Anne-Marie Jennings
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 15/98) - Fans of the Yellowknife Youth Choir have one more chance to hear the group in action as the choir's spring concert takes to the stage at NACC for another year.

For 11 years, the choir has staged a winter and spring concert, with a wide variety of music included in each program.

"This year's concert will be on the lighter side of folk music from around the world," says choir director Bill Gilday. "I always try to look for new and different music to include in each concert."

This year's concert will also take on a special significance for both choir director and the choir, as Gilday has announced that this will be his last concert.

"I will be taking a one-year sabbatical," he says. "I have been working with this choir for 11 years and I have not been able to find a replacement to take the choir over."

"If people want to hear the choir, they will have to come to next week's performances."

Songs of Wind and Water, is the theme of this year's spring concert. Gilday says he had no part in choosing the theme for this year's concert.

"I select the material for the concert from the things I like and I want to do," Gilday says. "I'm not thinking about the theme for the concert."

"What generally happens is that once the concert lineup has been arranged, we step back and see if there is a common theme. In most cases, the people who are in charge of the advertising come up with the theme."

Directing the choir has been a wonderful experience for Gilday in the years since he first started the choir, and he says there are countless memories which he will keep with him from his time as choir director.

"The choir has had a good rapport with the community over the years," Gilday says. "We have performed at the opening of the Legislature, we performed for royal visits, and at number of other events throughout the years."

While Gilday will be taking time away from full-time teaching and his work with the Yellowknife Youth Choir, he is quick to add that he won't be taking time away from Yellowknife for an entire year.

"My wife and I have already planned a few trips for next year," Gilday says. "But I've got a place on the lake which I want to do some landscaping on, and I will probably do some substitute teaching around town for sick music teachers."

Songs of Wind and Water will take place at NACC May 21-22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the two performance are available at NACC or Sam the Record Man in the Yk Centre.