This unique choir features accompaniment (and rockin’ solos) by piano, bass, guitar, and drums. Performing music by bands like Journey, Whitesnake, The Beatles, Van Halen, Guns n’ Roses, The Rolling Stones, and other fun rockers. This is a choir where you can really belt it out! Arrangements are for soprano, alto, tenor, bass, along with the band… and on some songs there’s the opportunity to sing a solo part, backed up by the whole choir and band!
This is a non-auditioned choir, and we believe that everyone has what it takes to rock with us! Not a musician or a notation reader? No problem, we’ve got you covered. Choir members can use the free app Compose by SmartMusic to practice at home (see the video below to see how it works). It’s fun, and easy! MP3 audio demos are also available.
If you need to miss some sessions, no problem! You’re not required to be at every single rehearsal in order to take part. This is a FUN choir, and we don’t want it to feel like a lot of pressure to enjoy.
Weekly rehearsals start on Tuesday April 22 from 6:30 to 8:30pm at Dormition of the Mother of God – 1091 Coronation Ave. Please don’t show up without registering first! To work with availability at the rehearsal venue, we’ll switch to Monday rehearsals beginning the second week of September. The season wraps up with a big awesome concert on October 7th at Kelowna Community Theatre, with proceeds going to Central Okanagan Food Bank!
The music (charts, demos, practice tools) are all ready to go for the season, and you’ll receive all that as soon as you register!
Schedule
April 22: First rehearsal (weekly rehearsals are 6:30 to 8:30pm)
May 20: No rehearsal (rehearsal space not available)
July 1: No rehearsal (Canada Day)
September 8th: Switch from Tuesday to Monday rehearsals
October 6: Last rehearsal
October 7: Concert at Kelowna Community Theatre
Want to join us? Click to Register now!
About choir director Leila Neverland
Voted Favourite Female Artist at the GO People’s Choice Awards in 2023, Leila Neverland (b. Leila Naderi) is the choir director of the Kelowna Rock Choir.
The powerhouse composer, pianist, and vocalist is best known as a live performer and educator. She continues to offer her original music in a variety of arrangements and stages from intimate solo sets to rockin’ eight-piece big bands, community theatre shows, festivals, and arts education programs for children.
When it comes to her choir experience, Leila spent her youth singing with multi-award winning choir director Mitch Bondy in the Northlea Public School junior choir in Toronto, the Toronto Children’s Chorus, the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus, and attended the musical theatre program at the Etobicoke School of the Arts. As an adult she led the local Corner Store Choir, an a capella group in Kelowna.
Locally, she is the co-founder of the non-profit Moonlight Jazz Society and the project creator of Pianos in the Park in partnership with Festivals Kelowna.
She also facilitates The Rooted Temple, a private Inner Voice coaching service with in-person workshops, an online community, and a roster of private music students. She is currently working on her newest original album that she arranged for strings, horns, vocal harmonies, piano, and drums.
Visit www.leilaneverland.com and subscribe to her monthly Neverland Chronicles. Click on The Rooted Temple tab to become a private music student or learn more about her Inner Voice offerings.
Leila looks forward to leading the Kelowna Rock Choir for what will be it’s first fantastic season!
about Choir Creator Nick La Riviere
Choir creator, organizer, and arranger (chart writer) Nick La Riviere is a professional freelance musician. He tours across Canada, the USA, Mexico, and Europe with various bands including the Juno winning band, The Paperboys. His main instrument is trombone, but he also loves to sing, play bass, piano, and conch shells (yes, for real). He loves playing all styles of music and has performed with iconic rock band 54-40, as well as composed horn charts for their show. In addition to performing, Nick directs the Victoria Rock Choir, The Nanaimo Rock Choir, The Soul Source R&B Band, and The Jive Big Band. Nick also has created the Vancouver Rock Choir.
VIDEOS
Not sure if you’re a Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bass? This should help… and also inspire you with our super fun arrangement of Don’t Stop Believin’! (this is probably about the most complicated arrangement we’ll try by the way!)
Want to skip to the song? Click here!
Check out our system to make it super easy for you to practice your part at home whether you’re a music reader or not!
Q&A
Will there be opportunities for solo singing, or is it all choral?
YES! Some of the arrangements will include solos where one person can take the lead, backed by the choir.
For those who can’t read notation, how will rehearsals works?
Whenever possible notation reading members will stand between non-reading members at rehearsal. Also, the music will be given out ahead of the first rehearsal, both in notation and in the online playback system (see the video above) so you’ve got a chance to start getting comfortable with it before singing with the group.
Can I come check out the choir before committing?
YES, there is a trial option! To register for the trial select trial deposit in the form below. Your deposit is fully refundable only if you attend the first session and let me know by email that the choir isn’t for you in the 2 days following the first rehearsal. That will allow me to admit someone from the wait list in time for the next rehearsal. Note the a trial is only possible at the first rehearsal of the season so we can solidify our membership early on, with everyone getting to know the music together.
Are voice roles (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) gender specific?
NO! Anyone is welcome to whatever part suits their vocal range.
What age are choir members?
We welcome adults of all ages!
Is there a fee?
Yes – there are a lot of expenses with this group including a paid 4 piece band at all rehearsals, choir leader, rehearsal space, performance venue, administration.. However even with all this it costs only $12/rehearsal!
Can I split up the choir fee in to smaller payments?
Yes, no problem! Please email and I’ll let you know how that works.
About the charity we support
The Central Okanagan Food Bank (COFB) is the largest food bank in the Interior of BC and provides nutritional food assistance to residents facing financial and food insecurity out of two locations, one in Kelowna and one in West Kelowna. As a charitable not-for-profit organization we rely on the generosity of the community to support the work we do through the donation of food, funds, and time.
Questions?
Contact sing@kelownarockchoir.com
Ready to join us? Register with the form below!
If your section is full please join the wait list here. We’ll get you in as soon as we can!
This secure payment is processed by Square. If you’ve completed the registration successfully, you should see a thank you screen and immediately receive an email from Jotform with a welcome email that has all the details on dates, times, and a link to download the music. Watch your spam folder if you don’t receive it. Receipts are available on request. Refund policy: In order to be refunded you must either let me know by email that you won’t be able to attend after all before April 8 so there’s time for me to allow someone from the wait list to take your spot, or attend the first session and let me know the choir isn’t for you by April 24 (as described in the trial information above)