Carollers still going strong 16 years later
The Dickens Yuletide Singers are a close-knit carolling troupe providing a unique public service: Festive joy.
For the last 16 years, the group has travelled throughout the city, and sometimes the province, invigorating residents with Christmas cheer at malls, bars and special events like Moose Jaw’s Festival of Trees, and at their annual Government House performances taking place this weekend.
Music director Dianne Burrows feels the group strikes a chord among residents because of the carollers’ Victorian-era garb that evokes classic holiday imagery.
“We always have this nice picture of carollers from years ago,” she said.
“It just makes us a little bit different than the ordinary choir.”
Their performances touch on carols from different time periods and holiday-themed takes on classic pop songs like Hallelujah. For many Regina residents, the singers usher in the holiday season with their performance.
“We see all these people that just keep coming back and they say ‘This is how Christmas starts for us,’ ” said Burrows.
The retired music teacher recalls seeing the group perform during a televised carol festival more than 10 years ago.
She was immediately taken with the group, and even knew some of the singers. Burrows required little coaxing as she immediately contacted the group to join.
Since then, Burrows and the carollers have enjoyed a warm reception wherever they perform; Burrows recalls visiting a nursing home in 2009 when the group’s performance injected a bit of yuletide bliss.
“(The staff) have said to us ‘They just sit there, they don’t communicate with anybody,’ ” she said.
“Afterwards, they told us ‘They were just smiling, and almost trying to sing along.’ ”
Founder Sherilyn Bray recalls moving to the province from southern Ontario and wanting to better involve herself in the community. She had an idea that allowed her to use her long-practised choir skills, but she didn’t know how her then-husband would react.
“I literally walked in the house and said ‘I have this idea about Christmas carollers and we’re going to dress up in old time carolling garb,’” Burrows said.
“(Her husband and family friend) just looked at me and thought I was nuts,” she concluded with a laugh.
The singers started small, but with persistence and strong direction, the group refined its craft.
“We evolved from making our own costumes, to renting them to having some finally made for us,” Bray said.
Although she left the organization 12 years ago to focus on raising her children, Bray still witnessed the group evolve at public performances.
“It’s sort of like having a child, and watching it grow up and become an adult,” she said.
Ultimately, Bray sees the singers as a strong community-building force.
“(The group) makes it feel like a smaller town for a capital city,” Bray said.
“No matter what background, if you’re religious or not religious ... you can appreciate music for music.”
Although the singers have performed their major annual show they will continue touring Regina until Dec. 20.