One Less Voice

These days I’m paid to go to the big United church at the centre of town: McDougall United. It has a long history of being a centre of political and social influence, but that was in the past. It has come through the waning of the last couple of decades and is starting to grow strong again – and part of that is a refocusing on their purpose. McDougall does a lot with the downtown community – supporting the work of the Bissell Centre and the Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation.

McDougall also has a long history of excellent music, and it used to be a premiere concert venue for the city before the Winspear Centre was built. The acoustics are terrific, and the place is both open and warm. It’s the music ministry that pays me to be there.

I’m the bass section leader. That means I provide an anchor for the volunteer basses in the choir. I help keep it all together and provide leadership. This means I make sure the guys have the right music, that anyone who is having trouble gets a little extra attention. I keep attendance, assign robes to newcomers, and sing the occasional solo piece. At McDougall, the music ranges from Bach to Beatles.

This month is Gospel Music Month – a tribute to the musical heritage of the church as well as coordinating with Black History Month. Our attendance goes up a notch during Gospel Music Month. Maybe it’s the bluegrass band. Maybe it’s the informality of it all. Maybe it’s a nostalgia for a time when we weren’t living in doubt.

I’m the young guy in the bass section. That doesn’t mean a lot. Maybe it’s because the bass voice matures later than the others, but our section is well-lived. We have our challenges: some don’t read music, some are hard of hearing, some are dealing with the pains of growing old. But they come to rehearse every week, and then they show up on Sunday and they give what they have.

Our choir president resigned recently. 70 years old, he’s been singing there for 30 years. He was still singing the occasional solo – and while the voice does not have the robust fierceness of youth, it is still a resonant and sensitive instrument. He has chosen to stop now, before he loses his abilities. He doesn’t want to be an old man singing out of tune and out of time.

He has stepped down now, in Gospel Music Month, when the choir is more informal and when his absence won’t be felt as keenly. I might be the paid section leader, but he’s the man who has been the backbone of the section for decades. I miss him already.

So Dave, if you read this, know that your years of singing brought joy and pleasure to hundreds of people. Thank you.