A Short History of the Aylmer Area Community Choir
by John E. Montgomery
- The Aylmer Area Community Choir (AACC) began as an upscale performing group. To be a successful venture the founders knew that it needed noteworthy talent. Dave Dykeman East Elgin Secondary School music director, agreed to lead the choir on condition that a sufficient and committed number of singers came together and a competent accompanist was found. Initially the choir was a dream of Jacquie Baldwin, a community volunteer and member of the Aylmer Area Community Band (AACB). Ms. Baldwin heard that Neil Whyte, Principal of Conservatory Canada from 1998 to 2001, was coming to Aylmer Baptist Church in the fall of 2002 as an organist and pianist. She sought his participation and he agreed. A blitz of advertising then went out in local media for singers and the first rehearsal, on April 6, 2003, was attended by 12 people. It’s first concert was 6 weeks later when it was the guest of the Aylmer Area Community Band at their ‘Four Years After’ concert. Within a short time the AACC also performed at Aylmer Baptist Church, adjudication sessions at St. Thomas Rotary, the London Kiwanis Festivals and the opening of the East Elgin Community Complex.
Neil Whyte and Evan Thompson the original and present accompanists
A music group without Sheet Music is like a car without an engine: you might ask the passengers of a car to push, but without an engine the experience is another tune. And push the choir did. In 2007 the choir asked for funds from the Aylmer Foundation so it could have its own music library. The AACC needed top notch music to keep up with the eminent talent with whom it performs. Past President Joanne Orton has said that what AACC members have enjoyed the most about the choir besides the camaraderie “is the different types of music”. You can see this in the various partners with whom it has performed. Since 2003 the AACC has sung with some major South West Ontario talent, such as vocalist Murray Adlam, the Aylmer Area Community Band, the Elginaires Barbershoppe Chorus, Sarah Hardy, Roy LeBlanc, Orchestra London, Port Stanley Community Choir and St. Thomas Youth Choir, among others.
Band leader Dave Dykeman and AACB at Palmer Park
The AACC sponsors the local community’s connection with music. Providing young and rising local talent in Elgin County with financial and venue support makes sense because some of them, it is assumed, will be its future members. In 2009 the AACC performed with McGregor Public School’s Tara McCready and her grade 3 and 4 class at a Christmas Concert at Old Town Hall, in 2010, the choir sang with Assumption Catholic School’s choir director Theresa Mathers and her student singers; In 2011 at “Sounds of the Season” the AACC and the AACB had as their guest, Immanuel Christian School Choir and Band.
AACC at Fifth Anniversary
While the AACC was initially supported by the Aylmer Area Community Band, some of whom participate in both groups, the choir has for many years been a self-sufficient venture in its own right. Many of the original members of the choir are still part of it while new members give the choir flair and colour. While it continues to push for better music and musical talent in Elgin County such an endeavour requires energy and ongoing creativity to remain an upscale musical group. If the AACC were to have a theme song or signature piece what would it be? Would it be “Until We Sing Again” by Greg Gilpin, “Think of Me” from the Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd-Webber , “On the Street Where You Live” from My Fair Lady by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner or Allister MacGillivray’s Away from the Roll of the Sea or another. After ten years in the singing business it certainly deserves one.
Orchestra London and Aylmer Area Community Choir
Aylmer Area Community Choir 