Express Your Voice Choir

Borne out of Arts and Health in 2009, the Express Your Voice Choir met weekly, September through June for over six years. Almost 200 older adults from various cultural backgrounds, speaking many different languages and from all walks of life, raised their voices in this project. Under the direction of vocalist and composer DB Boyko, the choir performed their original collaborative work for the VOICE OVER mind Festival, The Memory Festival, Music on Main’s Modulus Festival, Tiny Talent Biltmore Cabaret, Sound of Dragon Festival and, of course, at the Arts and Health Project Gala every year.

Many choir members had no previous musical experience, but as they worked together, they came to understand the importance of sharing life stories as a way to build community through the power and connectivity of music. The group explored their bodies as vessels for sound production. They came to know their creative capacities – articulating their personal stories with nuance to become universal ideas in poetry and song. They became opinionated about their work and confident in their ideas. Unabashed about expressing their voices in song and laughter, they learned to whisper and they learned to roar.

Express Your Voice culminated in 2015 with the production of a CD of their work made in collaboration with Vancouver’s Now Orchestra and a concert/CD Launch in June 2015. You can listen to this today on the headset available in the exhibit. The concert and recording were made possible thru support from BC Arts Council, Canada Council, Roundhouse Community Centre Association, Western Front New Music and NOW Society.

If you are interested in participating in seniors arts programming at Roundhouse Community Centre, please contact Kaleb Corbin.