Calgary Women's Chorus
Singing with passion, performing with flair!
A Christmas Gala
Celebrating 15 Years
Sunday, December 14th, 2025
At 2:30 PM
(doors open at 2:00 PM)
Bella Concert Hall
4825 Mt Royal Gate SW, CalgaryClick here to access online program
Cody Obst, Artistic Director & Conductor
Antonina Cox, Accompanist
Come join in a musical extravaganza celebrating the artistic impact of 15 wonderful seasons by the Calgary Women's Chorus in the community. This Christmas concert will feature choir selections, special music from our guest artists, and sing-a-long carols played on the organ! You won't want to miss this milestone event in one of the most decorated performance halls in Calgary. Artistic Director, Cody Obst has put together a concert of choir favourites featuring music by composers Kim André Arnesen, JS Bach/Gounod, Dan Forest, Ola Gjeilo, Sarah Quartel, Mark Sirett, and more.
Confirmed Guest Artists:
Lily String Quartet
Foothills Brass
Krista de Silva, Soprano
Alita Laurie, Harpist
Emily Phernambucq, Flautist
Ernest Flancia, Percussionist
We will be doing a 50/50 so bring some cash if you want a chance to win!
Tickets:
Adults & Seniors: $35
Students & Children: $17
Click below for tickets
About the Choir
The idea for the Calgary Women’s Chorus came into being when 15 members of the disbanded Westside Women’s Chorus wished to keep singing together. During the spring of 2011 several of the women worked very hard to recruit and audition an Artistic Director and an Accompanist and shared with them their vision of what a new women’s choir could be. How fortunate were they to have found Cody Obst and Antonina Cox, who didn’t know each other at the time. They have turned out to be the perfect pairing for CWC!
Once the choir was established in September 2011 with 25 initial members, a number of names was proposed – everything from names of birds to “Cody’s Girls”. The choir voted and chose “Calgary Women’s Chorus”, a community of singers coming together to share the love of music and the joy of raising their voices in song. The choir grew each year as more women joined; by spring 2020, there were 58 members!
Our choir kept going during the Covid 19 pandemic, thanks to Cody’s efforts. He set up a home music studio and provided Zoom choir practices, including several online workshops. We were very happy to comeback together in person in September 2021 – even though we had to sing wearing masks – and to be able to perform in the community again in Spring 2022.
Calgary Woman's Chorus has about 60 members as well as over 30 alumnae membrs with whom we keep in touch. Sadly, we have lost a number of former members along the way ans we remember them with gratitude.
We are an unauditioned treble choir and we practise every Thursday afternoon at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Our repertoire of music is wide ranging and has something for everyone. We prepare Winter/Christmas and Spring programs and perform at retirement residences and care homes, as well as at the Knox Carol Festival, Choralfest, and Kantorei Choral Festival. By request, we have also had the wonderful experiences of performing in the On the Edge Concert Series, at the Women’s Canadian Club Christmas luncheon and the PEO Spring Convention, and at the Field of Crosses.
We are looking forward to taking part in the ProArts Concert Series in May 2026. Our choir's love of singing, the nurturing of old and new friendships, and our eagerness to learn and perform are what make CWC so special!
Gallery
Below you will find photos from our various events and rehearsals throughout the season. What a fun time we all have together! Music definitely is good for the soul.
Our Team
Our wonderful and inspiring musical leaders!
Cody Obst,
Artistic Director & Conductor
Cody Obst, pianist, conductor, vocal coach, and organist has dedicated his life to sharing the joy of music with everyone he meets. His remarkable technical ability, depth of musical expression, and engaging stage presence are known to transport and delight listeners from all walks of life. An advocate of arts accessibility for all, Mr. Obst has given well over 2,000 public presentations as soloist, accompanist, and conductor from tiny churches in rural Saskatchewan to huge concert halls in Japan.
In addition to being the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Calgary Women's Chorus, Cody is Music Director at Lakeview United Church. He has worked with many different choirs including the Festival Chorus, Calgary Multicultural Choir, Calgary Bach Choir, Savridi Singers, Firebird Chamber Singers, Calgary Children’s Choir, Calgary Youth Choir, University of Calgary Chamber Choir, Calgary Choir for Peace, and the Centennial Singers (in addition to many church and school choirs.) Cody has participated in choral intensives with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and the University of Michigan, and attended invaluable clinics through World Choral Symposiums in both Copenhagen and Seoul, the Sacred Summer Music Conference in Norfolk (Virginia), Choir Alberta, and the Edmonton International Choral Festival. He has created and delivered special choral programs for both the Calgary Board of Education and Alberta First Nation Communities.
Cody Obst holds Bachelor of Music and Education degrees from Brandon University (where he received the Silver Medal for best student in the program) and a Masters Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Calgary. He has competed in local, provincial, and national piano competitions and has won the Manitoba provincial championship in Senior Piano, was a finalist in the Saskatchewan Concerto Competition, and has competed in two national piano competitions: the National Music Festival and the Canadian Registered Music Teachers National Piano Competition. He is a Prizewinner in the Snjolaug Sigurdson Piano Competition. Cody has participated in two International Festivals: the Académie Internationale "Barbara Krakauer" in France and three times in the Mountain View International Festival of Song in Calgary. Currently, Cody performs with pop vocalist, Michael Hope, and appears on a CD with him titled, “Hallelujah,” which was nominated for “Inspirational Album of the Year” by the Gospel Music Association of Canada. He frequently concertizes with opera singer, Krista de Silva. This season he will also present a Cafe Concert music series in Calgary. He regularly works with pianists, choirs, and singers of all ages through private teaching, public clinics, adjudications, and workshops.
Cody values all of the arts and believes that they are life-enriching in ways that aren't always recognized by today's society. He frequents concerts of many different musical genres and also loves the theatre, ballet, contemporary dance, and the visual arts. In the rare time he isn't making music, you can find him enjoying cooking, at the movies, reading, eating at a new restaurant, or curling. Feel free to stay in contact by adding him on Facebook or Instagram!
Antonina Cox,
Pianist & Assistant Director
Antonina received her early training at the Special Music School in Minsky, Belarus. She earned a Bachelor of Education and a Masters of Musicology from the Conservatory in St. Petersburg (Russia), studying piano with internationally-renowned pianist Vladimir Shakin.
Since 1992, Antonina has pursued her career in Canada as a piano accompanist, organist and teacher. She studied organ performance at the Mount Royal Organ Academy with Terrence Fullerton and Neil Cockbourn. Antonina received a Diploma of an Associate of the Royal Canadian College of Organists.
Antonina has accompanied many soloists and choirs, including the Mount Royal Children’s Choirs, Cantaré Children’s Choir, Calgary Choral Society, the Dutch Canadian Choir, Rachel Hop Studio, Bach Society Chorus, Revv 52. She has travelled with groups as a pianist and organist in Canada, the United States, the Netherlands, Ireland, Bulgaria, New Zealand, Australia, Italy and the Vatican.
Antonina loves teaching young and older individuals, privately and in public schools. She currently teaches part-time at Akiva Akademy, accompanies the Calgary Girls’ School Choir, and the Calgary Women’s Chorus.
Antonina devotes the rest of her time to her family and a puppy Kingsley.
Executive Committee Members
Joan D.
President
Chantal M.
Vice President
Adele S.
Secretary
Anne F.
Communication
Anna G.
Treasurer
Isabelle W.
Music Librarian
Ellen P.
Hospitality
Flore G.
Social Media
Elizabeth D.
Past President/New Members
What Are the Benefits?
Sharing music that raises the spirits of choir members and their audiences.
Learning vocal and breathing techniques that improve our singing ability and foster healthy living.
Meeting with others who have common interests.
An opportunity to participate in a broader music community.
Connect
Email... Phone... Social Media!
Email
Phone
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram
