The Citizen, 2018-08-30, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2018. PAGE 7.
Auburn choir continues to grow
The Glister Children’s Choir,
based in Auburn and led by Suzanne
MacVicar, has a big year ahead of it
and some exciting prospects waiting.
This is the choir’s fourth year and
MacVicar says this year’s work will
be leading up to the choir’s first-ever
individual performance at St.
George’s Anglican Church in
Goderich.
The choir will perform twice on
Saturday, Dec. 8, once in the
afternoon and then again in the
evening, welcoming a number of
special guest musicians to Huron
County for the show.
MacVicar says that while the
choir, which welcomes children
between the ages of seven and 15, is
no stranger to performing, this will
be the first time that the choir has
organized and headlined its own
concert, rather than appearing
alongside other, adult choirs.
She said that it’s exciting, but that
it will also be a lot of work in the
months leading up to the show, all
beginning with this season’s
registration and first rehearsal,
which are both scheduled for the
morning of Saturday, Sept. 8 at
Huron Chapel in Auburn.
Registration will run from 9:30-10
a.m. and the first rehearsal will begin
immediately, running 10-11:30 a.m.
While membership has been
steady over the past three years,
usually attracting between 30 and 35
children per year, MacVicar is
hoping for a slight increase in
numbers this year, saying that
having 40 children would be perfect
for the choir this season.
After the choir was founded in
2014, it has grown substantially
since. MacVicar says it has been one
of the great joys of her life to watch
some of her choir children mature
and gain confidence through
rehearsals, performances and
working with the other members of
the choir.
MacVicar says her inspiration
behind creating the choir was her
own experience in a choir when she
was a little girl. As a member of a
choir for 12 years that would travel
and perform extensively, she said
she wanted to bring the “universal
language” of music to the youth of
Huron County.
After she and her husband Wes
moved to Auburn, the two flirted
with the idea for a while before
actually pulling the trigger in 2014.
Wes, Suzanne says, has been crucial
to the development of the choir over
the years, but has done so in a
behind-the-scenes capacity, which is
how he prefers it.
In the years since the creation of
the choir, MacVicar says she feels
she has found the perfect age range
for members. With seven-year-old
members in the same choir as 15-
year-old singers, there is a built-in
mentorship infrastructure, she said,
where the younger members learn
from and look up to the older
members.
In the choir’s three years, the
members have not only worked
under the direction of MacVicar, but
they have also performed alongside
some of Huron County’s most
talented performers. The choir has
shared the stage with the Blyth
Festival Singers, the HuronSong
Choir and the Goderich
Harbouraires, to name a few, and
they have also been on The Livery
stage in Goderich. However, now,
with the help of Rector Kim Van
Allen at St. George’s, the choir’s
first headlining shows have now
officially been confirmed.
Registration for the choir is $80
for the year and those interested in
being part of the Glister Children’s
Choir for this season are encouraged
to come to Huron Chapel on Sept. 8,
e-mail suzmacvicar@gmail.com or
find the choir on Facebook for more
information on the choir and its
upcoming season.
Barn Dance Historical Society
P.O. Box 68,
Wingham, Ontario N0G 2W0
Phone: 519-530-8000
website: www.thebarndance.ca
Open Letter to the Reeve and Council, Township of North Huron
Box 90
Wingham, ON N0G 2W0
We read with interest, the article by Denny Scott in The Citizen last week (August 23) regarding “Museum decision
will have to wait for new Council”.
When we spoke last with Melissa Scott, Pool Supervisor, she noted that the Barn Dance Historical Society and
Museum would be kept in the loop regarding any decisions on the museum property. To date, that has not occurred,
so we were surprised to see the article in The Citizen as no dialogue has taken place with the Barn Dance Historical
Society.
Last March, we submitted some facts to Council on the Barn Dance Historical Society Museum and the Annual
Jamboree/Campout held in Blyth through Pat Newson, former Facilities Manager.
The sole reason in holding the Annual Jamboree/Campout in Blyth each year is to support the Barn Dance Historical
Society Museum in Wingham. Without the museum, we have no real reason to continue with this event.
The Barn Dance Historical Society has paid the Township of North Huron approximately $4,350 in rent for the
museum each year. This was waived by council in 2018 due to the closure of the building. In addition, our event
generates annual revenue for the Municipality of approximately $14,500 in facility charges.
The Barn Dance Historical Society also donates to various Blyth Community Groups including the Blyth Arena
Complex, Campgrounds, Blyth Lions and Blyth Festival Theatre, Huron Pioneer Threshers, Legion and others. To
date, we have donated $27,700 to these groups through our event.
Other economic spinoff of our event includes partnering with the Blyth Lions which is a major fundraiser for the club
and media advertising through Blyth Printing, The Citizen, CKNX and others, not to mention the increased tourism
for Blyth and the County. We have people attend our event from British Columbia and Newfoundland.
We are asking Council for assistance to be included with any museum deliberation and decisions. Both the Municipal
Museum and the Barn Dance Historical Society Museum complement each other. We invite you to take a look at
some pictures of the Barn Dance Museum at www.thebarndance.ca. Click on “Museum” in the header.
Without the Barn Dance Historical Society Museum, the Jamboree/Campout held in Blyth each May is in jeopardy.
The Barn Dance Historical Society is open to suggestions from council and/or any citizen where we might relocate
and maintain our history and the Annual Jamboree/Campout in Blyth.
Ruth Baxter David Wall
President Museum Chairman
On behalf of the Board of Directors
c.c. Dwayne Evans, CAO, Township of North Huron
“CANADA’S LARGEST TRAVELLING BARN DANCE”
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Leading
Suzanne MacVicar, centre, says there are some exciting
opportunities for the Auburn-based Glister Children’s Choir
this year. (Photo submitted)
New tradition
Caitlin McKercher is the
first runner-up ever for
the Huron County
Princess competition,
held last week. (Denny Scott
photo)