Last week the National Youth Band of Canada (NYB) appointed Janet Yochim as Manager.
Her 30 plus years as a band teacher and years of volunteer work has prepared her well for this national position.
She says, “I am honoured and excited to be carrying on the tradition of the National Youth Band of Canada Manager.”
Since 1988, when she began to teach band for Fort La Bosse School Division, she has poured her heart into developing youth bands in Virden schools, as well as with regional youth bands.
She became President of the Westman Band Directors Association from 2004-2012. During that time, she was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Westman Junior and Senior Honour Band, a program that hosts over 180 students from 23 different communities.
Yochim plans to retire from teaching band in Virden at the end of the school year. Her new appointment comes at a strategic time.
In her every day role, Yochim has inspired her students and developed remarkable junior and senior bands that have entertained in venues throughout the Virden community.
She has a proven philosophy: "‘Choose a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life,’” and says, “I have been lucky that I love what I do. There are very few days that I have ever had to ‘work’. I have loved being a music educator!”
Yochim has collaborated with fellow band teachers in the division to produce a winning band. FLB Band played at the Optimist Band Festival in Winnipeg, Feb. 21, 2019, where they received a recommendation to compete in the National Music Festival in Calgary in the spring of 2020.
“I am lucky to work in a community and school division that values and supports music. I have also had the unique opportunity to work with outstanding educators and music educators within Fort la Bosse.”
Making music with brass, woodwind, rhythm and stringed instruments and doing it as a unified band depends upon inspiring teaching and skilled conducting.
“I have always been amazed by what students can do if you strive for excellence,” she says. “The students don't see their role in band as just playing the melody or just playing the bass line. We help each other get better and more secure in playing our parts… .”
Yochim says a band is more than individual musicians playing together.
“Band students learn leadership skills and learn to balance and blend with each other, not just with their sound but with the individual person. Therefore, the music becomes part of the students themselves and is connected to the students social and emotional learning. It is this deep connection to the music and to each other that inspires the students to strive for excellence in their playing.”
Yochim’s move to serve the NYB means that she will be working with a select group of 16 - 22-year-old musicians from across Canada. With the youth band they have the opportunity to gather for a week in May for an enriching and cultural experience. Band trips have been her passion over the years.
“Opening their eyes to different parts of Canada and showing that music making isn't about how big and flashy your band is - it is about the music making experience itself. Whether we are performing at a huge festival in Whistler or Halifax or doing a concert for a Remembrance Day Service in Virden, we will share our love of music making with our audience members. I take this excitement and passion with me to the NYB.”
The current pandemic means finding new ways for bands to play and tour. Yochim says, “We are working on Virtual NYB 2021 at this moment. More details will be out in the next few weeks.”
