Naramata Community Choir - 50th Anniversary Concert

"Singing Through The Years" was a fitting title for the recent Naramata Community Choir concert which celebrated 50 years of music and friendship.

On Sunday, May 20th, 2012, Columbia Hall in Naramata was packed with choir fans, including us and many other faithful alumni.

It all started in 1962, when Carol McGibney posted a sign on a tree that said "Wanted Singers"  The rest is history and the choir of 55 voices is still going strong under the direction of Justin Glibbery who took over the baton, three years ago. 

Craig Henderson was a brilliant Master of Ceremonies as the choir took us on a fabulous muscial journey down memory lane.

Interspersed with the concert were some video reflections including special interviews, historic photos and film. Craig Henderson and Gary MacDougall of Video Innovation Productions worked together to produce these nostalgic clips. Carol McGibney and charter members of the choir shared their memories and Berte and Stu Berry were featured in a 2007 performance of "I Remember it Well" from the motion picture Gigi.
Les and I share a total of 73 years of belonging to this special group and we were both feeling quite teary eyed as we drank in the memories and mouthed the words to the songs.  Ah yes We remember it well!!!!

After the concert, charter members Carol McGibney, Buck Salting, Jake Van Westen, Stu Berry and Berte Berry were presented with special recognition awards by Buck's daughter Cyndie Salting who now sings with the choir. It was her grandfather Don, who suggested to Carol way back when, that she should start a choir, so it was serendipitous that Cyndie should present the awards 50 years later.



Alto Cyndie Salting presents a recognition award to her father Buck Salting



In the short video clip below, violinist Elizabeth Lupton and pianist Sandy Andres accommpany the choir in Ave Maria.

Kudos to the Naramata Community Choir!!!! "Ya Done Good" as Carol always used to say!!!