Seventh Kathaumixw called a success

July 3, 1996

Halfway through the seventh International Choral Kathaumixw has already been coined a "big success".

Twenty-nine choral groups have convened in Powell River, to join their voices, their languages and their cultures together into one massive "gathering of different peoples." The excitement shows on all of their faces. They are truly happy to have been given this opportunity to sing with the best and brightest of international choirs.

They've come from as far away as South Africa and Russia, Poland and Japan, as well as from across Canada and the United States.

It all began Tuesday night with a colorful opening gala, with the 1,100 singers gathered in the Great Hall with thousands of spectators to open five days of music.

The opening was a spectacular event, with performances of Choirs in Residence thrilling the audience.

Said Sliammon elder Joe Mitchell before praying for a successful week: "It's a great honor for me to be asked to come and welcome all the people from what looks like a very small world. The way we make it smaller is to get together."

Moving was performance of Tobin Stokes' Kathaumixw anthem, The Spacious Firmament, especially when he emerged from the 332 member chorus to accept the applause of the audience.

The only casualty of the evening was a Boy Scout flag-bearer who succumbed to the heat and humidity and tumbled down the ramp leaving from the stage. He went home uninjured after being checked out by St. John Ambulance first-aiders.

The 90-minute opening production of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff wound up to a standing ovation as the throngs headed home shortly before midnight, a little tired after a long, hot evening, but excited at the festival that lay ahead.

And even as the opening wound down, it seems Kathaumixw's success story will continue to add another chapter in 1998. Already 12 choirs have applied to attend the ninth festival.

Head of the Jury, Carl Little, believes he knows why Kathaumixw is so special with choirs from around the world.

"It's the quality of the choirs who get chosen to come here," said Little, "Don James and his troops have worked so hard over the years to make this festival what it is today."

Little said that Kathaumixw's reputation worldwide is outstanding. "Choirs that come here know that they will be competing against and learning from the top choirs in the world.

Choirs that come here know that they will be in for a great holiday and a great learning experience," he said. "What also makes Kathaumixw special is the hospitality that the choir members receive here. You just get a wonderful feeling coming here, the people are so generous with their time and their homes."

Little said that he agrees with someone who once told him that such an excellent choral festival couldn't happen in a larger center like Toronto or Vancouver. "Here you have more wonderful volunteers getting involved and wanting to help and that's what really makes it all happen.

Little himself is a world renowned Choirmaster and choral juror. This is the fifth time that he has come to participate in Kathaumixw.

Here for the first time is the Japanese choir Mama Mulberry, and just the day after coming into town by bus Tuesday, they are already basking in what the town and festival have to offer.

The choir, made up of Japanese mothers, they arose at 5 a.m. Wednesday to greet the sun and sing on the beach in front of their hotel, accompanied by a group of men from another choir.

"Despite all of the jetlag and strange food, they got up so early" said the choir's official accompanist, Haruko Kuwabara , who is also the daughter of the Mama choir director, Taeko Kuwabara.

The Mama Mulberry choir got its name from two sources. First the choir is completely made up of mothers,said Haruko, "Second, the Mulberry part comes from our last name "Kuwabara" means Mulberry Bush in Japanese.

The Mulberries are hoping to see a lot of Powell River during their stay.

The scenery coming up on the bus was so beautiful, said Taeko. All that we've seen of your town is beautiful as well.

This is not the first time that Mama Mulberry has been to Canada. They have competed in Vancouver and Banff in previous years.

They found out about this festival through information sent out by the Powell River Academy of Music.

Kathaumixw looked very interesting and we're really glad we came, said Haruko.

Mama Mulberry performs for the public in the Great Hall at the Recreation Complex at 8 p.m. today along with the Bloemfontein Children's Choir Pacofs from South Africa, the University of Ottawa Choir and the Chor Akademicki Politcchniki Szczecinskiej from Poland.

Winners from the various competitions perform in the Great Hall at 8 p.m. Friday and the Gala Closing, at which the top choir will be named is 8 p.m. Saturday at the Great Hall.