The Citizen, 2005-11-03, Page 22PAGE 22 THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2005.
Friends to pay tribute to Mary Hearn THE HEART-HEALTHY
TOP TEN LIST
Local music lovers are joining together to honour the late
Mary Hearn of Clinton, in a concert at Blyth Memorial Hall,
Nov. 19. (Photo submitted)
By Shelley McPhee Haist
Special to The Citizen
“My life flows on in endless
song..."
So begin the words to an old hymn
and folk song. Those words come to
mind when one considers the life of
Mary Hearn of Clinton. To the many
people who knew Hearn, and
enjoyed sharing with her love of
music, they will continue with the
song "...how can 1 keep from
singing.”
Known throughout Huron County
for over 40 years as a vocal soloist,
choral conductor, band leader and
harpist. Hearn touched many lives of
Huron County residents and beyond.
Bravely she passed away in the
spring of 2005 of pancreatic cancer.
Still, her life goes on in endless song
and her love of music will be
celebrated at a special concert to be
held on Saturday. Nov. 19 at 7:30
p.m., at the Blyth Memorial Hall.
Hearn’s love of music has touched
the lives of countless people and in
return, more than 150 performers
will join in the evening performance
to pay tribute to her musical legacy
in an extraordinary night of singing,
music and memories.
Musical guests at the tribute
concert will include the Blyth
Festival Singers, the MacKay
Choristers of Goderich, the Wesley-
Willis/Ontario Street United Church
Choirs of Clinton, the Kincardine
Brass Band, the Huron Harp
Ensemble, soprani) soloist Renee
Stalcnhoef, flutist Kelly Dearlovc,
pianist and harpist Sharon Johnston,
and the Blyth Festival Orchestra.
This will be one of (he first times
that all these accomplished musical
groups and individuals will perform
together at one event, and all will
attest that Mary Hearn was an
important musical influence in their
lives.
“Music was her life.” notes
daughter Linda Street of Clinton,
ho now directs the Wesley Willis
i mlcd Church choir, a position held
In hci mother for more than 30
years.
It was no accident that Hearn was
a gifted musician. She came from a
long line of musical family
members. Her mother played the
organ and her father led the choir at
a church in llderton. While Hearn
took piano lessons as a young girl,
her pure soprano voice was her
instrument of choice.
As a young girl she enjoyed doing
solo work in community and church,
and eventually found her love lor
choral singing with groups like the
Earle Terry Singers.
“In choir you can make bigger
music than you could ever make by
yourself." daughter Nancy Ross
says.
Hearn was a soft-spoken and shy
person, and music served as a
catalyst for her to meet and connect
with others. Particularly, choral
singing gave her an opportunity to
express her love of singing and her
interest in people and community
without having to be in the spotlight.
Along with directing church
choirs Hearn assisted her sister Irla
Stewart of Goderich in directing the
MacKay Choristers senior choir.
Hearn was also a member of the
Blyth Festival Singers for more than
20 years and served as president of
the choir, and is fondly remembered
for assisting the directors through
the years and teaching the choir the
complicated runs in Handel’s
Messiah.
"At her core was choral singing
and directing the church choir,”
remembers Ross
Along with raising hci musual
children and helping husband Bill
I learn at his ( linlon business. Epps
Manufacturing in Clinton. Hearn
taught mtisn. at
w as m\ olx cd m directing
community musicals
those musicals are
highlights ol lamtlx
/■<////</)//( As. l/\ Tair Lads. (
and l)oll\. Pirates <>/ Penzance.
As well, she lox cd pulling together
massive Christmas concerts and
church musicals complete with sets,
costumes, staging and lights.
She directed a number ol sacred
junior choir musicals al church with
titles like Jonah. Babble al Babel,
and Psalty the Singing Songbook.
She also discox cred Webber and
Rice’s Joseph and his Amazing
Technicolour Dreamcoat long before
it reached Broadway. She and the
junior choir at Wesley-Willis first
performed it as a cantala, then later
with a cast ol puppets.
Hearn was always enthusiastic to
tackle large musical projects. In
recent years she ably look on the role
of choral director for the Blyth
Festival's hit production. The
Outdoor Donnellys, organizing more
than 48 performances over three
years with a choir of 40 members.
Her gentle spirit and natural gift of
music was shared with community
all through her life. It was an
essential part of her being and she
always found harmony in love of
family and love of community life
through music.
Love ol music was always part of
Hearn's life. In fad. much to her
parents' relief she married a young
man who also had an interest in
music, and played trumpet, and
together they raised
all who have made
their lives.
Street is a church
and member of the
Singers. She plays piano and flute.
Son. Don. is a tenor soloist. Son,
Steve, plays percussion, baritone,
tuba and sings in choirs. Ross is an
elementary school music teacher.
She leads the Kincardine Brass
Band, plays trombone and is an
accomplished handbell soloist. Son,
Jeff, is a member of the Wesley
Willis Church Choir, the Blyth
Festival Singers and plays cornel.
Hearn continued to learn and
study. When her children were small
she completed her studies in Grade 8
piano. At the age of 57. she fulfilled
another dream, to attend university
and she studied literature, history
and harp at the University of
Western Ontario.
Hearn became an accomplished
harpist and was often seen, and
heard, making beautiful music on
her large pedal harp. She performed
al concerts, weddings and joined
with other harpists. She loved
learning and found another
expression for her musical talents
when she took to composing and
arranging music through computer
programming. She was the
webmaster ol the Wesley-Willis
Church w'cbsitc for many years.
Whether she was sewing costumes
m Clinton.
local schools and
numerous
Memories ol
among the
life I lie
( i IIS'S
five children -
music part of
choir director
Blyth Festival.
Training students today creates a pool of
skilled workers for tomorrow
PASSPORT
“Prosperity
To find out more about offering high school students work experience contact the
Foundation for Enriching Education Perth Huron
at 519-527-0111 ext 231 or visit www foundationforeducation on ca
Sponged by the Oniano learning Partnership Group and the Provincial Partnership Cuunot:
Suppuritd by The Ontario Ministry o! Educator- and The Ontario Mimslry ol Training, Colleges and University
for
song*. to perform .it
lesiiv.il Singers' annual
"m o. or plannimj
exchange Inp loi the
' hoi o'cis. I Icarn's life w.is
touched I'x music.
She is icincinbercd by the
MacKay ( hortslers for her warmth
and her smile She is remembered by
the Blyth Icstixal Singers lor her
rich alto xoicc She is remembered
by the church choir for the
spirituality and meaning she brought
out in the music. She is remembered
by family fora life tilled with music,
especially the Christmas gatherings
when everyone joined m an old
family tradition of singing The
Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's
Messiah.
The Nov. 19 concert will celebrate
Hearn's many gifts and bring once
more the gift of music to
community. The concert takes place
at 7:30 p.m. al Blyth Memorial Hall.
Tickets arc: adults $15 ($20 at the
door), children 12 and under $10.
Tickets at Blyth Festival Box Office
523-9300 or I-877-862-5984.
All concert proceeds will go to the
Ontario Pancreas Cancer Study.
a musical prodiK (ion. arranging
C'- to perform al the Blvth
Scottish
musical
MacKay
al xx ay s
(N(')-While there's no such thing
as a “miracle food,’’ there are
certain foods that everyone should
fruit,
whole
try to eat more of
vegetables, legumes, and
grains. Terrific for heart health,
they provide nutrients such as
vitamins, beta carotene, lycopene,
plant sterols, folic acid, and fibre.
1 Broccoli. For vitamin C, beta
carotene, folic acid.
2 Cantaloupe. For vitamins A
and C and beta carotene.
; Beans or legumes. For protein,
iron, plant sterols, folic acid, and
fibre r
4 Sweet Potatoes. For vitamins
A and C. beta carotene,
potassium, and fibre.
5. Salmon, tuna, rainbow trout.
For omega 3 latty acids.
6. Spinach, kale, swiss chard.
For vitamins A and C, beta
carotene, calcium, folic acid, and
fibre.
7. Oranges. Foi xitamin C, folic
acid, and fibre.
8. Tomatoes. For lycopene.
9. Wholegrain breads and cereals.
For vitamin B and fibre
10. Soybeans and soy products.
For B vitamins, isoflavones, and
plant sterols.
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Winter books are here
Many early booking bonuses available
Call for details!
Ontario Reg. it 50006589
BREAKFAST BUFFET
Sunday, November 6
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
$Q95
(Children under 10 - 1/2 price)
Stickers Family Restaurant
Auburn 526-7759
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28/06 - 2pm
— BLYTH MEMORIAL HALL—
Tickets available at
Blyth Festival Office, Blyth General Store,
Ernie King Music (Goderich & Wingham),
Dixie Lee in Clinton. Credit Card Orders:
1-800-465-7829