windward choral society

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Our Mission

The primary purpose and mission of the Windward Choral Society is to promote the joy, love and appreciation of multi-cultural choral music within the Windward O‘ahu community through a non-auditioned community-based chorus made up of mixed voices (SATB) from high school ages and up who are residents throughout the Island of O‘ahu. The WCS seeks to achieve this mission by serving the Windward O‘ahu community through the performing arts, by engaging in community outreach and service with choral music and other performing arts, and by pursing musical excellence among the non-auditioned community-based chorus membership. The vision of the WCS is to have a fun, dynamic and inclusive choral community in Windward O‘ahu that is bonded through the universal language of music. The organization was founded in September 2008.

As part of our efforts to support our community, our singers have not only offered major concerts on the windward side, but are also proud to have participated in several other events, such as:

  • Bank of Hawai’i Book and Music Festival, serving as the opening performance in an annual event honoring Hawai‘i’s heritage through literacy and musical arts
  • The American Cancer Society Relay For Life, Kailua, performing for the Cancer Survivors’ Dinner and participating in the event’s opening ceremonies
  • Hale Koa Luau Gardens concert  with the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific  Concert Band, a performance for our active duty military and veterans
  • Christmas Tree Lighting at Marine Corps Base Hawaii as part of Operation Homefront, supporting families of deployed military personnel
  • Celebrations at the First Chinese Church of Honolulu and First Church of Christ, Scientist
  • Visits to perform for our friends and neighbors at Pohai Nani
Our Director 

Susan M. Duprey was born and raised in Honolulu and graduated from ‘Iolani School.  While at ‘Iolani, she sang under her father, local organist and composer, John McCreary.  She received her Master of Music degree from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey and studied conducting under Joseph Flummerfelt.

As a singer, Ms. Duprey sang, recorded, and toured with the renowned 40-voice Westminster Choir.  She has sung with leading orchestras; including the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the New Jersey Symphony, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's and has sung under Maestros Kurt Masur, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Helmut Rilling, and Zdenek Macal.

As a choral conductor, she has prepared choruses for such noted conductors as Joseph Flummerfelt, John Rutter, Timothy Sharp, and Sir David Willcocks.  She has conducted members of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra and has led performances of Mozart’s Requiem, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bruckner’s Te Deum, and excerpts from Handel’s Messiah.  She has also served as choir director in both Hispanic and African-American churches and performed several years with Kawaiolaonapukanileo, an ensemble created to perpetuate Hawaiian choral music.

In January 2002, she founded the Hawai‘i Pacific University International Chorale and Vocal Ensemble, the state’s first choral program specializing in international choral repertoire.  In June 2004, she prepared the International Vocal Ensemble for their Carnegie Hall debut in a musical tribute to composer Morten Lauridsen.

Ms. Duprey keeps busy serving as Artistic/Executive Director of the Windward Choral Society (a chorus she founded in 2008), Artistic Director of the Kona Music Society, teaching voice lessons, and paddling with her outrigger canoe club, Hui Pakolea.  She and her husband Bryan (an active duty Marine) live in Kailua, O‘ahu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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