News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

By LeRae Haynes

This week a group of Glendale Elementary students shouted ‘La la la!’ at the top of their lungs, sang a song about Sir Galahad and his well-meaning efforts and embarked on a musical adventure that will see them on stage in a few weeks, performing a concert with a five-piece country/rock band.

There is absolutely nothing in the world like singing with kids! I’m so looking forward to this experience and really appreciate one teacher from the school, Kari Johnson, who helped launch this escapade. She organized this with the teachers and administration, heaved a piano down the hall for me to play, made umpteen photo copies and even incorporated her impeccable penmanship for the warm-up chorus we taped to the wall.

She is also launching an in-school contest for the kids to name this new group, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

After retiring from directing ‘Borderline’ for about 25 years, I knew I wouldn’t last long not playing music with kids. Borderline was a group of 15-35 kids and a band of dedicated volunteer musicians playing with them.

Sure enough, withdrawal set in within weeks. When I informed the amazing musicians in the ‘Borderline Band’ that I was retiring, I was met with dismay, disappointment and even downright mutiny. I also warned them that they hadn’t heard the last of me, so when I approached them about playing for this new project, they responded with unbounded enthusiasm. I mean, with complete and utter manly, cool reserve.

In our first hour together we learned a warm-up chorus and launched two songs. The kids were enthusiastic and they sounded great---I can't wait to see what happens next.

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