All youth who love to raise their voices will have something to sing about as the new Warmland Youth Choir comes to the Cowichan Valley this fall under the leadership of choral directors and seasoned performers Christina Taylor, and Michelle Weckesser.
They will be accompanied by fellow musician and pianist Bonnie Louden. Both Taylor and Weckesser recently brought their skills and talents to Cowichan Musical Society's latest production of Legally Blonde: The Musical.
Things will certainly be getting musical indeed as Taylor, Weckesser, and Louden dedicate their time to filling a significant gap in the Cowichan Valley’s arts scene while providing a space for young people to explore their love of music, while developing vocal skills, coupled with growth in both confidence and creativity.
"There have been other youth choirs in the valley before, most notably the Cowichan Valley Youth Choir led by the wonderful Sheila Johnson," said Weckesser. "When she retired a couple of years ago, Christina, Bonnie and I felt that there was a void left for kids that want to sing in a choir. We wanted to provide that opportunity and help grow the next generation of singers in the community."
Taylor, who grew up in the Cowichan Valley, has both a Bachelor of Music and Education from the University of Alberta. She will be leading the junior group for ages six to 11. Before moving back to the island she had founded the Okotoks Children’s Choir in 2013.
Weckesser, who is also a graduate from the University of Alberta, earned herself a Bachelor of Education with a major in choral music and has for the last 25 years dedicated her time to teaching music. She will lead the senior group, which will be open to young singers ages 12 to 19.
Both choirs will be accompanied by Louden who brings with her a plethora of skills she has been honing since an early age.
The Warmland Youth Choir will start warming up vocal chords on Sept. 8, as rehearsals for both groups take place every Monday inside the band room of the new Quw'utsun high school. The junior group will meet from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m., followed by the senior group from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
"I think I can speak for both of us that one thing we love about choirs is that we create something together that we can't do by ourselves," said Weckesser. "It really is unity, personified. We love the energy of young people and have a real passion for helping young singers find their voice, literally and figuratively. Hopefully it will stay with them for a lifetime."
Registration fees are $30 per student, and $5 for each additional family member. The annual choir tuition fees can either be made in one payment of $495, or in two payments of $275 per semester. Warmland Youth Choir will offer a discount for singing siblings with one payment of $395 per year, or two payments of $220 per semester. Students will have the pleasure of performing two concerts per year — one in January and one in June, as well as participating in the local Cowichan Music Festival in February.
Registration is now open; for more information visit warmlandyouthchoir.com, or email warmlandyouthchoir@gmail.com.
"Through Warmland Youth Choir, we hope to build a community where youth can come together, share their passion for music, and gain a sense of belonging," said Taylor. "It's not just about learning to sing; it's about giving youth a voice and empowering them through music."
"We hope they have fun, first and foremost," said Weckesser. "We also want them to learn what it is to be part of a group, while developing as singers and musicians, learning healthy singing habits along the way."
