My tribute this week is to choirs, but more in particular to Catherine Glasser-Climie my very first choir director. When I was 7 years old my parents had me audition for a professional children's choir in Calgary. It was called Mount Royal Junior Children's choir.
In one word I'd sum Catherine up as having class. She was also beautiful, talented, warm, entertaining, kind but she did have class. When you were in her presence you wanted watch her every move and to be just like her. She knew how to bring out the best in all of us like nobody I've ever met. She expected high things from all 92 of us and in return we wanted to be our best self, sing our best, smile, stand tall, be on time, have our music ready, look our best (in our uniforms) and make her proud.
I spent hours each week in rehearsals, at Saturday morning workshops, retreats to Banff once a year, trips to compete in festivals, lots of performances, we recorded tapes, we sung the Canadian National anthem at a Flames Hockey games, appeared on Morning television news shows and were even invited to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York...and that is barely touching the surface of it all.
The Hallelujah Chorus will always hold a special place in my heart as we sang it each year at an annual Christmas concert with the adolescent choir, the adult choir and full orchestra. It was amazing! It was a 5 year experience that helped mold me into who I am, it taught me so many life lessons beyond just music and truly impacted my life.
In one word I'd sum Catherine up as having class. She was also beautiful, talented, warm, entertaining, kind but she did have class. When you were in her presence you wanted watch her every move and to be just like her. She knew how to bring out the best in all of us like nobody I've ever met. She expected high things from all 92 of us and in return we wanted to be our best self, sing our best, smile, stand tall, be on time, have our music ready, look our best (in our uniforms) and make her proud.
I spent hours each week in rehearsals, at Saturday morning workshops, retreats to Banff once a year, trips to compete in festivals, lots of performances, we recorded tapes, we sung the Canadian National anthem at a Flames Hockey games, appeared on Morning television news shows and were even invited to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York...and that is barely touching the surface of it all.The Hallelujah Chorus will always hold a special place in my heart as we sang it each year at an annual Christmas concert with the adolescent choir, the adult choir and full orchestra. It was amazing! It was a 5 year experience that helped mold me into who I am, it taught me so many life lessons beyond just music and truly impacted my life.
Catherine has since founded the Cantaré Children's Choir Program. Here is a LINK to her website. What I wouldn't give to go and see her in action again or sing under her direction, or better yet, put Lydia in one of her choirs. Oooh just the thought of that makes me giddy!
Since my years in MRJCC I have sung with Ms. Reeves (SOJHS), Mrs. Kirby(BHS), Institute choirs, (WSU) Evelyn Harris (Memorial Park Ward) and now I am singing with the Norman Stake Christmas adult choir (Andrea Avance).
My newest out of comfort zone experience in life is conducting a Young Woman's stake choir. Eeek! Me conducting?!? Teenagers!?! Double eeek! My specialty is toddlers and primary aged children. I like teenage girls but I won't lie, this assignment makes me nervous & one that will make me stretch. My first rehearsal starts Oct 22nd. I hope I can make it into a good experience for the girls. I sure have had amazing examples in my life to pattern after and I thank them and my parents for channeling my talent to opportunities that have helped me grow.
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