New faces bring fresh approach to Eastman Choral
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This article was published 14/09/2018 (2044 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Two local music teachers are taking on new roles as co-chairs of the Eastman Regional Choral Association (EMCA) and they both say they have big plans and ideas for the upcoming choral season in southeastern Manitoba.
EMCA has announced that Shannon Sawatzky, who teaches music at Blumenort School, and Meredith Hutchinson, who teaches at Bothwell School, have been named co-chairs of the association for the upcoming 2018-2019 season.
It is a role both Sawatzky and Hutchinson said they are very excited to step into, and they said they will look for ways to bring fresh ideas to the association while also working to bring back pieces of its past.
“It’s the 30th anniversary of the association so we are kind of jam-packing the year and we’ve been talking about this as the revival year,” Hutchinson said.
Sawatzky and Hutchinson said highlights of the upcoming season will include the return of the Choral Society, a community choir which they said took a short hiatus, but is now back and is set to perform at the annual Peace Concert on Nov. 11 in Steinbach.
“This is something we feel the community has really been missing in the past few years, so it was very important for us to bring that back,” Hutchinson said. “We are excited, and that is something people have been itching for.”
The association will also see the formation of a new adult chamber choir that will also perform at the Nov. 11 concert in Steinbach.
Sawatzky said the board is also discussing the possibility of presenting Handel’s Messiah in the spring of 2019, which would involve forming a community choir and orchestra, something she said has not been seen in the area for many decades.
Sawatzky said one of the best ways to engage people with the association is “through live performance” and they plan to hold a number of live performances throughout the year.
She also said the association will offer choral opportunities this year for youth, adults and seniors.
Anyone looking for more information about EMCA or on how to get involved with a local choir can email eastmansings@gmail.com.