HISTORY

The Tucson Women’s Chorus has celebrated the joy and community of singing together since 2002.

Tucson Women's Chorus was founded by Karleena Ravenwood in 2002 to help women “find their voice” in song. Her vision was to create a chorus that was musically, financially, and physically accessible to all women.

All women who liked to sing were welcome, and auditions were not held. Learning by ear was emphasized and written music was not used during rehearsals. The group thrived not only as singers, but also as a community.

Karleena directed the chorus until October 2015, when she had to withdraw due to her health, but she continued to work behind the scenes until shortly before her death in August 2016. Her vision and passion shaped TWC into the chorus it is today and continues to influence its present and future.

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After Karleena's passing, members wondered whether the chorus could continue.

But in the wake of their loss, the women of TWC bound together and kept the chorus strong  thanks to, like a shining ray of hope, a leading member named Catherine Shaw. Catherine agreed to lead the chorus for several more years. 

Then came the pandemic, where the chorus fell silent for some months, again, its future threatened.

For over a year singers dared not gather to sing, but Catherine bravely led two short singing series online, allowing us to SING together even when we could not BE together.  In the latter of these, she chose the appropriately inspiring Rising Appalachia song “I Am Resilient,” which the chorus had sung together in a prior year.

A short time later, Catherine decided to end her time with TWC and move on to new adventures, we wondered whether the chorus could survive once again. 

In yet another miracle, an experienced and energetic choral director, Natalie Killom, presented herself to us just a few months later.  

Since then, little by little, and most of all thanks to her skilled and loving leadership, talent, and passion for our chorus, we are thriving once again.  We are learning to trust our resilience and thrilled to grow and change once again under Natalie.