Lee Ann relocated back to Canada in 1999 with her two small children and landed in Canmore, Alberta. There she created and began her twenty year journey with her business “O’ Canada Soapworks” establishing a Retail, Wholesale and online business all while raising her two children alone and then with her new husband Jack who brought his three children to the marriage full time in one household! It was a busy couple of decades! Once Lee Ann sold her beloved business in December 2019, the decision and time was right to move to Cochrane! March 2020 welcomed Lee Ann, Jack and her father Don! Coincidentally it was the week of Covid lockdown so the rest of 2020 was pretty quiet, though Lee Ann still held ZOOM rehearsals for her two choirs in Canmore until May of 2021. As we all eased our way back into the public, her choirs began in person in the Fall of 2021, masking required. Anxious to establish something musically here in her new community of Cochrane, Lee Ann was approached by the founder of Cool Choir in Calgary to start up a branch in Cochrane, specifically and separately here, as opposed to a NW branch of Calgary! Those negotiations began in the Fall of 2021 and by the end of January 2022, Cool Choir Cochrane was born!! Quickly the choir began to take shape as Covid protocols were removed and in person gathering and singing without a mask could resume again! It was an incredible period of our history to experience and live through, especially for those in the music industry!
Cool Choir Cochrane ran successfully until June 2023! It was then rebranded as an independent choir called “Cochrane Sings!” in July of 2023. With the help of a few volunteers within the choir, Lee Ann has successfully grown the choir to an existing membership of 70 people, both women and men! And we are still growing!!!
Lee Ann’s goal here in Cochrane is to get the music out into the community to be enjoyed by everyone at a variety of community events and FOR community such as our Seniors homes. “Music should be shared and enjoyed by everyone. It is a fantastic way to connect us all.”
Lee Ann’s mission is help people experience the joy of singing in a group and to feel part of an exceptional musical community."Singing is as natural as breathing to all humans. It is not an entitlement, it is for everyone regardless of upbringing, social status, income, education, experience or talent”. Her requirements are that you love to sing and have fun! “Choir Magic” happens when a group of people come together and sing. “Everyone contributes and as a whole, we all become “one voice” in harmony together, in so many ways. The many health benefits are too numerous to list here, but suffice to say, you feel better for having music in your life, and will live your life happier, less stressful and physically and mentally healthier.”
As she says “what have you got to lose? You have everything and so much more to gain” Life is short, make your song and sing it!
Our Choir Director: Lee Ann DeCoteau
Lee Ann’s comfort on the stage began with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet at the age of four when she began her eight year journey with them!
Her musical career includes Musical Theatre, Vocal Jazz, performer with the ladies A Capella group “In The Pink” for over twenty years, multi instrumentalist playing the trumpet and ukulele, cruise ship performance, recording artist with record label Winter Garden Canada, Co Director of Choir CHORDillera in Canmore since 2013 and founder and director of her all male Men of the Mountains choir in Canmore since 2014. She began Cochrane Sings! in January of 2022, previously known as Cool Choir Cochrane. Lee Ann currently still performs with her own band, Fig Fusion, since 2005 and also plays trumpet and is the vocalist for Canmore’s Big Band, Cochrane’s Riverside Jazz and Calgary’s Razzama Jazz Big Band!