ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL NOTES of INTEREST – AURA Chamber Choir
Presidents:
Becky Strube – eight years 1979-87
Val Witham – two years 1987-1989,
Robin Suddaby – three years 1989-1992
Janet Armstrong – three years 1992 – July 1995
Leo Carpay – three years 1995-1998
Marjorie Close – two year 1998-2000
Darryl Auten – three years 2000-2003
Mary Lobsinger – two years 2003-2005
Marjorie Close – one year 2005-2006
Diana Bainbridge – five years 2006-2011
Maureen Evans – four years 2011- 2015
David Friedman- three years 2015-2018
Frida Paetsch- five years 2018 – 2022
Margaret Hundeby-Hunter- 2022-
Erica Northcott – one of our first soloists – sang with AURA in May 1980, in May 1989 in the Bach B Minor Mass, April 1995 St. John Passion, , May 1999 Beethoven Missa Solemnis, and in May 2009 in AURA’s 30th Anniversary Concert.
Lynne McMurtry sang as a teenager with AURA in 1985. Lynne sang contralto solo in Bach Christmas Oratorio Dec.1990, St. John Passion April 1995, performed with AURA in Beethoven Missa Solemnis May 1999, Bach B Minor Mass May 2004, and Bach Christmas Oratorio again in Dec. 2008.
Lynne also performed in Messiah with OSO, AURA and OFS Dec. 2004 at Vernon PAC
Robin Suddaby has sung in EVERY concert weekend but one, when she got laryngitis after the dress rehearsal! And has written our programme notes. Robin was a founding member and sang with AURA until May of 2009 – AURA and Robin’s 30th anniversary year.
Friends of AURA is an informal organization of former AURA members and their Friends and was spearheaded by Janet Armstrong when she retired as a long time member of the choir in 2007. Its purpose is to support the choir, especially at concert times, by putting on the receptions, staffing the door etc.
Rehearsal Venues:
Army Huts
Okanagan College Theatre
Fulton School
Vernon Senior Secondary School
Trinity United Church
First Baptist Church
Life Memberships:
Anne Kopp
Don Levey
Becky Strube
Robin Suddaby
Peter Ward
Valerie Witham
Marion Weighill
AURA’s Logo.
The chambered nautilus shell is one of the most mathematically perfect shapes in the natural world. It was chosen as our logo because of its elegance and beauty, and also for its aural connotations, as well as the punning ‘chamber’ reference. Becky Strube designed the logo, which has appeared on most of our posters and programs.
AURA’s Library has been ‘housed’ and maintained by:
Bob & Wendy Henderson,
Geoff & Robin Suddaby,
Dean & Paula Fredlund,
Leo & Ria Carpay
Orma Bowering
AURA Chamber Choir 