In the summer of 1998, Jack Boomer first heard the suggestion he should start a choir after years of performing as a pianist in other groups and directing the odd church choir.
Now, long after that fateful day, the Arbutus Singers group is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The non-auditioned, six-part choir has performed hundreds of times over the years, and its ranks have grown and shrunk many times from its original 15 members to a peak of 90. But Boomer said many things have remained the same.
“The unique thing about the choir is that we basically say to people all they have to do is get the bums in the seats, and we will come do a concert for you, and you get to collect as much money as you can and keep it for your cause,” said Boomer.
That ability to pass on nearly all of each concert’s proceeds is the result of one of the first decisions Boomer and the original members – a handful of which remain active in the group – made when the group was formed.
At the outset, the group members decided they did not want to operate with a board of directors, as many choirs do, which meant operating costs were extremely low with only the full-time pianist getting paid to perform.
READ MORE: ER doctor bringing story of pandemic hospital care and mental health to Sidney
Supporting charities has been a focus of the group from the start as well, with Boomer saying their performances have benefited causes ranging from Ukrainian refugees to students in Africa. It has raised at least $500,000 since its inception.
The group’s flagship cause is the ChoirKids program created in 2006 by Boomer to realize his dream of helping youth get into choir performance. That cause eventually grew so large Boomer had to partner with the Victoria Conservatory of Music to take over the administrative and leadership elements.
The group has maintained its musical focus on jazz and show tunes, and its members commit to memorizing the music for each show.
While the group is largely known as a success, Boomer jokes the early days were far less glamorous, with many of their early performances featuring a complimentary snack and refreshment table as “the idea was if people didn’t enjoy the concert, at least they got a snack.”
One of those early performances nearly ended in disaster as Boomer recalls the coffee pot on that snack table caught fire mid-performance, leading to several of the performers waving and pointing to the back of the hall to get someone to go put it out, without missing a note.
Of course, there is one other constant in the group over the years and that’s Boomer’s direction, though he is quick to downplay his role.
“Somebody recently asked me if I was the glue that holds the choir together and I said ‘Yes, I’m the Krazy Glue,” he said. “The bottom line is, it’s a great group of people that come together to do good things and sing. And at the end of the day, we also sound amazing.”
The group is hosting a special 25th anniversary concert on April 19 at Alix Goolden Hall, as well as several other anniversary performances throughout the region. Details are available at arbutussingers.com.
READ MORE: Saanich author takes a page from B.C.’s past in first work of historical fiction
@JSamanski
justin.samanski-langille@goldstreamgazette.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
