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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1983-01-19, Page 134 Serving over„25,000 homes in Listowel, Wingham, Mount Forest, Milverton, Elmira, Palmerston, Harriston, Brussels, Atwood. Monkton, Millbank, Newton, Clifford, Wallenstein, Drayton, Moorefield and Arthur. Wednesday, January, 19, 1983 miumuluiusummiusumumumumumur Durham woods unlikely place for a chair school by Cori Martir It's a snowy, icy winter evening on a country road about five miles west off Durham. To the left, a thatch of trees gives way to a dipping Janeway. Among the crowding trees beyond is a clearing. Yellow light spills from the windows of a long, log building. The cedary scent of a cozy fire wafts over the air. Then a mysterious sound breaks the stillness. "To thee all angels cry aloud ... All the earth doth worship thee.” The piercingly clear voices of boy sopranos float among the trees. It's a most unexpected place to hear a choir practising. `It's even more surprising that it is a men's and boys' choir. But this is the unlikely setting for one of the area's most exciting cultural endeavors: the St. Stephen's Choir practises here and the woodland setting will eventually be home for the boys of St. Stephen's Choir School. Brainchild of Ronald W. Howell, this nine- year-old choir, currently composed of 25 boys and men, practises in a rustic, two - room lodge which the boys helped construct. The lodge, situated on 17 acres of land off Highway 4, between Durham and Hanover, is the first of a group of larger buildings, in- cluding dormitories, a chapel complex and classrooms, which will eventually form the nucleus of the choir school. Mr. Howell's goal is to attract about 100 boarding and day students from across the continent. The present structure houses a practice room, its walls lined with books and hung with framed brass rubbings, and a games room complete with pool table and ping pong table. Big, black wood -burning stoves heat both rooms. A pipe organ, purchased from St. Paul's Anglican Church in Mount Forest, is currently stored in a nearby shed, waiting to be put to use. Construction on the next building is scheduled to begin this summer. St. Stephen's Choir is not affiliated with any church or organization so the proposed school is financed entirely by charitable donations from interested persons. A board of three members oversees the ad- ministrative challenges of establishing such a school: Mr. Howell is president, Herman Maes of Ayton is vice president, and Helen Whitmore of Durham is secretary - treasurer. Herman Maes, who founded Ayton's remarkable Soli Deo Gloria concert series, is largely responsible for convincing Mr. Howell, ' at that time organist and choir- master at Christ Church, Hamilton, to buy the Durham property. TRAINED AT NEW COLLEGE, OXFORD Between his choir duties, Mr. Howell is organist at two churches, in Durham and Hanover, teaches piano at The Music Place, and tunes pianos. A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Howell heard his first large men's and boys' choir when he was 14. As a young organ student. he was attending an organists' national convention in New York City and was im- mediately impressed with the unique tone and capabilities of men's and boys' choirs. Mr. Howell continued his musical studies and did graduate work in organ and choral music at New College, University of Oxford, where men's and boys' choirs are the norm. After university Mr. Howell was organist at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, New York City, followed by his Hamilton post. But. his real goal was to establish a boys' private choir school based on the English models like St, Paul's Cathedral Choir School and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. Finally convinced of the area's merits, Mr. Howell purchased the plot of land on which to huild his dream. PRACTICES ARE DISCIPLINED The choir is open to boys from age eight "until their voices change". One member declares proudly that, though his speaking voice has changed he has maintained his high singing voice. When their voices change the young men are welcome to stay on to carry the bass and tenor parts. The influence of "the English school" is evident at a practice session, right down to the cathedral -style choir stalls which force the singers to stand for the duration of the hour -and -a -half -long rehearsal. "Randy, do you want your stool?" Mr. Howell asks one of the youngest members who is too small to see over the choir stall. —Once Randy is firmly stationed on his pedestal, the practice begins. Tonight the choir is learning new music: "0 Sacred Feast" by Healey Wilton; "Communion Service in G" by Francis Jackson; "Te Deum" by Stanford, and 'some Handel: While the choir is non -denominational, it performs mostly in churches and sings only liturgical music. "Open up as if you were yawning," Mr. Howell commands. "Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving," the choir responds, obediently. The rapidity with, which the choristers learn is impressive and when their director asks, "Who would like to be the soloist for this piece?" hands shoot up eagerly. A solid hour of intensive practising has passed in no time. There is no horseplay once the rehearsal has begun and the discipline is admirable. Following the practice, the atmosphere is more relaxed, however. There are a few moments of chatter as the group plans this year's summer tour. "There's a chance we may go to the States again," notes Mr. Howell. "California," suggests one hopeful chorister. Then the performance of a new member, Akbar Hassan, is evaluated. Young Akbar, a soprano, has joined the choir because, he reveals shyly, "My report card said I have an excellent singing voice." Akbar, a native of England, was expecting to. attend St. Paul's Choir School in London until his family moved to Canada, Mr. Howell in- forms the group. Another singer, David Creese of Holstein, announces that Akbar "did really well." Then there are ten minutes "to play". Row by orderly row, the boys file out of the, practice room and then make a mad dash for the games room where the atmosphere is more like that of a rowdy boys' club. EN—.10Y FRIENDSHIPS, TRAVEL It's this balance of disciplined singing and relaxed fun that the boys seem to ap- preciate. Tom McGilveary of Chesley has sung soprano with the choir for two years. He says the choir offers a great opportunity for meeting other boys. "It's fun, it's something different to do," explains Norman Tumak of Hanover, a fourth-year chorister. "And it helps you learn to sing. Kevin Spiesz of Durham, a seven-year veteran of the choir, points out another advantage: "You get to travel a lot." Kevin, 15 years old, is the only remaining member of the group that toured England, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands back when he was the youngest singer. Each year the choir takes a summer tour. A pamphlet describing the choir's activities shows photos of the choristers in procession in- England, rollicking on the Atlantic seashore, atop the ramparts of Allington Castle, Maidstone, England, and performing at Christ Church, Tom's River, New Jersey. They have sung in eastern Ontario, in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City, and throughout the U.S. eastern seaboard. } I ' :....... •nor"�J:{+,Y The choir also sings locally. "Basically, we sing whenever we're asked," laughs 15 -year-old Stephen Eadie, in his third year with the group and current head chorister. That inherent love of singing and a willingness to dedicate oneself to it are the only prerequisites for participation in the choir. "Each new member undergoes a simple voice test," notes Mr. Howell, "just to see if he can carry a tune. About two-thirds of the boys have some musical experience." Several choristers have sung in junior choir at their churches or have taken guitar or piano lessons, but no previous musical education is required. Many of the boys do not come from musical families and, unlike many similar organizations, the choir does not appear to cater to any misguided notions From an audience suggestion of "Blind Date" camejthie sea- ACME Harpoon Company which is performing at the Bavarian board romance between Deborah Jarvis with the cold and Wally Inn, Elmira. The dinner theatre includes a full course meal and Ifolodinski with seasickness. The actors are members of the the show. of prestige. The boys have not been pushed into singing by "stage parents". "I read about it in the flyer they gave us at school and I thought it sounded like a lot of fun because I like to sing," recalls alto Norman Tumak. Tom McGilveary insists his parents had nothing to do with his decision to attend. "I read the pamphlet. It was my idea to join." Stephen Eadie admits that his Irish father was "a very good tenor" and his mother was a church organist, but he was not pushed into singing either. The unanimous opinion among the boys is that the choir is simply great fun and several have already declared their in- tentions of staying on until they are adults. If their intentions are sincere, the choir will have a solid foundation of basses and tenors to add to the number of men who already carry those parts. The young choristers of St. Stephen's Choir (above) burst forth in song at a re- cent practice in the lodge they helped build near Durham. Charles and David Creese of Holstein,help a. new member,. Akbar Hassan, feel welcome at the choir's .recent practice session, (left). Ronald Howell (right), the choir's founder and director for' nine years, leads the boys through a maze of new pieces at a recent practice. DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE MISSING Although music is often overlooked by boys and men who want to be hockey stars, the St. Stephen's boys are genuinely mystified by boys who don't want to sing in a choir. "I think they're just afraid to try it," charges Tom McGilveary. "They've gotta be missing a few brains," adds Norman Tumak, succinctly. . "Our German boy was afraid to join . because he thought he would be made fun of at school ... but when he join&d the choir he found they didn't laugh at hint at all," Mr. Howell notes. Non -singing boys simply "don't know what they're missing," says Kevin Spiesz, shaking his head. The singers clearly derive a great deal of enjoyment from the group, but the choir is able to offer a great deal more than pleasure., "Because of his services as a choirboy, a boy forms habits ' of responsibility, regularity, concentration, punctuality, and obedience," Mr. Howell has written. "He acquires a good education in the rudiments of music and the art of singing, he becomes familiar with .much of the finest choral literature and, because of this training, he leaves the choir much better equipped to face the future than do many other boys of his own age." Perhaps it's the trainjng, or maybe the choir simply attracts only the best, but St. Stephen's boys are refreshingly friendly, well-mannered and enthusiastic. If these are the results which can be expected, it is to be hoped that not one minute is lost in firmly establishing the St. Sthen's Choir School. Boys wishing to join St. Stephen's Choir should contact Ronald ]Jowell, St. Stephen's Choir, Box 920, Durham, Ont. NOG 1110, or phone The Music Place, 364-2432. Patrons wishing to make a donation to the school should write to St. Stephen's School, Box 920, Durham, Ont., NOG IRO. Bizarre dinner theatre troupe sets audiences howling The ACME Harpoon Company by Kim Dadson After the great success of the Elmira and Woolwich Community Theatre Workshop's dinner theatre at the Bavarian Tavern, owner of the tavern Albert Norris decided that permanent dinner theatre was what the area residents wanted. The success of his first weekend present- ing the ACME Harpoon Company, sold out the first Saturday evening, may prove Mr. Norris is on the right track.. The young comedy troupe, now playing at the restaurant located south of Elmira had just completed more than three months of performances at Old Angelo's Restaurant and Tavern in Toronto. Mr. Norris visited Toronto taking in many dinner theatres be- fore booking the ACME Harpoon Company. Billed as A Zany and Hilarious improv Comedy Show, the company has opened this new venture at the Bavarian on a light note. They present a series of sketches on an open stage using very few props and the humor, similar to Toronto's Second City, is quick and was well accepted by the premiere audience. The Company uses an elevated stage so even those sitting at the hack can see the action on stage. The lack of an elevated stage was one of the problems of the Elmira and Woolwich Community Theatre's pre- sentation Arsenic and Old Lace. For a very young group, however, it was the only minor complaint, The Harpoon Company includes Richard Dumont, Joe C'hilco. Deborah Jarvis. Deborah Kimmett and Wally Kolodinski. Mr. Dumont promises that the show changes slightly with each performanceand their localizing of material. naming local bars and towns was appreciated by the audience. After the series of skits. the group gets the audience to help with their improvisational material. Suggest; ons from the audience are taken. worked on and then presented. Then even more impromptu. the audience gives the first line of•a scene and the group im- mediately stai is a skit. Albert Norris. who purchased the Bavarian New Year's Day after managing it for a year for the' mortgage holder, has started the dinner theatre venture as an al- ternative for those people who drive to To- ronto to take in theatre. Ile plans to bring the theatre here instead. Evenings begin with cocktails in lounges (smoking and non-smoking) at 6 p.m. followed by a full course dinner at 6:30 p.m. and a show from 8 to 10 p.m. approximately. The ACME Harpoon Company will be at the Bavarian until the end of the month. possibly longer depending on how the show• is received. The show runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.