Calliope Women’s Choir returns to St. Andrew’s in Pakenham this June with Love Is in the Air, a spring concert at that blends joyful exuberance with heartfelt storytelling and beautiful harmonies, all hallmarks of this Ottawa Valley ensemble. Guest soprano Jessica Bélanger, a Renfrew native, with her expressive artistry and warm stage presence, will round out the musical afternoon.
Calliope was founded in the fall of 2024 and has quickly grown into a vibrant musical home for singers from Arnprior, Braeside, Pakenham, Renfrew, Almonte and beyond.
The program is a sensitively curated journey through Canadian contemporary choral writing, folk inspired gems and warm harmonies, with a small detour along the way to visit a couple of works by British composer Bob Chilcott.
April I Love You is Mark Sirett’s tender, lyrical celebration of spring’s arrival while Bob Chilcott’s Circles of Motion is full of rhythmic vitality and a musical reflection of life’s constant forward movement. There will be several a cappella selections, including James Gordon’s haunting Frobisher Bay, which evokes the stark beauty of the North with a sweeping melody that has made it a modern Canadian classic. Katarina Gimon’s contemporary celebration of collective empowerment Our Song is also on the program along with Stephen Smith’s arrangement of If My Love Leaves Me, a medley of Irish folksongs including the ever-popular Danny Boy.
Returning to play with Calliope is pianist Joanne Moorcroft, whose sensitive, nuanced playing adds depth and colour to the ensemble’s sound.
Come and find out for yourself why so many enjoy Calliope’s concerts!
What: Love Is in the Air – A Spring Concert with Calliope Women’s Choir
When: Sunday, June 7, 2026 at 3pm
Where: St. Andrew’s United Church, 2585 County Road 29, Pakenham
How much: Freewill donation gratefully accepted
