Dear Editor:
I am shocked to hear about the fact that the administration of the Yorkton Regional High School has eliminated the long standing choral program from its course offerings. This program is of high stature and the loss of the program is a blow not only to the community of Yorkton, but also to the province of Saskatchewan as a whole.
I am a YRHS graduate of 1972. I sang in the choral program under the direction of David Bray. However, I was aware of the proud heritage of choirs in Yorkton under the directorship of such individuals as Myrtle Cole, Daphne Marshall and Myrna McLary. I received my Bachelor of Music at Brandon University and went on to teach in Esterhazy and Swift Current, where I taught concert choir, chamber choir, and vocal jazz. I also conducted a children’s choir for a period of 10 years. I am now retired, but not from my musical endeavors. I am currently artistic director of the Swift Current Oratorio Choir and Prairie Spirit. I serve as Past President of the Saskatchewan Choral Federation, encouraging people and choirs to become more involved in the art of choral music. I am only one of a long list of graduates from the Regional High School who continued on in music education. At a recent workshop with Yorkton and Swift Current’s community choirs, I was delighted to reconnect with several individuals with whom I shared the joy of music with in school. It is unbelievable that a high school choral program of this heritage can be discarded with such disregard!
There are always children and adults who love to sing. The question that should be asked of the administration of the Yorkton Regional High School is whether or not they encouraged and supported the choral program with appropriate scheduling and funding. In Swift Current, band students receive 1 hour of band every second day in both semesters and a noon hour full band rehearsal for both semesters. Choir rehearses 2 noon hours a week with additional workshop time when required. Additional choirs rehearse in the morning and after school. Swift Current is proud of the music program here and have continued to support the programs even after my husband and I retired after 20 plus years at the Swift Current Comprehensive High School. Many of our students are now music teachers and two of our children teach band in other provinces.
There must be quality programing for students who are not involved in sports. I come from a very athletic family, but I gravitated towards music. Singing is a lifetime endeavor in which I will be involved until I have no voice. Music nurtures the soul. Society should be raising individuals who are well rounded in the arts and in physical fitness. Were programs in the athletics department cut equally?
I have always been so proud to say that I attended the Yorkton Regional High School and I was proud to be a part of a sensational music program that influenced my life and career choice. Why has the wisdom of the administration become so short sighted that they have chosen to butcher the choral program and severely cut other arts programs? Funding reductions to schools have caused administration to save money, but I would ask the parents and community of Yorkton to question the cutting of the choral program. In what other program can all children participate and require only one educator to teach. Choirs of 100 singers are possible!
The loss of the choral program at the Yorkton Regional High School is a travesty and I would hope that the protests of citizens, who have a vision for the values this community holds dear, will evoke a change in the decision made by administration of the school.
Submitted by
Marcia McLean (nee: Yaholnitsky)
Choral Director of Swift Current
Oratorio Choir
