St. Paul’s United Church was humming with young people from around the Southeast singing with amazing talent and ease.

The vocal and speech arts portion started March 21st with amazing talent ranging from ages 4-21. And among them was talents who recited poetry, french, and graced us with beautiful song.

Marcia McLean was the adjudicator for this portion, she is currently the artistic director of the Swift Current Oratorio Choir and the Prairie Spirit choir. McLean also teaches private voice lessons, gives choral workshops and adjudicates.

She has led her Oratiorio choir in January of 2014 to New York to perform Karl Jenkin’s “Stabat Mater” in Carnegie Hall. In 2010, she retired after 18 years as Director of Choral Music at the Swift Current Comprehensive High School. There she conducted an 80-voice concert choir, a vocal jazz ensemble and the Comp. Chamber Singers. In 2010, the Chamber Singers were selected to perform at the Association of Canadian Choral Community’s convention held in Saskatoon, and in 2007 performed at Festival 500 in Newfoundland. In addition, the choir presented Showcase Concerts at the Rocky Mountain Festival and won awards at Music Fest Canada and the Heritage Music Festival.

In 2004, McLean was awarded the “Pro Musica Award” by the Sask. Choral Federation for outstanding service in the choral community. In 2001, she received the “Paul Harris Fellowship” from the Swift Current Rotary Club for outstanding leadership and community work with young people.

McLean is not without talent and she was able to hand out many awards ranging from $25-$250 awards for those who have mastered their talent. Including Levi Stepp, he is 17 years old and plans on moving on after high school to a performing arts school. And rightly so as he walked away with 4 awards leaving him with $450.00. He impressed McLean and won Best Vocal, Adjudicator’s Choice, Outstanding Musical Theatre Performance, and Best Sacred Reading Prize. 

Many amazing performances, and everyone involved sounded great.