Fall retreat in Berwick, NS

Nova Voce held its annual retreat at the end of August.

As the appreciative audience for the Nova Scotia Choir Federation’s (NSCF) Adult Music Camp concert slowly made its way out through the magnificent hemlocks at Berwick Camp, several Nova Voce members dropped off their NSCF music, picked up their Nova Voce music, and headed back into rehearsal.

Every year, so as to make a good start to the season, we congregate in Berwick for about 10 hours of rehearsal over two days. This year, twenty voices, our co-conductors Bill Perrot and Bryan Crocker, and our new collaborative pianist, Nick Rodgerson, met in the Youth Centre to go over the repertoire. We pulled out the music for the upcoming concert at the Maritime Heritage Festival (Maritime Museum of the Atlantic on September 13th) along with some new pieces for the season.

Sustenance, comradery and sleep are all part of the experience. Sleeping arrangements varied, from dorm rooms for non-adult music camp people to individual cabins for those in Berwick for longer than overnight. There was plenty of time to catch up with our brothers in song during breaks, and the annual ‘co-director’s cabin meet-up’.

However, the best discussions, like at all events of this sort, occurred over meals. The great food this year was coordinated by Judy Porter, who is also our photographer and graphic artist, and assisted by Brenda Wallace, Pat Gooch and Daphne Beeler. Thank you food team!

The Nova Voce 2026/27 season is underway!