Music is more than a hobby for me; it's a long time companion. My mother often recollects about my constant tune making as a child, as I entertained myself in the car. Either should that be odd, since my mother herself has taught music to children in the Vancouver school system for the past twenty years. When the choir was started at my elementary school, I was eager to join. I can remember loudly singing What can we Do with a Drunken Sailor, and Yellow Bird to the satisfaction of my music teacher, Ms. Thomas. When she took me out of choir rehearsal one day to audition for a special choir, I was terrified, and excited. With Ms. Thomas and my mother's encouragement I joined the Coquitlam District Children's Choir, under the direction of Ms. Donna Otto.
That was more than ten years ago. Although the name of the chorus, and the director of changed, my love for music has only grown stronger. Now I am a member of the Coastal Sound Music Academy Youth Chamber Choir. The organization is the same, but the name was changed to better suit the growing diversity and expansion. That single children's choir has grown to include two youth choirs, numerous training choirs and an adult choir. Some of the members in my group have been singing with me the entire time, while others have come and gone over the years. Our repertoire includes pop songs, contemporary pieces, madrigals, jazz standards, and Latin classics.
Over the years I have been fortunate enough to participate in many other choirs as well, including the BC Youth Choir a number of times. My school district had a strong choral program, and allowed music students to participate in a district honour choir. This allowed students to sing with other students who were as dedicated to music as themselves, and experience new songs, and conducting styles. I have also taken part in music summer schools offered by the University of British Columbia, well known for its opera training programs. These summer schools provide an intense singing experience, with members sleeping, eating, and rehearsing together over a period of a week. The experience is both exhausting and rewarding. Other choirs include the British Columbia Music Educators Association (BCMEA) youth honour choir, and the British Columbia Choral Federation (BCCF) youth honour choir various times.
In addition to my choral training, I also received solo training from a singing instructor for a number of years. My instructor was a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, ensuring that I receive quality instruction from a knowledgeable individual. I have lessons with my instructor once a week for a half hour, during which time we work on vocal exercises, and pieces for performance. In the three years that I have had private lessons, my vocal technique has improved dramatically, assisting in both choral and solo situations. I have sung a variety of pieces for performance and festivals, including musical theatre, ballads in Italian, pop songs in English, and folk songs in both English and German.
I was recently selected to be part of the 2004 National Youth Choir. The National Youth Choir is made up of quartets from each province and performs for the National Choral Conductor's Symposium with will be held in Manitoba in 2004. Wish me luck!
Coastal Sound Music Academy
National Association of Teachers of Singing
The Tenor Voice
Choral Music Public Domain Library
Bryn Terfel
