Clayton Braybrook directing the Kindersley Community Choir during the first practice for the Easter Cantata.
Joan Janzen
for The Clarion
Clayton Braybrook of Kindersley has been directing the Kindersley Community Choir for 19 years and loving it!
“Sharing music is a passion of mine, in any form. I love it!” he said, “I grew up with choirs. When I got the opportunity to take the reins, I grasped it quickly. I like inspiring other people; I like the group dynamics.”
The choir draws participants from within one hundred miles, including Hershel, Fiske and Rosetown. “It’s quite a commitment to drive that far.” he noted, “Wednesday night practices in the winter don’t always have the best weather.”
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The choir members commit to practicing two hours per week for ten to twelve weeks. “We can get a good enough job done within that much time.” Clayton estimated.
As for acquiring new members, Clayton admits a big advantage is there’s not many churches that have choirs anymore, “So if you want to be in a choral group, this is pretty much it.”
New members are always welcome. “We had two new fellows and a lady join this year. The two guys, who joined at Christmas, are already signed up for Easter. Obviously, we’re doing something right,” Clayton laughed.
As for qualifications, Clayton said it definitely is an asset to be able to read music, “But I’ve had people who claim to not know how, but they can follow along.”
Not only do they follow along, but Clayton even has the choir sing in other languages. “It just takes some practice. Of course I want them to know what they’re singing about, and I guide the pronunciation. When we first did it, they thought they couldn’t do it, but they nailed it!”
Throughout the years, the choir has had some loyal people who have been in the choir almost since the beginning. There’s been up to forty choir members, but lately they’ve had 24 to 25 members. “There’s five or six people in it since I’ve started,” he said.
I asked how Clayton begins preparing for a production.
“We have a decent collection of music that we already own. I also peruse new stuff for each season. It’s interesting, cause I usually have music picked before I know who’s joining the choir. Sometimes we have to make changes according to who is, or isn’t showing up. We try to create a variety of music so we can educate and entertain our audience. Sometimes it’s exposure to newer music or older music. Sometimes we use songs from musical theatre, like The Sound of Music, to add a lighter aspect to the program.”
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