Why Do I Sing With Amabile

I was all set to write an article listing great reasons that men & women, boys & girls join Amabile and why they love to sing, and Dr Carol Beynon beat me to it. The following came from the Amabile Boys & Men’s Choir newsletter, listing 25 reasons for singing in Amabile. The ladies echoed many of the same reasons, by the way.

So here we go (in no particular order, by the way):

25. It’s fun!
24. We get to sing with the girls sometimes
23. My best friends are there
22. Choir keeps me from wasting my time playing video games every day
21. I am learning to work really hard and focus, and now I concentrate better at school
20. We get to travel and see special places with our best friends
19. The audiences love us and we feel like rock stars
18. I met my wife through Amabile
17. Amabile makes me feel that I am part of something bigger and more important than me alone
16. I have learned so much about the rest of the world through the repertoire we sing
15. We have performed with some of the most famous choral composers and conductors in the world
14. Singing is something I can share with my parents and grandparents
13. I use singing to tell my stories and stories of others
12. I learned how to write and arrange my own songs for the choirs to sing
11. I can read music and that helped my reading and writing at school too
10. Singing helps me to really ‘listen’ to others
9. The values of Amabile shaped how I grew up, and how I live my life now
8. Rehearsals make me relax and forget about the rest of my life for a while.
7. I am a better person when I sing with the guys
6. I love how it feels after working really hard and accomplishing something special
5. Singing is me and I am proud to be me
4. I am integral part of our Amabile community
3. I can sing about things that I find difficult to talk about
2. I have learned how to be a leader through Amabile
1. Amabile is part of my identity, of who I am and who I want to be

John Barron Memorial Concert

Amabile Choirs of London, Canada will remember one of the founders of the Amabile Youth Singers this fall with the John Barron Memorial Concert, featuring the six senior Amabile Choirs. This no-charge event will be an amazing concert – the music selected by John before he passed away last spring. Maybe consider this, another event in London Cultural Days!

John Barron - 2

Save the date: Sunday September 28, 2014 at First-St. Andrews United Church, 350 Queen’s Ave., London. The Celebration concert begins at 3:30pm with a reception at the church to follow – Tickets are not required, but let us know that you’re coming to ensure we have adequate seating for all.

You can RSVP on the special Facebook Event page by clicking here. You can also RSVP by e-mail to: info@amabile.com

In memory of John, donations to the “John & Lowell Barron Amabile Fund” through London Community Foundation will be accepted.

John Barron made such an incredible impact on so many lives as a composer, arranger and philanthropist, plus through his work as an educator with the former Middlesex County Board of Education; his work as conductor of the Ontario Youth Choir; his work as a chorister with The Festival Singers and Primus: The Amabile Men’s Choir; and of course, as co-founder of the Amabile Youth Singers. His influence is felt by the entire Amabile organization. Click here for a biography of John’s life and just a small look at his influence on Canadian choral music.

Hope you can join us on September 28th to remember and celebrate an amazing man – John Barron.

Attention Amabile Alumni!!

John Barron Memorial Concert

As you are aware our memorial concert for John is fast approaching! If you wish to sing in this concert, please contact me by e-mail at trees@amabile.com. I need to know what part you would like to sing, your mailing address, phone number and your years within our organization – for example 1985-1995. Music will be sent PDF to you.

Please do not send me a Facebook message or post your information on Facebook. Please feel free to forward this to other Alumni.

It is my sincere hope you will be able to join our Amabile family on this very special day.

Sincerely,
Tamara Rees