ELK POINT – Elk Point Community Choir and the École du Sommet Senior Band entertained an audience at the Allied Arts Centre on May 23, at the choir’s annual Spring Concert - from their signature opening number, ‘Just Let Me Sing’ to the final notes of ‘Amazing Grace’, this time with the band’s accompaniment.
Director Udo Mueller and pianist Sheila Hatch led the choir through ‘Till the Stars Fall From the Sky’, ‘Since I First Saw Your Face’ and the longtime favourite ‘Side by Side’ before soloist Anna Byelikova added her solos to the upbeat ‘Shine a Little Light’ and was joined by Mitch Walker in the traditional spiritual, ‘Elijah Rock’ with the choir and audience snapping fingers to the music.
École du Sommet band members Solene Beland, Oriane Beland, Loick Beland, Mathis Poulin, Kian Pulleyblank, Jaydn Pulleyblank, Raiden Van Brabant and Sydney Proulx added their accompaniment to the choir and soloist Dixie Coleman in ‘Homeward Bound’ to wrap up the first half of the concert.
Kelsey Taylor took over the podium to lead the band in a series of three enjoyable numbers during the choir’s mid-concert break. Hatch returned to the piano and Mueller to the podium for the choir’s rendition of a traditional Quaker lullaby, ‘So Take this Song of Joy’, with Mueller taking over the keyboard and Danni McArthur and Solene Beland providing the solos in the cheerful Irish children’s street song, ‘Tell My Ma When I Get Home’. Mueller also accompanied the choir and band in ‘Hymn to Freedom’, directed by Taylor.
A brand new singer, Taylor’s daughter and Mueller’s granddaughter, Lilly Taylor, left her spot as page turner to join the choir as a soloist in ‘Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning’ with her grandpa adding hand drum rhythm.
Her mother was the next soloist, with band member Mathis Poulin taking over the piano for the choir’s playful rendition of ‘Operator’.
The concert’s audience “Is a joy for us to see so many friends and newcomers,” Mueller said before calling choir alumni forward to join in the evening’s final number. He thanked Taylor and her band, adding that they rehearse every Monday evening and before school hours on Wednesdays to hone their talents.
One of the band members, he announced, is this year’s recipient of the Don Conrad Scholarship. Mathis Poulin will receive the scholarship before he heads off to play at the Francophone Games in Quebec this summer.
As always, the choir wrapped up the show with ‘Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)’ before Don Conrad came forward to announce that donations at the door had raised a $945 donation for Elk Point Helping Hands.
