Under the artistic leadership of Eliza Rubenstein since 2000, the Orange County Women’s Chorus has grown from a small group of women brainstorming about singing together to one of the region’s leading choruses. The OCWC has performed at venues including the Orange County Performing Arts Center, the Irvine Barclay Theatre, Walt Disney Concert Hall’s REDCAT Theater, the 2004 and 2012 western regional conferences of the American Choral Directors’ Association, and most recently, Carnegie Hall. The chorus was named a 2014 Outstanding Arts Organization by Arts Orange County and won a prize at the 2015 International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales. We’ve collaborated with ensembles including Bel Canto, MenAlive, the Wooden Floor (formerly the Saint Joseph Ballet), the South Coast Symphony, the Agape Voices of Praise, the All-American Boys’ Chorus, and Men in Blaque.
Our wide-ranging repertoire includes medieval chants, multicultural folk songs, classical masterworks, protest songs, gospel tunes, and more. We’re especially proud of our commitment to new music and up-and-coming musicians; we regularly commission new works for women’s voices, and our conducting internship program, designed to encourage young women entering the field of choral conducting, has been a model for other choruses around the nation.
Mission - The Orange County Women’s Chorus creates and performs outstanding choral literature, engages and enriches our audiences, and celebrates women in music.
Vision - The Orange County Women’s Chorus is nationally regarded as an artistic and organizational leader in women’s choral music.
Values - We, the Board members and singers of the Orange County Women’s Chorus, value:
- Excellence: The Orange County Women’s Chorus pursues artistic excellence by recruiting talented and dedicated musicians, preparing and performing choral music with the highest level of artistic integrity, and commissioning new works for women’s voices.
- Community: The Orange County Women’s Chorus fosters a deeply felt sense of community among its members. We support each other, have fun, and work together to achieve artistic excellence. The OCWC strives to extend this sense of community to our audiences, collaborators, and donors.
- Diversity: The Orange County Women’s Chorus embraces different perspectives and abilities. We are women who come from a variety of backgrounds, life experiences, and professions, ranging in age from young adult to retirees. We are committed to performing music from different cultures and eras, in original languages.
- Leadership: The Orange County Women’s Chorus is an advocate for women’s choral music and for women in music. We commission and perform new work for women’s voices and we offer opportunities for women to develop expertise and gain recognition as singers and conductors. Our board is actively engaged in organizational development, and is committed to adopting best practices for nonprofits and lifelong learning.
Orange County, California
Orange County Women's Chorus
23802 Avenida de la Carlota
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
United States