The Northwest Chorus and the 麻豆传媒AVeast Chorus have been teaming up to perform popular and lesser-known Christmas carols for nearly half a century.
They鈥檒l present their 46th annual Celebration of Christmas music on Dec. 3 and 4, with the performance on the first night happening at St. Paul鈥檚 United Church in Estevan at 7 p.m., and the show on the second day at Concordia Lutheran Church in Crosby, N.D., at 4 p.m.
For the first time, Shauna Meek of Estevan will be a co-director of the international chorus. She will share the duties with Harlan Johnson of Crosby. Each conductor will lead the performers through half of the songs.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know if I wanted to do it or not,鈥� she said in an interview with Lifestyles. 鈥淚 was a little hesitant, because I wanted to, but (part of me) did not. Finally I just said 鈥榊ou know what, I鈥檓 just going to give it a shot and see what happens.鈥� It鈥檚 been really good, a lot of fun, with lots of great people.鈥�
This will also mark the first time that a Canadian will be a co-director, as the previous maestros have hailed from North Dakota. But it鈥檚 not like there has been a long line of directors in the chorus鈥� history, either.
The only other directors, besides Johnson and Meek, have been Ed Retzer, who retired from conducting after last year鈥檚 show, but will continue to sing in the chorus, and Harold Woolfrey, who started the Northwest Chorus back in the 1970s.
Meek said that she and Johnson have different styles, but they鈥檙e good friends, and she looks forward to working with him.
She joined the chorus for the first time in 1998, when, ironically, she was teaching music in Crosby. She has taken a few hiatuses from the choir for family reasons, but always came back.
鈥淚 just love to sing, and I was directing a choir at the time at the high school there,鈥� said Meek. 鈥淚 just thought it would be fun to be on the other side, and so I wanted to be part of the singing part instead of always directing.鈥�
When she started teaching band in Estevan a few years ago, she wasn鈥檛 actively singing, so she returned to the chorus as an outlet for her choral skills. And now she鈥檚 looking forward to being on the director鈥檚 side of the ledger for the chorus, although she will still sing in some selections.
Meek sees some similarities between directing adults and conducting children, and it鈥檚 not just because she has a lot of fun with both.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e just really great people, which makes it fun, too,鈥� said Meek. 鈥淭hey really want to be there and they really want to sing.鈥�
Meek hopes to see a good turnout for the international chorus鈥� performances this weekend. The performers sound great, and each of the sections have been practicing hard in advance.
鈥淧eople will hear a lot of upbeat and new things, and lots of instrumental things,鈥� said Meek. 鈥淚t will be a good time.鈥�
A children鈥檚 chorus from Spruce Ridge School will perform at St. Paul鈥檚, which is special for Meek, since Spruce Ridge is one of the schools where she teaches. A chorus from Crosby will join the choruses on stage for the concert in North Dakota.听
听
