Central Region

CMYC 2011 Tour a Resounding Success!

Submitted by Al Thorleifson

The Central Manitoba Youth Choir 2011 began with the largest number of student auditions in years. In the end, fifty great singers met for rehearsals at Circle Square Ranch, with Liane Ouimet directing – Liane is a proud alumnus of CMYC, but we won’t say what years – and Loren Hiebert at the piano. Rehearsals were focused and the singers confident by the time the tour began.

The Youth Choir performed as a part of the evening concert at the Central Manitoba Choral Association Senior School Choral Workshop held Thursday, October 13th at the Winkler Bergthaler Mennonite Church.

The tour officially began with a Friday morning concert at Miami Collegiate. The second performance, at Cornerstone Church in Crystal City (as guest performers during the Central Manitoba Choral Association Junior School Choral Workshop) proved to be a mutual admiration society event. These performances are often the first time that young singers hear CMYC and set their goal to be, one day, a member themselves. Friday’s evening concert, at Manitou’s Opera House, was, as usual, a sound celebration. The Opera House is known among CMYC singers as one of the best sounding venues on the tours.

On Saturday morning, the choir sang for a coffee gathering at the Morden Friendship Centre, and the focus was really on friendly. The generally senior crowd was very appreciative of the repertoire and the exuberance of the group. Then, after an intimate concert at the Altona United Church, CMYC headed to Winnipeg’s Westminster United Church for a joint concert with Canzona as a part of this year’s Musical Growing Project for the Canada Foodgrains Bank. CMYC impressed with their focus, with their decorum, and with the excellence and versatility of their performance. Several audience members mentioned ‘shivers up their spines’.      

On Sunday, October 16, after a morning church service and concert with the Carman Mennonite Church congregation, CMYC proceeded to Winkler for the second of the Musical Growing Project concerts, again at the Winkler Bergthaler Mennonite Church.  

The surprise of the tour came at the Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church in Portage La Prairie. The church proved itself as a challenger to the Manitou Opera House, with wonderful acoustics – even to the point of overtones hanging in the air above the singers’ heads. Wonderful!

Monday’s concerts at MacGregor and Somerset Collegiate rounded out an excellent tour, with Liane and the choir members in group hugs and tears. The whirlwind of the end of tour does leave an emptiness; many of the choristers were already planning to meet at phc for a bit of a reunion, where their cranberry long-sleeved t-shirts are sure to reappear.

Plans are already underway for the Central Manitoba Youth Choir 2012 with Nathan Poole as director and Loren Hiebert at the piano. Applications will be available in March from school choral directors, or from Al and Loretta Thorleifson at athor@mymts.net.