On September 28th, 2002 at Grace Church On The Hill in Toronto Ontario Canada, the always outstanding Ontario Youth Choir gave their final performance of 2002 to a sold-out audience. And what a performance it was!!! This year's choir sponsored by Choirs Ontario under the gifted direction of conductor Brainerd Blyden-Taylor of Toronto, performed with technical brilliance and superior musicality. This very talented group of musicians, aged 16-22 years, are Ontario's finest young vocalists and were selected by Brainerd Blyden-Taylor during rigorous auditions that were held during the month of February and March 2002.
The concert was truly a tribute to the wealth of talent that Canada produces as it featured not only exceptional choral and solo vocal talent but also instrumental talent as well. High on the list of instrumental talent performing at this concert was renowned piano accompanist Ruth Watson Henderson, fondly and astutely acknowledged by conductor Blyden-Taylor as one of "Canada's finest treasures". And indeed she is! The final number of the evening, her Magnificat, was outstanding in composition and performance.
However, the singers continued to amaze their audience throughout the entire evening with their choral proficiency, performing a wide variety of musical styles and featuring probably some of the best young soloists in recent OYC history.
There were many showstoppers throughout the evening; however, "the showstopper of showstoppers" was the "jaw-dropping" performance of OYC member Melissa Davis of Scarborough in the Roland Carter number "Mary Had A Baby". The combination of her outstanding vocal talent and the ethereal choral voices of the Ontario Youth Choir was simply breathtaking. Also very impressive indeed was Joelle Turner, soloist for the Stephen Hatfield number "Double Shot".
The vocal ensembles and instrumental ensembles were excellent as well and the latter featured TYS alumnus and OYC member Stefan de Laplante of Timmins. In addition, as this was their last year with the choir, TYS alumnus Aileen Roy of Timmins, along with three other OYC members, were invited to sing the solo in the OYC theme song "Le Temps De Vivre"....always an inspiring and poignant song for the listeners and singers.
This writer was also very moved by Ruth Watson Henderson's song, "The River", sung as a tribute to the memory of renowned Canadian conductor John Ford. John is and was one of the finest conductors this country ever produced and his generous, benevolent, positive nature will remain an inspiration to all who had the good fortune to know and work with him.
Brainerd Blyden Taylor is to be commended for creating a program that was both musical and informative. I have a great deal of respect for conductors who insist on "raising the bar" in order to achieve musical proficiency and artistic goals. Brainerd Blyden Taylor, through his gifted expertise, musical knowledge, artistic guidance and leadership abilities, accomplished this goal with the 2002 Ontario Youth Choir. The singers, the audience and, indeed, Choirs Ontario, have benefited as a result. Thank you, Brainerd, for a very extraordinary and inspiring musical memory.
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