Calgary Women's Chorus
Singing with passion, performing with flair!
That's Showbiz!
A Stage & Screen Musical Revue
Sunday, May 24th, 2026
At 2:30 PM
(doors open at 2:00 PM)
McDougall United Church
8516 Athabasca Street SE, Calgary
Cody Obst, Artistic Director & Conductor
Antonina Cox, Accompanist
Stage Show Band
Step into the world of Broadway and come celebrate the Calgary Women’s Chorus 15th Anniversary. This musical extravaganza will feature music from 101 Dalmatians, A Little Night Music, Cole Porter, Funny Girl, Gabriel’s Oboe, Oliver!, Madame Butterfly, Wicked and more accompanied by a show band. Stay after the concert for a reception to cheer to our 15th season of singing together!
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
Conductor, Cody Obst, shows remarkable technical ability, depth of musical expression, and an engaging stage presence that has delighted live audiences throughout Western Canada. In addition to his excellent leadership with the Calgary Women’s Chorus, he is Artistic Director of The Festival Chorus, Music Director at Lakeview United Church, and plays an active role in the choral fabric of Calgary and beyond.
With more than twenty-five years of experience as a conductor, Cody has learned valuable lessons working with numerous choirs.
He has participated inchoral intensives with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and the University of Michigan, and has attended invaluable clinics through World Choral Symposiums in 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. Now entering its third season, Cody will host a Summer Sing program to help choral musicians hone their skills and keep enjoying singing through the summer.
Cody also regularly performs as a chamber musician and collaborative pianist. He has received many awards and scholarships, including the University Silver Medal for best student in his degree program (Brandon University, BMus, BEd), a 10K Province of Alberta Graduate Scholarship (University of Calgary, MMus), prizewinner in the Snjolaug Sigurdson Piano Competition, and has competed at all levels of the Canadian Music Festival Association culminating in winning the Manitoba provincial championship and competing at the National Music Festival. He hosts a monthly concert series in Calgary called Sanctuary Sounds, where he has performed over 18 different concert programs so far and he is a member of the chamber group, Trio Taleco, which features music for violin, French horn, and piano.
In total, Cody has given well over 2,000 public presentations, including hundreds of performances for seniors and those in care facilities. Cody’s aim is to share the love of music with everyone he comes in contact with! Please feel free to follow him on Facebook or Instagram to stay informed of his upcoming events.
Antonina Cox,
Pianist & Assistant Director
Antonina Cox is an excellent musician and has been a versatile accompanist and teacher for over 39 years. She is highly regarded in the Calgary fine music community.
Native of Belarus, she received extensive training in Belarus, Russia, and later in Canada. She studied many musical disciplines, majoring in piano and musicology at the Special Music School in Minsk (Belarus) where was awarded the Golden Medal of Honours. From 1982 to 1987, she continued her studies in many musical disciplines at St. Petersburg Conservatory (Russia) achieving the Bachelor degree in Musicology.
Upon graduation, she worked in Minsk (Belarus) as a music teacher, and an accompanist for the Byelorussian Opera and Ballet Theatre and for the Choir with the Society for the Blind People, and as a singer with renown a capella group Kamerata.
Upon arriving in Calgary in 1992, Antonina married and started teaching piano and theory. She also accompagnied the Mount Royal Children’s choir, Calgary Choral Society, and ballet dancers and soloists.
In 1995 she decided to learn to play another instrument and took studies in organ at the Mount Royal Organ Academy with Terrence Fullerton, and later with Neil Cockbourn. She became an Associate with the Royal Canadian College of Organists in 1998 and was awarded a prize for the highest marks at her exams with RCCO).
Antonina has been serving as a church musician, leading chuirch choirs and playing the piano and organ, for many years. She is currently the Choir Director at Parkdale United Church.
As an intuitive and skilled accompanist, Antonina has enjoyed working with soloists and with many choirs, including Calgary Choral Society, Calgary Men’s Choir, Cantare Children’s Choir, Savridi Singers, and Revv 52. She is currently working with Calgary Bach Society Choir, Calgary Women’s Chorus and Big Rock Singers in Okotoks.
Antonina is also a passionate and creative music teacher who guides students of piano and theory/harmony from beginner level through advanced. She completed a program “Master of Teaching” at the University of Calgary and taught music in various elementary schools in Calgary.
Antonina has a husband and two grown up children. In her leisure time she likes to travel, to be out in nature, to attend musical events and exhibitions and to garden.
Executive Committee Members
Joan D.
President
Vacant
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
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