Local choir students find their voice – Brandon Sun

Local choir students find their voice BRANDON FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS By: Tessa Adamski Posted: 12:09 AM CST Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2026 Advertisement Advertise with us Tweet Share Print Email Read Later Hundreds of choral students from four different local schools were giddy with excitement as they waited in rows of church pews for their chance to perform at the Brandon Festival of the Arts. Read this article for free: Email Address: Password: I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. or Already have an account? Log in here » We need your support!Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. Subscribe Now or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! To continue reading, please subscribe: Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional $1 for the first 4 weeks* Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper Start now No thanks *Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks. Hundreds of choral students from four different local schools were giddy with excitement as they waited in rows of church pews for their chance to perform at the Brandon Festival of the Arts. Read unlimited articles for free today: Email Address: Password: I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. or Already have an account? Log in here » Hundreds of choral students from four different local schools were giddy with excitement as they waited in rows of church pews for their chance to perform at the Brandon Festival of the Arts. The Vincent Massey Concert Choir was the third high school group to line up on the set of risers in front of a packed audience at the First Presbyterian Church early Monday morning. The choir made up of 37 students sang an arrangement of “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell and “A Letter from a Girl to the World” by Andrea Ramsey. A pianist plays off to the side of the stage while students with the Vincent Massey Concert Choir perform on Monday morning. Several choirs and ensembles took part in the competition at the First Presbyterian Church on 12th Street as part of the Brandon Festival of the Arts. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) Mitchell Wedgewood, the high school’s choir director, said the second song was about female empowerment and young women expressing their dreams for the future. “I thought it was hopefully, like musically enriching, but also empowering,” he said at the church. The song featured spoken parts that each revealed a soloist’s dream for the future. “I decided to sort of put an assignment together with this piece where I had every choir member write their own ‘want’ statement, and then eight brave souls were willing to recite theirs in the song,” Wedgewood said. As a student played a rhythmic beat on the djembe hand drum, the girls shared a personal dream with the audience, creating a vulnerable and powerful moment for all who attended. Students, choir directors and family members erupted in loud applause when the group sang their final note. A soloist with the Neelin choir smiles during a Monday morning performance at First Presbyterian Church. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) Wedgewood faced his students and mouthed “I loved it. Good job everyone,” while both of his hands were placed over his heart. “I personally think they slayed, so I’m very happy for them,” he said shortly after their performance. The group has been rehearsing the music since January. He said while it’s special to perform in a different acoustic environment and hear feedback from an adjudicator, the festival is a great opportunity for students to learn by watching other choirs perform. “We’re in a growing phase with this choir, as it’s my first year, so I’d just like to see numbers grow, and with that, more choral opportunities,” Wedgewood said. The expressive face of Neelin choir conductor Marla Fontaine looks back at students during Monday's performance. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) Grade 7 and 8 students with the choir École Harrison Ovation (ÉCHO) and concert choirs at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School and École secondaire Neelin High School also performed at the festival Monday. Neelin choir director Marla Fontaine said she reminded her 95-student choir downstairs ahead of their performance of how privileged they are to showcase their hard work in front of musical experts. “In addition to having the experience to perform and then learn from the adjudicator, we just learn so much from each other and the other choirs and conductors,” Fontaine said. “It’s really, really great for them to get to experience this.” The students sang Korean folk song “Arirang” and “Look out Above,” which is a collaboration between Jocelyn Hagen and Dessa, who’s an opera and hip-hop artist. Both songs featured a percussion or interactive element that involved individuals snapping their fingers, patting their thighs and stomping their feet. Brandon Festival of the Arts adjudicator Elizabeth Kristjanson turns to the audience on Monday while critiquing the performance of students with the École secondaire Neelin High School choir. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) In the second song, four soloists stepped off the risers with confidence to sing. When the two songs concluded, Fontaine gestured for the choir to bow as people in the audience cheered. She hopes her students, who have been rehearsing this music since January, will learn from observing other choirs and implement some of their qualities. Fontaine said choir directors can “talk forever” about things like facial expression and dynamics, but it provides a different perspective seeing or hearing others use it or be told by an adjudicator to do so. The three Brandon high schools returned in the afternoon for festival performances from their auditioned chamber choirs. Vincent Massey Concert Choir director Mitchell Wedgewood smiles while conducting his students on Monday during a performance at the First Presbyterian Church during the Brandon Festival of the Arts. "I personally think they slayed, so I'm very happy for them," he said following their performance. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) The Brandon Festival of the Arts began Feb. 8 and runs until March 22. It includes performances in guitar, brass and woodwind, strings, piano, choral, dance, vocal soloists and speech arts. » tadamski@brandonsun.com Advertisement Advertise With Us Advertisement Advertise With Us Tweet Share Print Email Read Later Report Error Submit a Tip