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Twenty-three years ago, when a fledgling local choir visited the school where Owen Aylward was teaching music, he was impressed enough to write them a letter of appreciation. “Within a week,” he says, as though still surprised by the turn of events, “they had written to me asking if I'd like to be the director.” This year that community choir, now known as “A Joyful Sound,” still sings under Owen's direction and is celebrating its 25th anniversary year.
“I know when I start what I want to hear eventually,” Owen says, and the choir's name is predictive of what he wants to hear—music that is joyful for both singers and audience.
As a choir director, Owen's hallmark is high expectation in the performances of the choir's varied repertoire, from classical to folk. “It's funny how things have evolved,” he says, “from people asking, ‘you actually expect us to sing that?' to now, saying, ‘if he gave it to us and didn't throw it out, then we know we're going to do it…' Someone new might say, ‘I couldn't sing that stuff.' But someone more experienced in the choir will tell them, ‘Yes, you could—they can.'” And in a community choir, “they” are neighbours, friends, and colleagues, not professional singers.
“If you don't ask for 150 per cent at the beginning, you might not get 50 per cent. I strive for more than I can expect,” Owen says. Sometimes, he gets the full 150 per cent. “This Christmas, that happened,” he says. The “Joyful Sound” Christmas concert in Montague, the director says, surpassed any show they had ever done. “Three chords in, it was wonderful. And it stayed that way all the way through,” he says. Much of the emotion of the night came from the death, earlier last year, of Owen's sister, Patsy Blanchard, a stalwart of the choir. She died in a fire in her Charlottetown home.
“They did it for me and for her,” Owen says. “She was a big part of the choir. A big part of it.” The choir sang at her funeral, even though, Owen says, “the members of ‘A Joyful Sound' were hurting as much as I was…The overriding thing is, the choir is more like family,” Owen says. “The choir has gotten me through a lot through the years.” He often refers to it as his “sanity-saver.”
This summer, “A Joyful Sound” will record its second CD, for Christmas. “I can hear it now: ‘Silent Night' in July," Owen laughs. But “Silent Night,” a favourite of his sister's, has to be there. “It's our way of putting Pat into the recording,” he adds more somberly.
As Owen looks towards retiring this June, completing 33 years teaching school music, he anticipates having more time to devote to adult choirs. Two years ago, in addition to his work with “A Joyful Sound,” he took on directing the church choir at the Kirk of St. James. He was enthusiastic to have another opportunity to work with accompanist Fran McBurnie, long-time accompanist for “A Joyful Sound” and organist at the Kirk. “She's a godsend, that woman,” Owen says. They began their collaboration when Owen called her to ask if she might know any music students looking for work as accompanists. “Instead, she said, ‘I'm free that night. Would you like me to come?' She walked in, sight-read all the music, and has been with us ever since.”
“A Joyful Sound” anniversary concerts will bring back “Edelweiss,” the first fateful song Owen heard the choir sing. “They sang it fairly well then. They sing much better now,” he says with a smile.
Through all the years, the impetus to lead singing has remained the same. “What solidified [teaching music] for me,” he says, “was a Grade Three class I took to the Music Festival. They took what I gave them and added their talents to it, and I was hooked forever.”
As a choir director, Owen Aylward says, “It's a real neat thing to be able to give but receive back more.”