Donations went toward speech-generating devices that translate typed text to speech. “A very long-running charity (we supported was) St.Amant centre here in Winnipeg,” Wharton says of the organization that aids people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The twice-yearly concerts are a way for the chorus to raise money toward special causes. The longest-serving member, 78-year-old Gordon Billows, has been singing with the group for 43 years.Īs well as its biannual concerts - one in the spring and one at Christmas - the group also performs at residential homes and senior-living communities. Members of the chorus are mostly of retirement age.

Singers break for six weeks in the summer before coming back to rehearse in autumn. The chorus usually rehearses weekly on Wednesday evenings, adding on a Sunday afternoon rehearsal as the date of their shows approaches. Saturday’s program was devised by the music team comprising representatives from each section of the chorus and led by Les Creek, the music chair. I loved the sound the combinaton of the men and the women has been a real hit and grown the membership.” “I was the first one on the doorstep to come to River City Sound. “It was a big pill to swallow for some of the old timers, for sure,” she says. There are currently a dozen female voices in the chorus. Previously known as the Golden Chordsmen, the polyphonic group welcomed women to its ranks in 2018. “The 75th is a milestone we are proud to have reached,” says Gayle Wharton, singer and choreographer for the group. Part of the proceeds from this weekend’s two-hour show will be donated to Newcomers Employment and Education Development Services (NEEDS Inc.), a non-profit charitable organization that enrols newcomer children aged six to 12 in classes at NEEDS within three days of arrival in Canada, in preparation to attend regular school. Croix Crossing, whose members hail from Minnesota and Wisconsin, to take part in the show.ĭonna Paryniuk and other members of River City Sound sing Be Our Guest while rehearsing in the basement of the St. To add to the celebration, River City Sound has invited award-winning barbershop quartet St.

River City Sound, an a cappella group that’s 38 members strong, will present the Diamonds From Stage & Screen concert at Prairie Spirit United Church, featuring songs such as Pretty Woman, Stand by Me and Do You Hear the People Sing.

Free Press 101: How we practise journalismĪ previously all-male chorus, which only opened its doors to women five years ago, will belt out Broadway hits and silver-screen tunes this weekend to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

Big Is Better by Song