Ottawa Regional Youth Choir

Founded in 1982 by Barbara Clark (CM), ORYC's mission is to promote choral excellence in a mixed-voice, culturally and socio-economically diverse choral ensemble, for youth aged 15 to 25 in the National Capital Region. We provide opportunities to achieve choral excellence by offering exceptional training and performance experiences which enable choristers to grow as musicians, enhancing their confidence and fostering an appreciation for excellence, and a lifelong love of choral music and the arts.

We consistently create rich and diverse seasons of programming, presented at an advanced level by our young singers often in collaboration with local professional musicians. Our repertoire includes a program focused on the canon of western classical symphonic-choral repertoire from the 16th to 21st centuries, choral music from other cultures and traditions, and contemporary works. A special emphasis is also placed on Canadian composers, with a particular focus on works composed by ORYC choristers and student composers, providing an avenue for their music to be realized in concert.

ORYC’s vision is to play a significant role in the musical life of the city, and to be recognized nationally as a notable space for youth whose passion for choral music leads them to seek opportunities to expand their experience and expertise. We also strive to bring excellence in choral music to a broad audience of all ages and demographics through performances, both alone and in partnership with other arts organizations, and by engaging choristers in a variety of ways to encourage them to share their gifts within the organization and with the community.