At a rehearsal room in Casa, a circle of voices gathers. Led by alumna and educator Regan Brooks (BMus, BEd '12), Ventus Women's Choir continues to inspire artistic excellence through their distinct sound and passionate performances.
Founded in 2015 by Regan, the Choir is dedicated to celebrating and advancing women's choral repertoire. Regan grew up singing in the Medicine Hat College Girls' Choir and discovered a love for treble choral music, inspiring her to take a step further into creating and leading her own choir.
"At that time, there was not a vehicle for women in Lethbridge to sing more challenging repertoire written for treble voices," she says. "As a musician in Lethbridge, and singing in many ensembles over the years I was able to recruit enough ladies to form a group."
A Choral Group for Women's Voices
From the start, Regan knew Ventus Women's Choir had something special. The community ensemble focuses on works written for treble voices, presenting a repertoire that uplifts, inspires and highlights the expressive range of women’s voices in choral music. From early music to contemporary works and newly commissioned pieces, Ventus is committed to expanding the presence of women’s choral artistry while connecting audiences to meaningful musical experiences.
"Over the years we have become known for our classical-contemporary repertoire and inspiring our audiences through our music and programming. Ventus has collaborated with established ensembles and artists as well as have placed provincially and at a national level for their unique sound."
"I have been the proud conductor and artistic director for Ventus for 10 years now and currently we our very fortunate to have Cheryl Emery-Karapita as our pianist and Karen Hudson as our assistant conductor," Regan adds.
From top placements at the National Music Festival to standout performances at the Rocky Mountain Music Festival and the Kantorei Choral Festival, plus being named finalists with honourable mention in the CBC Radio National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs, Ventus continues to excel as a choral group.
This spring, Ventus will head to Victoria, B.C., where they will take the stage at the Podium Choral Conference and Festival, the country’s premier gathering for choral music. One of just twenty invited choirs, Ventus will represent not only Lethbridge, but a broader vision of what women’s voices can hold.
Commissioned Works and Collaboration
At the heart of their program is a world premiere: Mother Wolf, a newly commissioned work by Canadian composer Sarah Quartel. The piece is the culmination of a conversation that began in 2023, when Regan first approached Sarah with the idea of creating something for Ventus.
What followed was not just a collaboration, but a convergence of stories. Shortly after those initial plans were made, Regan's life shifted. Her husband became seriously ill, and in the months that followed, she navigated grief and loss. In the wake of that experience, she made the decision, encouraged by those around her, to share her story with Sarah — becoming the foundation of Mother Wolf.
"Our conversation and sharing is what ultimately became the catalyst for this piece. As a part of her creative process, she invited Ventus members to send her written reflections on women who have taught us and inspired us. As an acknowledgement to them, we see them and honour their struggles, their journeys and how they have helped shaped us."
Using their reflections, Sarah wrote the lyrics in a way that pays tribute to those that have guided and inspired the Choir.
"What emerged from these discussions was the idea of resilience — where does this come from? How do we learn to have resilience in the face of trauma? Who teaches us? We reflected on the fact that often, we learn how to be resilient by seeing it modelled by others, often women, in our lives — mentors, teachers, sisters, mothers," Sarah says.
"What Regan and her choristers sent me was more profound, touching and educating than I ever could have hoped for. I felt like I had been gifted a guidebook to life from sisters I’d never met. I studied their responses, reflected on the meaning, and let their words be the inspiration for this text," adds Sarah.
"This piece is very powerful and personal, and our goal is to inspire our audiences no matter where they are in their own healing journeys and to know that 'you are seen'," Regan adds.
This same intentionality shapes the rest of Ventus' Podium Choral Conference repertoire. Alongside Mother Wolf, Ventus will perform works by Sherryl Sewepagaham, including nitohtamok askîy (Listen to the Land) and kahkiyaw oskâyak (All the Young People).
Sherryl’s music is grounded in Cree language and musical traditions, expanding the Choir’s program into a broader reflection of place, honouring Alberta’s cultural landscape and contributing to the evolving voice of Canadian choral music.
In Victoria, Ventus will perform at venues including the University of Victoria, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, and the Royal BC Museum. Each space offers a different acoustic, different audience and a different moment to connect.
A Lethbridge Send Off
Artistic Director Regan Brooks (left) and the Lethbridge fundraiser concert poster (right).
Before they go, there is one more gathering at home. On Friday, May 8, the Choir will host a send-off concert at the Galt Museum & Archives. The show will feature Ventus' repertoire for Podium alongside the premiere of Sarah's piece.
Looking ahead, the group is booked and busy as they plan a collaboration with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra next spring and participate in a new choral festival in Calgary, Choral Convergence.
Regan says Ventus Women's Choir is always excited to welcome new members — interested singers can reach out and set up an audition in June.