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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 19 80, PAGE 15S Musie teacher appointed director of Sigers By Cathy Bevis à County Town Singersmlw You could feel it that air of Ai~ anticipation and excitement. ~> Members quickly found their seats and chatted somewhat nervousiy. r The reason for ail this? A new dîrector. Having beeri without a formai director since the resignation of James Ashley in January of this year, the County Town Singers were about to weicome Mr. Russell Baird as the new leader of their group. The baton came down promptiy at 8 p.m. and the next two hours were spent ~ doing warm-up exercises f* and practising numbers forp their upcoming shows. Baird is a music teacher at Port Perry High Sehool and utilized bis teaching ri 'Tw skills to bring forth excellent The Couflty Tow Siger7s sound and tone from the 89- voice choir. program, the only such ductor for the Oshawa Little for Ail Seasons. degree in composition at Sara and Douglas. The The rapport between prograni in Durham High Theatre's production of The He received his first York University. County Town Singeir5 Baird and the singers was Schoois. Sound of Music and aiso was degree frorn MacMaster Baird resides in Prince welcome with pride and excellent - fun, but In 1976 hie was music composer for the 1977 University in music Albert with his iovely wife pleasure, their new director, disciplined. director and orchestra con- production by O.L.T. of Man education and bis second lane and their two children, Russell Baird. Later, when asked why hie had applied for the positionTH of director, Baird said, 'I have heard t.he choir and been impressed with their standard of performance, their professionalismn and L PP E T enthusiasum. They have talent and sing for the love of singing." He went on to say, "I1 enjoy 0 0 0 0 0 working with vocal groups and hope to carry on the tradition of The CountyW Town Singers and maybe add another dimension and introduce some other styles of music from the classical-FE repertoire right through toFR ER E the modern classics as well. I think there are a greatiONASLC RU OFPTE S number of Canadian com- posers who are writing or have written music that will inspire the choir and excite the audiences." The emphasis will still be on modem, up-beat and show tunes' but this will dispiay the choirs versatility as weil. "I'm very excited about being asked to work with the group. I know that S A T H R D Y P I 0hA :0à. Jim Ashley did a tremen- dous job with them and I look forward to carrying on, hopefully in the true CountySU W RHBRN NA ECYLCV YS Town Singers tradition." The choir has managed to stay together, carrying on PAN B IE R E regular practises and con- O FW T certs without the guidance ofG.T RE . O a formai director since REG. TO REG.T 1E January by utilizing the *125/ds)n .5u $1 9.95 t 3 $3n9 $29.90 $O the choir bas managed to 19OW continue in this interini period. The singers, enter-a tain and inspire their audiences under the guidan-À ce of their new director. Baird comes very highly recommended to the choir and began conducting at the age of twelve with the St. BW AVLEOHW AJAX George the Martyr Boy's 1 MNVLEOH Choir, which won two first65KN STETES14 ICES.SUH31HAWO AV UE. place awards at the Toronto 65 KING t ETA ST 14OSIMOE S. SOTH 131NHRWOF AVENUE1N Kiwans Festival and toured OpthVETICML > (JUST SOUTH 0F JOHN ST.) 68STNOTH0F7HY101 Eastern Ontario. 623-1871 579-1655 6601 He also became organist and choir director at St. Clement, Riverdale where HOURS: MON.TUES.WWD. & SAT. 9»:3W THURSM &F1. 9:30- 9:00 he introduced the vocali