Finally, here is the promised Origins of the York Region Community Choir post.
The Executive of the YRCC recently did a bit of
house-cleaning and found a history of the choir which described the origins of
our choir.
“In 1995, after the York Regional Police Male Chorus was
formed, Sheryl Mac Phail and Wendy Evenden Loney, female members of the York
Regional Police, created the York Regional Choir as a mixed choir which would welcome
men and women employed by the York Regional Police as well as members of the
surrounding community. By January of 1996, they had a director and an
accompanist, and by late spring of that year, the choir performed. At the
request of the organizers of the Celebration of the 200th Birthday
of Yonge Street, the choir performed an original composition written especially
for the occasion by choir member Roy Hamilton at the Holland Landing portion of
the celebration.
In 1998 a choir constitution was passed and the choir became
known as the York Region Community Choir.
The first executive was lead by Wendy Loney as President, with Marlene
Shruiff as Vice-President, Thelma Evenden as Secretary-Treasurer and Roy
Hamilton for Public Relations.“
Since then, the choir has undergone several changes as
directors and accompanists have come and gone.
At the moment, there are only a few members from those formative
years. The constitution has been updated
but we have maintained a focus on singing a variety of music that reflects the
variety of people that make up our choir and our community, as a fun musical
outlet for our members and to share the choral experience with the community. We
have collaborated with the York Regional Police Male Chorus, which rehearses
across the hall from us. We participate in community events in addition to giving
2 public performances every year, and each season we set aside time to sing at
several seniors’ residences.
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