The Okanagan Festival Singers, under the direction of Leroy Wiens, has developed into one of the foremost choral ensembles in the B.C. Interior. They have created their own unique place in the hearts of Okanagan audiences with their biennial baroque performances of Handel's Messiah.

Leroy Wiens founded the OFS in the spring of 1986 for a performance of Handel's Israel in Egypt with the Elmer Iseler Singers of Toronto. The choir has been making inspired music ever since and are looking forward to this 20th season together in 2006-2007! In celebration of this 20th Anniversary the choir is thrilled to bring back to the stage Handel's Israel in Egypt.

The OFS repertoire includes many large choral-orchestral works such as, Mozart's Requiem, Bach's Magnificat, Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, Haydn's Creation, and Brahms's Ein Deutsches Requiem. The OFS also performs acappella concerts featuring a vast assortment of musical works spanning six centuries. In addition to two major concerts each season, the OFS has participated in a number of other events such as touring the Valley with Frank Mills for three of his Christmas tours, performing in the Kelowna Mozart Festival, performing in the annual Showcase of Choirs and participating in the recent Testimonies Holocaust Commemorative concert. Our dedicated members attend weekly rehearsals in Kelowna and commute from as far south as Okanagan Falls and north to Revelstoke.

OFS has recently performed their 20th anniversary concerts in Kelowna and Vernon with performances of Israel in Egypt.