Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute - Spectrum Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

Page 43 text:

' iM N 1) “La Donna e Mobile” noontime relaxation. 2) An appreciative audience. 3) Grade IX and X singing practice. 4) Betty and Rosemarie — and Schumann. 5) “0, Little Town of Bethlehem”. 6) “Bagatelle” — orchestra practice. 41

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L. to X-. — John Klassen Martha Kroeker, Augusta Vo th, Helen Epp, Don Kroeker, Mr. Doerksen, Tilly Klassen, Grace Neufeld. Mennonites have always been noted for their musical inclination. In the M.B.C.I. this talent has not been neglected. One period during the week is set aside for singing. The grade nines and tens meet Friday afternoons for practice and the grade elevens and twelves meet on Monday afternoons. During these periods we have learned more hymns from the new Mennonite Hymnary and have also sung some secular songs. The school provides an opportunity for instrumentalists to exercise their talents. Every Wednesday, after the classes have been dis¬ missed, orchestra practice is held. During the year simple songs have been played, and more difficult music tackled. Often the sounds that are produced during practice are not too euphonious and make the listener’s ears tingle. Nevertheless the players enjoy practices. Several times during the year we have had the priv¬ ilege to perform before an audience. Students are encouraged to take private music lessons. At the College harmony and theory are taught and some students take a music course as an option. A number of the piano students entered the annual Winnipeg Musical Festival. Here they all did well. A few of the girls are members of the Winnipeg Girl’s Choir. Through weekly singing periods, orchestra practices and encouragement in all lines of good music, the M.B.C.I. does its best to create an appreciation for music and thus to build a more rounded and developed personality in each individual. Augusta Voth. 40

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Back row (I. to r.): Levi Goertzen, Henry Janzen, Harry Janzen, Peter Peters, William Dyck, Albert Reime.r, John Peters, Leonard Mann, Jake Wiebe, Helmut Peters, Walter Faik, John Klassen. Middle row (1. to r.): Ruth Neufeld, Rose Wall, Helen Epp, Helen Dyck, Luise Wall, Anne Spenst, Greti Klassen, Irene Wieler, Augusta Voth, Anne Voth, Martha Regehr. Front row (1. to r.): Marianne Unruh, Lorraine Regehr, Helen Neufeld, Bertha Pauls, Grace Neufeld, Mr. Doerksen, Martha Kroeker, Mary Enns, Katie Enns, Hedy Dyck, Katie Dueck. The concert choir can be regarded as a traditional institution in the M.B.C.I. curri¬ culum. The choir this year consists of 30 enthusiastic students, mainly from grade XI and XII. We are sorry that several of our best singers are not back this year, which is perhaps the reason why we are not the winning rival of the original choir. Nevertheless we all find joy and satisfaction in singing. Every group has its favorites, and some of ours are: “Crossing the bar”, “Lerchengesang”. and “There is a Balm in Gilead”. It was the privilege of the group to visit various churches. There were: the Sounth-End Church in Win¬ nipeg, and the country churches like Niverville, Elm Creek, Morden, and Domain. At all places the choir experienced a warm reception. We hope that the programs contributed to the promotion of friendship between the home and the school, and that through them we have acquired new students. The motive of these programs was to in¬ troduce the new mennonite “Gesangbuch”, and to have spiritual fellowship. The program consisted of lectures by Mr. Schellenberg and Mr. Regehr, and songs suited to the content of the message. The choir thanks their conductor Mr. Doerksen, to whom the success of the choir is due and their faithful pianist, Helen Epp. We also thank the “Unterstiitzungsverein”, for contributing to the school a Gestetener Multigrapher. This enabled us to multiply our song sheets, and thereby add to our store of melodies. We wish the next year’s choir as much success as we have had. William Dyck.