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Amidst final preparations for their spring concert Dream a World, the Rainbow Harmony Project is putting out the call to welcome new members to its youth choir, one of the only such groups that exists in the country.
Open to youth ages 12 through 18, the choir first began three years ago under the direction of the choir’s artistic director Brittany Mielnichuk. “It really just stemmed out of a belief that queer youth need a space for community,” says current conductor Caleb Rondeau who officially took over the choir this past year, “and creating another one of those spaces for them, an artistic one.”
The community dynamic is a crucial part of any choral experience at any level, but the Rainbow Harmony Project has made it a point of emphasis for youth looking for that community space. “We leave time for the youth to talk to each other, build community,” says Rondeau. “I think it’s so important for queer youth to find other queer youth to connect with.”
Rondeau knows all too well the value of having a space to feel safe to be authentically yourself, especially as a young person coming to terms with their sexuality. “I think that if this space existed when I was [in] grade six, grade seven, maybe I would have come out earlier than even grade eight, you know?”
The current iteration of the Rainbow Harmony Project’s youth choir will be performing alongside the main ensemble at the Canadian Musuem for Human Rights on June 8. For the youth choir, this performance will cap off a year of exciting performances that included their first solo concert and performing at high schools alongside their GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) programs.
In addition to seeking new members, the choir is putting out the call for donations to ensure that participation in the ensemble is not hampered by costs for prospective members. Rondeau notes that membership has been free thus far due to grants the group has received, but it hopes to use funds to continue to make opportunities for singers and foster community between them.
More information about donations and the choir’s upcoming concert Dream a World can be found at the group’s website.