Folka Voca is the Ottawa Folklore Centre Wednesday night community choir. This group of 50+ people is constantly having a big bunch of fun rehearsing and performing around town. Folka Voca began 8 years ago with the direction and vision of the Fabulous Lee Hayes; vocal coach, recording artist, award-winning songwriter and CFMA nominee. What makes this choir unique (besides the extreme fun factor) is the arranging; all the arrangements are by Director Lee Hayes, in 4-7 part harmony. Folka Voca’s repertoire is contemporary pop/folk/funk, with an emphasis on songs by Canadian songwriters. Folka Voca rehearses every Wednesday night from 7-9pm at Sunnyside Wesleyan Church, 58 Grosvenor Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario.
Lee Hayes Bio
Award-winning Canadian songwriter Lee Hayes is a full-time singer, songwriter, arranger, and voice teacher. She is known internationally for her A Cappella groups Malaika and Cantarra, and on the TV network Showtime for her song “I Should Have Been David Duchovny’s Bride” (Californication). Locally, Hayes has become Ottawa’s busiest choir director and vocal coach! Hayes channels her passion for music as Choir Mistress Extraordinaire for the Ottawa Folklore Centre’s 50-person community choir Folka Voca, and for the OFC’s daytime folk choir, the Sunshine Choir. In addition to her choirs, Hayes regularly teaches Pop, Folk, Funk, Jazz, and World Beat Vocal Harmony classes at the OFC. Hayes also teaches individual and small ensemble vocal classes, and also conducts a week-long Vocal Harmony workshop in Cuba every winter.