Biographies
Rainbow Harmony Project
The Rainbow Harmony Project is a community-based chorus, established for the enjoyment, education, and cultural enrichment of its members and audience. The chorus seeks to foster spirit and pride in Winnipeg’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community, and to present a positive image to the community at large.
Founded in September 1999, Rainbow Harmony Project is welcomes members of the straight community, and is open to all irrespective of their musical ability. No auditions are held. The choir’s repertoire includes classical, folk, show tunes, spirituals, anthems and popular music. Each year, the choir holds two concerts. The first, “Many Gifts,” is a seasonal concert held in December and the second, a Spring Concert, is held in May.
In addition, the choir performs at various events throughout the city. Rainbow Harmony Project has also had the opportunity to perform outside of Winnipeg including the cities of Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Saskatoon and Vancouver.
RHP meets every Monday 7-9:30 PM at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Winnipeg at 603 Wellington Crescent. All are welcome!
The choir is accompanied by Rob Lindey and directed by Vic Hooper.
Vic Hooper, artistic director
Bachelor of Music, Certificate in Commercial Art, Pre-Masters certificate in Education (drama). His professional career began by teaching general and choral music and art in The St. James-Assiniboia School Division in Winnipeg, MB. For the last 16 years in the school system, Vic held the position of Coordinator of Music.
His choirs have won many awards including the Beth Douglas Trophy for the best school choir in the Winnipeg Music Festival, and many gold medals at Provincial and National Festivals and competitions.
He has held board and committee positions with such organizations as Manitoba Choral Association, Winnipeg Music Festival, and Prairie Voices Inc.
In his "retirement" he continues to work with choirs as director and clinician as well as further developing his love for all things computer oriented specifically graphics and website design.
Vic lives in a downtown modernized Victorian home with his partner Pieter Jongbloed.
Rob Lindey, accompanist
Rob studied piano with Ralph Elsaesser at the Royal Conservatory of Music and Myrtle Rose Guerrero at the University of Toronto. He is a founding member of the Rainbow Harmony Project and has accompanied the choir since its inception. Rob also accompanies the Unitarian Universalist Church choir as well as singers and instrumentalists in Winnipeg.
Active in promoting LGBTT rights, Rob was a member of the Board of Directors of EGALE and a founding member of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity conference of the Manitoba Bar Association. A lawyer by profession, Rob retired as Senior Crown Counsel with the Department of Justice Canada in 2009, but still maintains a private law practice.
Rob lives near Niverville with his husband, David, several whippets and a Maine Coon cat.
