Lila Community Choir
Building Community through Music in the Quw'utsun' Valley for over 20 years
Thursdays 6:30 pm - 8 pm
February 20th - May 29th 2025
Lila Music & Nature Centre
Concert: Friday May 30th
Join Us for our Upcoming Community Choir Sessions
We love to sing, and have fun,
we sing in a circle, and enjoy harmonies.
We warm up with dance, movement, vocal games, vocal improvisation, all things to get the body and voice moving a little. Then we sing a mixture of repertoire and genres and we celebrate our birthrite of SINGING.
If you can talk - you can sing !
This term - Sing for Nature, will be 13 sessions ending on May 29th (no class during spring break March 20th and 27th) with a concert Friday May 30th with our guest conductor Sarina Partridge and her trio Heartwood
Come on out and SING with us.
About this Series
Spring Session:
February 20th - May 29th (13 weeks with a 2 week spring break)
An Open House awaits you on February 20th. Come and try out the choir, if you enjoy it, stay all term.
This term we will be preparing for a larger concert May 30th with special guests Sarina Partridge and trio Heartwood.
Session Details:
FINAL CONCERT
Sing for Nature – A Festival of Voices in the Cowichan Valley
Lila Community Choir’s Spring Fundraising Concert
Thursday, May 29th | St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Duncan
This spring, the Lila Community Choir invites you to Sing for Nature—an inspiring evening of music, culture, and connection. Held on Thursday, May 29th at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Duncan, this heartfelt concert is more than a performance—it’s a community celebration and fundraiser supporting Indigenous Foods Gathering 2025 hosted by Quw’utsun’ Cultural Connections Society.
The evening features several premieres, including Sta’lo Running Down, a new work by local folk artist Jeremy Walsh written especially for the choir. Jeremy will perform it live with the ensemble. Another highlight is Carried By Your Light, an original song by choir director Cari Burdett, newly arranged for the choir by acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Adrian Dolan, who will also perform during the evening.
Deepening the sense of community and cultural exchange, the program will include a newly created Hul’q’umi’num’ song—born of an ongoing collaboration between Cari Burdett and Quw’utsun’ Elders T’uwahwiye’ Philomena Williams and Tsulhwuletse John George. This song, created with participation from children, youth, and adults, reflects the choir’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation and intergenerational connection.
Special guest Sabrina Partridge, composer and song-leader from Minneapolis, will also join the evening. Performing with her trio, Heartwood, she’ll bring international harmonies that beautifully weave into the choir’s celebration of place and purpose.
Sing for Nature is a festival of voices—a joyful, heartfelt gathering to honour the land, uplift one another, and support local Indigenous-led initiatives rooted in food sovereignty and cultural revitalization. Come be part of this powerful evening of song and solidarity in the Cowichan Valley.
“I am, because you are. I need you to be you so that I can be me. A choir is a choir only because its different parts work together harmoniously. Yes, a person truly is a person only through other persons.”
— Nobel Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu
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Cari is a seasoned vocalist and music educator with a profound dedication to the transformative power of voice and song. Holding a Bachelor of Music in Performance Voice from McGill University and a Master of Music in Performance Voice and Opera from the London Royal Academy of Music, Cari is fluent in English, French, Swedish, and Italian, with the ability to sing in Russian, Spanish, German, and more.
With over 30 years of training in vocal improvisation under the guidance of Rhiannon, including an intensive year-long training program, Cari has honed a unique approach to voice as a tool for personal and community transformation. She has further enriched her practice under the guidance of Shivon Robinson and Dennis Donnelly in the first Community Choir Leadership Training in Victoria, BC.
Her commitment to the power of music in community building is evident in her involvement with the Ubuntu Song Network and her dedication to offering song and community choir to local non-profits, vigils, and community needs. Cari is also deeply invested in village making, rites of passage, and deep nature connection, working closely with local Indigenous Elders to honor the sacred unseeded lands she inhabits.
In addition to her work as a voice teacher at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and Camosun College’s Post-Graduate programs, Cari has completed extensive sound healing training and has a strong foundation in Waldorf pedagogy, having taught music from grades 1 to 12 at Sunrise Waldorf School. Her Master’s thesis explored the importance of music, improvisation and play in the healthy development of children as inspired by her mentor Par Ahlbom, Jarna Sweden, where she lived for fours years to study and work with him and his specialized Waldorf School “Solvik”.
Cari’s dedication to vocal arts extends beyond education; she is an award-winning recording artist, with her CD *Magnolia* and successful music tours receiving critical acclaim. Her work includes threshold singing in hospices, hospitals, and homes for over 12 years, bringing comfort and peace through song. Cari’s artistic journey also includes three music residencies at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, further solidifying her place as a dynamic force in the world of vocal music.
Registration Form
Lila Community Choir - Spring 2025 Session
FEE STRUCTURE
$280 : STANDARD
This represents the bare-bones cost of running the choir. Participants paying under $280 are underwritten by other participants and myself.
$330 : SPONSOR
Choosing to pay the $330 ‘Sponsor’ Tier supports my ability to sustain classes, and supports community members who face money barriers to participation.
$210 : SUBSIDIZED
This fee is for those for whom paying the standard rate would create financial hardship. The discounted amount will be covered by other participants and myself.
Pay at the door: cash or card.
E-transfers also accepted
(cari [at] cariburdett [dot] com)
Lila Community Choir: Mandate and Mission Statement
For 19 years, the Lila Community Choir has been a vital part of our community, providing singing, performance, voice work, and fostering cross-cultural connections. Our choir has welcomed over 500 singers, contributing to a spirit of inclusivity and diversity through collaborations, vigils, nonprofit events, fundraisers, and local environmental projects. The choir continues to offer a platform for new immigrants, building bridges and promoting well-being through artistic pursuits and community engagement.
Mandate
Lila Music Community Choir exists to bring people together through the universal power of music, fostering inclusivity, cultural exchange, and community engagement. Our choir celebrates diversity by providing a platform for local artists, musicians, and performers to collaborate, create, and share their craft. We aim to create a sense of belonging for all, regardless of age, background, or ability, while uplifting marginalized voices and promoting reconciliation. Through our performances, workshops, and community-driven initiatives, we strive to enrich the Cowichan Valley through music that connects, heals, and unites.
Mission Statement
Lila Music Community Choir’s mission is to create a vibrant, inclusive space where diverse voices come together in harmony to celebrate culture, unity, and the arts. We are committed to providing opportunities for artistic expression, while supporting local talent and fostering positive community engagement. Through our performances, collaborations, and educational initiatives, we aim to raise awareness of social issues, honor Indigenous heritage, and encourage healing through music. With a focus on accessibility and outreach, Lila Music strives to make the transformative power of music available to all, bringing joy, belonging, and connection to the Cowichan Valley and beyond
How Our Programming Meets Lila Music Community Choir’s Mandate
Inclusivity and Community Engagement: Our choir is open to individuals from all walks of life, offering a space for people of different ages, cultural backgrounds, and abilities to sing and perform together, fostering a sense of belonging and social connection.
Cultural Exchange and Reconciliation: By incorporating Indigenous languages (e.g., Hul’ qumi’ num) in our workshops and performances, and collaborating with Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, we promote reconciliation and respect for diverse cultures.
Support for Local Artists: We actively hire and collaborate with local musicians, composers, and arrangers to create new works, showcasing regional talent and providing them with opportunities for exposure and employment.
Accessible Music for All: Our programming includes free concerts, by-donation performances, and low-cost workshops, ensuring that music is accessible to individuals from all economic backgrounds, including marginalized groups.
Social Impact and Healing: Through community-focused performances in senior care homes, public spaces, and festivals, we provide an opportunity for individuals facing isolation or social exclusion to experience the joy and healing power of music.
Educational Outreach: Our workshops, including those with Elder Mena Padaguan, learning the local language of Hul’quminum and creating a new bilingal song togther, also with visiting artists like Sarina Partridge, are designed to engage community members in skill development, offering learning opportunities for both aspiring and experienced musicians.
Overall, Lila Music Community Choir’ s programming brings our mandate to life by building a stronger, more connected community, creating meaningful cultural exchanges, and promoting social inclusion and artistic growth.
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