Join us!
Limited positions are now available but we would love to hear from you if you are interested in playing with us! There's more information below, and we'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Come and try us out for a couple of rehearsals, free and without obligation!
Strings: Principal viola and all strings
Woodwinds: Clarinet 2
Brass : Prinicple and 2nd Horn, trombone, tuba
Percussion: Some available
Joining and Membership fees
We are a culturally diverse range of players, and we welcome all competent musicians irrespective of race, ethnicity, orientation, religion, mobility or age. Anyone can join as long as they meet the required musical standard. For musicians under the age of 18, we ask parents/ guardians to review and sign our 'Parental Approval Form' (please ask for details).
Fees are $200 per annum for adults and $76 for students attending full time education (or who are under the age of 18). Annual fees cover January 1 to December 3, and must be paid by the end of January . We rehearse on Saturday mornings from 10.30 to 12.30 at White Rock Community Centre. To find out more about joining, simply drop us a line, and our Membership Registrar will answer any questions you may have and guide you from there. It is an easy process and you will be made to feel very welcome!
Standard required
Generally, you will need to be a competent musician which we define as being RCM Grade 8 and above. Experience playing within orchestras is preferred (although not a specific requirement).
If you are interested in joining the orchestra, we usually will invite you to attend a couple of rehearsals to relax and meet our musicians. There is no cost or commitment during the trial period. This is an informal way of 'auditioning by doing' and at the discretion of our Music Director, you will then be warmly invited to join the orchestra following your successful trial period.
We put on several concerts per annum. Our programs are always imaginative and diverse drawing mostly from favourites from the classical repertoire. We enjoy some wonderful collaborations with soloists and singers including Michelle and Monique Creber, the Kits Wings Harp Ensemble, Crystal Hicks, Ingrid Mapson. Some images of past concerts are show on the right.
Music programs
Our annual Christmas concert is a community favourite with sell out shows featuring seasonal classics such as Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, carols and festive favourites!
We also are proud to take our music into the community and have for many years put on concerts at Peace Arch Hospital Weatherby Pavilion, for seniors who would not normally be able to access music. We are proud to be White Rock's very own 'Orchestra By The Sea', and we have musicians who are both local and who travel from outlying areas to be part of what we do. Why not join us!
Musician's Code of Conduct
We are a friendly bunch ! We do however expect our musicians to be kind, courteous and polite, and also to come to rehearsal prepared and practiced! Find out more by reading our Musician's Code of Conduct.
Rehearsal information
General info
We normally start rehearsals for our Spring and Summer Concert at the start of our year in January and resume again in September working for our Christmas concert. There are no rehearsals though the summer months from mid June through August.
It is a relaxed atmosphere where we work hard on our concert programs. We rehearse on Saturday mornings between 10.30-12.30 at White Rock Community Centre, 15154 Russell Ave, White Rock, V4B 0A6. There is free underground parking for 4 hours accessible from Russell Avenue.
Musicians typically start arriving from 10.00 onwards to help with putting out chairs and the orchestras music stands . We typically will take a short 15 minute coffee break around the mid way point and ask musicians to help put away stands and chairs at the end.
We enjoy playing and are a committed , hard working and friendly orchestra - drop us a line we'd love to hear from you!