Strathmore choir heads to provincials

Shannon LeClair

Times Reporter

 

The Strathmore Children’s Choir has only been around for three years, and on May 7, they had their second chance to go to Alberta Provincial Music Festival choral competition.

“It was a lot of fun, the kids had a great time,” said Loralee Laycock, musical director and owner of the Strathmore Children’s Choir.

She said there were three contestants in their class, the 12 and under provincial national class. Laycock said that is when the adjudicator recommends a choir to provincials with the idea that if they win, they forward on a recording of the performance to the national committee to decide who the best choir in Canada is. Calgary, Edmonton and the Strathmore Children’s Choir were the three who were recorded. The group from Calgary won. 

“We really went up for the experience. We figured this is only our third year as a choir, we weren’t expecting anything except to go up and learn and listen to other kids who were also singing in choirs,” said Laycock. 

“It’s a really good experience for the kids in our choir to see other people in other places who are doing the same thing that they do and loving what they love to do. It was good for them to see what they could accomplish one day if they keep working really hard.” 

Next year the group plans to start a Grade 7 to 12 choir for students who may want to continue singing after elementary school. Laycock said they are just going to start it and see what happens.