The Western Manitoba Youth Choir is preparing to tour the Westman region in October, after having two intensive weekend rehearsals at Riding Mountain Conference Centre in Wasagaming in September. The 50 Voice choir is drawn from 10 Westman communities.
Youth from the Virden area include: Kaeynna Dupra, Olivia Hayward, Hannah Peters, Breanna Plaisier, Haylee Plaisier, Esther Pringle, Mei Thiessen, Lila Higginbotham, Garett Krieser, Brycen Reimer.
Conductors are Dorothy Dyck and Ian Campbell, with accompanist Kate Gray.
Dorothy Dyck studied Education and Music at the University of Manitoba, and since 1997 has devoted her expertise and energy to developing the Maples Collegiate Choral Program in north-west Winnipeg. Dorothy and her teaching partner Philip Lapatha were the 2018 recipients of the Michael J. Proudfoot Award for passion and excellence in choral conducting.
Ian Campbell is a conductor, composer, pianist, and improviser. Ian is currently working on several compositions including ‘Agnus Dei Under A Prairie Sky’ that will be premiered by Winnipeg Singers in February 2020 and several collaborations with Winnipeg poet Michael John Edwards such as ‘Pickled Crabapples’ that Westman will be singing. He is involved in research, performance, and pedagogy of the many historical improvising traditions within classical music.
Kate Gray is a pianist, collaborator, and piano teacher originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, who holds a B.Mus. degree in Piano Performance from Brandon University. She has participated in many local and international festivals and concert series, including the Casalamaggiore International Music Festival in Italy. Kate achieved her Associate of Piano Performance through Conservatory Canada in 2014.
This year's tour (October 19-22) will include evening concerts in Minnedosa, Strathclair, Russel, Birtle, Hamiota, and Brandon, a church service in Neepawa, and school concerts in Russel, Birtle, Hamiota, and Brandon.
