cultures, and ranges from the serious to the silly, but our commitment to performing quality music at the highest level never changes. We’ve been “causing treble” in Orange County since 1997, and as we enter our third decade, we are more excited than ever to bring our music to the community. The chorus was named an “Outstanding Arts Organization” by Arts Orange County in 2014, and was a prizewinner at the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales in 2015. Many of our singers made their Carnegie Hall debut in June 2017 singing Kirke Mechem’s Songs of the Slave under the baton of Artistic Director, Eliza Rubenstein.

Upcoming Performances

Stabat Mater

Pergolesi’s beloved 1736 Stabat Mater is the musical map of a mother’s grief, and it’s the centerpiece of a program that will take you from Golgotha to Yad Vashem to the deep South. Come feel the passion of loss and love through the power of music. The women of the OCWC are joined by an outstanding instrumental ensemble for this remarkable and indelible performance.

Mar
16
March 16, 2019 at 7:00 pm Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 798 Dover Drive, Newport Beach
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Mar
17
March 17, 2019 at 3:00 pm St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church, 18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach
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Adopt a Singer

Adopt a Singer: 1st Soprano, Barbara van Gaasbeek

Barbara van Gaasbeek, aka Lady Spitfire, announced her retirement from the first soprano section of the OCWC at our December concerts. A ball of energy and a driving force behind the formation of the OCWC in 1997, Barbara is a donor and volunteer as well as a beloved alumna of the chorus.

Born near Sherwood Forest, Nottingham, England, Barbara grew up in the beautiful agricultural countryside of Somerset. A self-proclaimed “jock” at school and college, she was captain of London University women’s judo team, as well as captain of the University College women’s field hockey team. She also ran track for London University, and loved water-skiing. Barbara graduated from University College, London University, the first college in the UK to admit women, with an honors degree in modern languages. In addition to Italian and French, she jokingly adds that she also speaks “some American!”

After graduating, she joined the National Health Service, in administration, and “almost died of boredom!” She then switched careers and, after training in London, became a commercial interior designer, enjoying a twenty plus-year career as a designer. Barbara served as the National Administrator of Green Building Programs at American Honda Motor Company, Inc., actively researching and promoting environmentally friendly building practices across Honda.

Since Barbara’s parents were both Welsh, she says it is natural that she loves singing. It was long Barbara’s dream that the OCWC would participate in the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales–and in 2015, we did just that! We owe her a great debt of gratitude for more than 20 years of commitment to our development, and we look forward to seeing her in the audience for years to come.

Adopt Barbara

Contact Us

If you are contacting us about auditioning for the OCWC, please tell us what voice part you sing and include a brief description of your prior vocal/choral experience.

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