Ottumwa Area Community Chorus is a wonderful place to sing for the whole family. My children and I have enjoyed singing with this group. We learn, we have fun, we make new friends. Christine is so passionate about what she does and works hard to make this group great.
I have been a part of the OACC. For several years. We are lucky to have an all inclusive organization like this. Dr. Bergan trys her best to make every rehearsal and concert as fun and educational as it can be.
Dr. Bergan does an outstanding job of bringing the community together regardless of age and ability. To see someone give of themself to others - the time commitment, expense, and passion - to see all this given freely makes one want to sing! If anyone can take someone and make them feel good because they are part of something bigger than themselves than it is Dr. Bergan. If you have the remotest thought of singing in a choir, then I highly recommend this one. The only cost factor is your time and the benefits of your invested time are beyond measure.
Last April I had the opportunity sing with the OACC as it joined forces with choral groups from Mt. Pleasant and Burlington to present two challenging pieces with the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra accompanying the singers. We sang concerts in each of the three cities. Musical preparation began with each community doing their own work. Ottumwa's director, Dr. Christine Bergan conducted several challenging and productive rehearsals to help each of us learn the music to the best of our ability. At that point we had a couple more practices with all the singers from the various communities under the direction of Blair Buffington, Iowa Wesleyan University choral director. After all the work we had put in, I found the concert very rewarding. My first time in the OACC was certainly a positive experience. Ed Vander Linden
The Ottumwa Area Community Chorus does a great job of serving the needs of the Ottumwa area community. As a free, non-auditioned choral group, they make singing accessible to everyone. I am particularly impressed with their dedication to support other area organizations and events such as the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra, Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Jr Day, and the Viva Ottumwa festival. The OACC is an important part of making Ottumwa's art and culture scene a vibrant and inviting environment that serves the public good.
What a great contribution OACC is making to the community through performance and education! Dr. Bergen is a totally committed leader in talent and heart to the success of this organization and the impact it makes on young musicians for years to come!
Steve Campbell
Real Estate Professional
Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa Area Community Choruses is a necessary non profit in this community. Not only does it promote the art of singing, it also is a great option for adults to continue singing (or start) as well as give children a skill/practice that can be used for the rest of their lives. I believe it brings more of the community together as concerts give them something to gather and attend to.
I firmly believe you could never find anyone who has and will continue to work harder than Dr. Christine Bergan to make the community chorus a success!
My husband and I were members of the OACC until we moved from Ottumwa in 2018. Singing with others has always been something we both enjoyed, so it was pretty much a given that when we found out about the chorus, we would join! It was a decision we never regretted! Not only were we able to sing with others, but we made many friends in the group as well. Throughout our married life we had the opportunity to sing with several different groups in other towns we've lived. The ones that made it to the top of our favorites list were those that not only provided inspiring and challenging music to perform, but were also directed by a knowledgeable, dedicated professional. We learned that, with the right director, a simple community chorus can sound amazing! Brian and I both agreed that OACC fits in this category.
Dr. Christine Bergan has always given her all to the chorus, resulting in wonderful performances. In 2018 we moved to Washington, IA and would have loved to continue being a part of the chorus, but Brian began experiencing more and more difficulties as a result of his Parkinson's, and it was just not possible for us to continue our membership. So, instead, we became members of the audience. What we saw and heard affirmed our original assessment that OACC concerts were well worth the drive to attend!
It takes dedication and hard work, both on the part of chorus members and the director to produce high quality performances. Under the direction of Dr. Christine Bergan, OACC has succeed in both of these. The Ottumwa area is very lucky to have an organization such as this to claim as their own. I hope it becomes a permanent fixture!
Julie Gentz, Washington, IA
I appreciate quality musical performances and believe that Ottumwa Area Community Chorus can provide that cultural aspect in this small town so that residents don't have to go to Des Moines or Iowa City to experience high quality performances. I enjoyed OACC's performances before joining and have found fulfillment in reaching for perfection since I've joined the chorus. OACC has an educated and talented director who has the drive and patience needed to make a great local chorus. Finding enough people to make up such a chorus has been a problem. I hope that with more exposure OACC will find more local performers who want to excel and who have a desire to give this community an exceptional cultural experience.