Women joining together in a spirit of sisterhood to sing beautiful music that both challenges and inspires.

About Women of Note

Women of Note (WoN) is an auditioned community choir in Winnipeg, Manitoba for women of all ages and varying levels of choral experience. Our choir provides an opportunity for women to join together in a spirit of sisterhood to sing beautiful music that both inspires and challenges.
 
Founded in 1994 by Patricia Rabson, WoN provides an enriched choral experience in three performance groups to facilitate the individual needs of choristers:
 
The choir follows a two-term rehearsal schedule commencing in September and January, with a holiday concert in early December and a spring concert held in early May. Workshops and massed choir rehearsals are held periodically throughout each term. The choir also performs for community outreach and by invitation.
Women of Note Chorale
  • WoN Chorale
  • Membership numbers up to 50 singers with varying levels of performance skills
  • Rehearsals are dedicated to technique, note learning and score development
  • Sings an eclectic repertoire with a medium challenge
  • Members are expected to do some individual at-home practice with the aid of rehearsal recordings.
 
Women of Note Chamber Singers   
  •  Membership numbers up to 24 and experienced chorale musicians
  • Rehearsals are dedicated to technique and score development
  • Sings an eclectic repertoire with a medium to difficult challenge
  • Members are expected to do note-learning and score practice on their own.
 
Women of Note Massed Choir
  • The combined membership of the Chorale and Chamber choir singers is dedicated to the development of works written for large choirs. 

Women of Note Artistic Staff

Kristen Schellenberg
Co-Artistic Director

Kirsten Schellenberg joined Women of Note (WoN) in July 2024 in the role of co-artistic director. She conducts the WoN
Chamber Singers and co-conducts the WoN Massed Choir. Kirsten is a music educator and has extensive experience as a choral conductor. She is also a gifted vocalist with Canzona and has been a soloist for Women of Note in the past.

Kimberly Lapatha
Co-Artistic Director/Accompanist

Kimberly Lapatha joined the Women of Note (WoN) in the role of co-artistic director in July 2024. She conducts the WoN Chorale and co-conducts the WoN Massed Choir. Kimberly has choral conducting experience with Pembina Trails Voices and oversees music at Elim Chapel. She is also a talented
accompanist with WoN, ECCO and many other choirs.

Megan Dufrat
Accompanist

Megan completed her Master of Music in Collaborative Piano at the Desautels Faculty of Music. She is a sought-after collaborative pianist and educator in Winnipeg. Megan is a vocal coach and was the inaugural recipient of the Dorthy Lother Award for her work as a collaborative pianist and has been a prize winner in the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg annual scholarship auditions.

​​ABOUT OUR FOUNDER

​Patricia Rabson, founder and artistic director from 1994-2024 of Women of Note, conducted all three ensembles. Pat became involved in choral activity as a young singer in the Winnipeg Girls' Choir and became well known as a singer, conductor, choral clinician, and adjudicator throughout Manitoba and Canada. She taught music and conducted many school choirs and several community choirs, including the Winnipeg Girls' Junior Choir and the Winnipeg Boys' Choir. Patricia sang, often as a soloist, in many choirs including: the Baltimore Choral Art Society, the Winnipeg Singers, the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir and the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. She served as president for the Manitoba Choral Association and the Board of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. Pat also served on the executive committee of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors and on the Board of Manitoba Opera.
​
Women of Note is grateful to Pat Rabson for founding our choir and her three decades of dedication to our Sisterhood in Song.

Support Women of Note

Women of Note is a non-profit choir that grows through music thanks to the generosity of its donors. ​
​Your generous support allows us to continue to "make joyful noise" and bring beautiful music to all our audiences. Help us continue to do our work and donate. Each and every contribution is greatly appreciated and all donations will be issued a tax receipt. 

There are several ways to support Women of Note:

Donate by Mail:
Women of Note
9 Westfield Dr.
Winnipeg, MB R3R 2B4
 
Donate Online:

2024 – 2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 
(Current Board elected Sept 5, 2024)

EXECUTIVE:
PRESIDENT: Christine Polimeni
PAST PRESIDENT: Marilyn Cozzuol
TREASURER: Azuma Nkemjika 
SECRETARY: Jennifer Dumore

MEMBERS AT LARGE:
Colleen Anderson
Diane Wreford
Pat Malanchuk
Tracey Silagy
Amanda Burke
Denise Chammartin