For 77 years, the Moose Jaw Rotary Club has been producing a festival of carols to get local residents involved in the spirit of the Christmas season.
The two or three day festival is a time for school and community choirs to showcase their musical talents in singing favourite Christmas hymns or the more secular songs that are often accompanied by a bit of choreography. Over the years the festival has also included instrumental groups along with the choirs, offering a full range of talent.
A nightly collection from the audience helps the club pay festival expenses and perhaps have some money left over for other comments projects.
But the festival can’t function without choirs and the call has gone out for more choirs to offer to perform so the festival can maintain a two-evening program and hopefully, expand to three evenings.
Reduced musical programs in some schools and over-worked faculty members have definitely affected the availability of choirs. The Rotarians might already be extending their reach in search of performers but perhaps they could reach a bit further afield: rural schools might just have some glee clubs whose members would love to participate in such a renowned festival — a bit like the one-room school concerts of the past.
Seniors’ choirs, community choirs, music festival performers as singles or groups, even some small local bands should be aspiring to perform in the acoustic magnificence of the sanctuary of Zion United Church.
The carol festival is an opportunity for the community to enjoy the on-stage performances and it also gives the audience an opportunity to exercise their vocal chords in the sing-a-long that takes place between acts. No one ever minds an occasional off-key rendition of Jingle Bells or Silent Night.
And who can ever resist smiling in delight at the youngster in the front row who never once looks at the director but knows exactly where family members are sitting and sends enthusiastic waves in their direction.
At a Carol Festival a few years ago, the master of ceremonies for the program approached a young boy who had sung with fervour, and asked him: “where are you going from here?”
The reply: “I’m going to McDonald’s and then home.”
The MC should have stopped there but he asked: “did you enjoy being here with your classmates?”
“I like McDonald’s more,” was the reply that resulted in loud applause and an appreciative bow from the youngster.
Anyone who knows of choirs or suitable performers is encouraged to call 306-631-8714 to help the Rotarians maintain this popular Christmas tradition.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
