The Chancel Choir
The Chancel Choir is an adult choir that enhances the worship experience at the Sunday morning worship service. The choir supports the congregation in singing the hymns and anthems and leads the liturgy of the service. Special choral presentations in the fall, Christmas and spring are also presented. This choir is not auditioned and rehearses September-May on Thursdays from 7:30pm-9pm.
The music on Sunday morning is supported by two Singer/Soloists, Carmen Harris and Adam Sperry, for the 2023-2024 season:
Carmen Harris: Since singing in children’s choirs at the age of seven, Carmen has enjoyed immersing herself in the world of vocal studies. She completed her Master of Music at the University of Ottawa, studying with Christiane Riel. Carmen recently graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, and a Post-Baccalaureate in Voice through the Desautels Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba, studying with Monica Huisman. Past performances include Susanna and Cherubino with the University of Ottawa, Musetta in La Boheme, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro (2014), with Opera Kelowna, Pleasure in Il trionfo del Tempo, Drusilla in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Venus in Orphée aux Enfers, with Manitoba Underground Opera, and Angela in Angela and her Sisters with the University of Manitoba School Tour. Besides opera, she has been blessed to tour throughout Europe and North America with ensembles and has sung as a soloist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra in British Columbia. She is so glad to share music and fellowship with the Rideau Park United Church congregation!
Adam Sperry: Praised for his “rich vocals and dynamic palette” (Holly Harris, Opera Canada, Fall 2019) and for being “one of the strongest performances” (Holly Harris, Opera Canada, Spring 2023), Manitoban tenor Adam Sperry has had the privilege of performing with many companies across Canada. Adam is a recent graduate of the Schulich School of Music with a Masters of Opera and Voice under the tutelage of John Mac Master. Recent highlights include Hades in Gow and Remoto’s The Mansplaining Division with Manitoba Underground Opera, tenor soloist in Haydn’s Mass in Time of War and Mozart’s Mass in F Major with Rideau Chorale, Zadok in Handel’s Solomon with Caelis Academy Ensemble and Ottawa Baroque Consort, Peter Quint in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw and Sam in Weill’s Street Scene with Opera McGill, Don Ottavio in Southern Ontario Lyric Opera’s production of Don Giovanni, and the tenor soloist in Carmina Burana with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Adam is thrilled to join the community of RPUC and collaborate as soloist and member of the Chancel Choir.