Augustana Choir concert includes local singer

By Adelle Ellis, Times Reporter

The University of Alberta Augustana Choir made a stop in Strathmore on May 1 during a three-day tour, to complete workshops with the local children’s choirs before conducting a concert later that evening at the Hope Covenant Church.
The university choir worked with the Ècole Brentwood Elementary School Senior Choir and completed a school concert during which the Brentwood Choir joined them for two songs, before conducting a second workshop with the Strathmore Children’s Choir Finale, Strathmore High School Choir and Holy Cross Collegiate Choirs, prior to their evening show that included performances with all choirs mentioned.
It was not the first time singing in Strathmore for one Augustana Choir bass singer, as he had previously lived in Strathmore, attended Brentwood School and performed with the Brentwood choir in his youth.
Lane Anderson, who participated in choir throughout his elementary schooling at Brentwood between 2002 and 2008, never carried on with choir and singing until he joined the liberal arts education that Augustana offers, in pursuit of his business degree.
“There’s definitely a huge help to have the background of being in a choir, whatever age, to then pick it up again,” said Anderson, adding that for his business degree he must complete one arts program and that choir, although a lot of work, fit the bill due to his previous experiences of singing in choir at Brentwood.
While he attended Brentwood, he remembers his cousin from Manitoba singing at Brentwood with his choir, and feeling inspired. Ever since then he always thought that given the opportunity, it would be neat to sing in his old school and to inspire younger students to start singing.
“When I found out we were coming to Strathmore it was like a small mini dream of mine, coming back to my elementary school and being able to sing,” said Anderson, who loves to sing low bass in their choir, along with a cappella and songs that stray from typical musical styles and instead include “crunchy” harmonies that aren’t the normal pretty tones.
Some songs performed included Sing Joyfully! and Since Singing Is So Good a Think by William Byrd and Songs Are Thoughts by Lavinia Kell Parker.
Not only did Anderson get to live out a mini dream, but most of the young singers from the choirs in Strathmore were also excited about the opportunity to put on a concert together with the Augustana Choir and took in as much as they could to learn from the older choristers.
“It’s really cool how their voices mix in with ours and they do the (vocal) discount with their voice, I want to learn how to do those,” said Brentwood choir student Julia Munoz adding that she felt inspired to learn how to sing using new techniques and that she wants to further her singing.
For Anderson, some of the best lessons of singing with the younger students were the true value of music and the ability to inspire others and to pass music along and share it with other people and generations.
“I think it’s good to be able to hear little voices and it’s fun just to pass (music) on because I enjoy music and there’s value to be able to have other people continue with music,” said Anderson. “It’s a super important thing to do. If you just keep your music to yourself then the music dies.”