Choir News
Thank you to all of our new members!
Both choirs are growing! It is so nice to be getting back to normal activities. We are still looking for others to join us though.
We are now looking for new members! Interested in joining?
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We have updated our logo
The new logo encompases both the youth choir and the children’s choir. With a combined logo we can can also have the same performance shirts. This year we all have new shirts. Thank you to our parents for all their work on the funds for this welcome update!
St. Thomas Youth Choir
The St. Thomas Youth Choir (STYC) is comprised of youths aged 12 to 19 from the St. Thomas, Ontario and surrounding area. The choir was formed in 1990, and under the direction of Hugh Van Pelt grew to become one of the foremost choirs in the area. The choir is now under the direction of Rob Cairns and is accompanied by Graham Adams. STYC performs its own concert program regularly in the fall and spring of each year as well as appearing as guests for various other concerts.
During the summer every two years STYC has had the opportunity to tour abroad. Their first in 1991 was to Ireland, and since that time they’ve been to England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, The Neatherlands, Germany, France, Italy and Canada’s East Coast. Last summer the choir toured the Czech Republic, Germany and the Netherlands.
The choir pictures below are scrolling through shots from our last three tours. You can also go to our Styc picture website to see more!
St. Thomas Children's Choir
The children's choir was started as a feeder choir for the youth choir. We rehearse every week before the youth choir on Tuesday nights at 6:00pm. The rehearsal lasts until 7:15 with a short break in the middle. We have a major concert in December and in June, both on the second Sunday of the month. Occasionally we are also asked to do performances around the St. Thomas area. The children learn proper singing technique and how to read music, as well as just having a lot of fun! Parents are welcome to stay at any or all of the rehearsals. We are always looking for new members. Come out and give it a try, if you like it, tell your friends!
Have a look at what we usually do as well!
During the Pandemic - Choir@Home
When the pandemic started we did some recording from home using an online recording studio. Have a listen to what we did.
Choir@Home
Or when we get to sing on tour!
We were visiting Schloss Drachenburg (Dragon Rock Castle) in Königswinter, Germany and no one was around, so …
Our Last Tour
2019 Choir Tour - The Czech Republic, Germany and the Netherlands
Our latest tour was in the summer of 2019. We had a fantastic time singing in the Czech Republic, Germany and then we went in to the Netherlands. Because of all the castles we were visiting, and the highlights of going to a chelate factory and the Gouda Cheese Market, we called this our “Chocolate, Cheese and Castles” tour. You can visit the blog page using the link below. As well, there are some highlights of the tour just below that link.
”Chocolate, Cheese and Castles!”
Esslingen, Germany Performance - 7 July 2019
These audio tracks were recorded by one of our host families who was in the audience and then sent to us after the tour. The performance was at St. Erasmus Church in Esslingen, Germany. Although the choir is distant, you can still hear how they performed on tour. We had a wonderful time with our hosts, and the choir truly wanted to perform well for our families! Please Enjoy!
St Erasmus Church, Esslingen, Germany
Some of the songs from the concert, recorded by an audience member and sent to us after the tour. A great surprise for us!
Our Pathfinder hosts families in Esslingen, Germany.
Here are some of the highlights of the tour:
Visiting Drachenburg Castle.
Singing at Cologne Cathedral
Visiting the Cologne Chocolate Museum.
Visiting Heidelberg Castle.
Going to the Gouda Cheese Market!
Canada 150: Historic Churches Tour! (July 2017)
Canada 150 - Historic Churches
The Cheese Market - Gouda, The Netherlands - July 2019 Tour
Rob Cairns - Choir Director
Mr. Cairns comes to the St. Thomas Youth Choir with over thirty years of choral and solo singing experience. As a youth he sang in both the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir and the Ontario Youth Choir, and at University he sang for four years with the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Music Singers. At present he is a member of the Gerald Fagan Singers in London. As a soloist he has performed with the London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus, the Norfolk Singer, Parnasus Baroque Orchestra, and Arcady. Past awards include the Albert Whitlow Award in Choral Conducting from U.W.O., and the Don Wright Scholarship in Vocal Music from Althouse College. At present Mr. Cairns is a teacher at Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts in London, Ontario where he specializes in Vocal Music and Drama. At Pearson he conducts four choirs: the Grade 7 Choir; the Grade 8 Choir; the Pearson Singers, which is an auditioned choir of grade 4 to 8 students; and Twelve, a group of twelve students selected from the grade 7 and 8 choirs. All of these choirs are gold winners in Kiwanis and have received awards of outstanding performance level both nationally and at international competitions. As well, Mr. Cairns is director of the handbell choirs at Metropolitan United Church in London, Ontario, and is the President of there Ontario Guild of English Handbell Ringers.
Graham Adams preparing to accompany the choir in southern England
Graham Adams - Choir Accompanist
Graham Adams has been with STYC since 2001. He is an accomplished accompanist, church organist and teacher. He received his A. Mus. for piano from the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music. Graham studied Piano Performance at the University of Western Ontario where he received his Bachelor of Music with Honours. Past accompanying experiences have included: the Kettle Creek Choir, the U.W.O. Choir and six years at Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts. He also sang with the Gerald Fagan Singers for 12 years. Graham teaches kindergarten at Centennial Central Public School in Arva, Ontario, where he also directs the Centennial Broadway Singers. This choir is made up of students from grades 5 to 8. Graham has been music director at Westmount Presbyterian Church for six years where he directs the Westmount Sanctuary Singers.
St. Thomas Cemetery Benefit Concert
Thanks to everyone who sang, helped organized and donated to the benefit concert. The goal was to raise $1500 to repair the damages at the cemetery. Last count over $2600! Thank you all! Below are links to some news coverage about the concert.
CTV News (The concert is the lead story on the July 23rd news.)