The bulletin board in front of the Lutheran Church on Cedar Hill and Cedar Hill Cross Road recently had the following message: “Thank you Brian for your gift of music.”
For the last several years Brian Wismath has been the director of that Lutheran Church choir, the Victoria Choral Society, Vox Humana, Linden Singers, the Victoria Civic Orchestra, and he conducted workshops at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. All these groups have benefited from his guidance. He is leaving Victoria.
I sing as a tenor in the Victoria Choral Society (VCS). Many choirs, the VCS included, have a shortage of tenors. Brian and the board of the VCS hired an excellent local professional tenor to help one year. The next year, Brian urged the baritones who could sing tenor to join the tenor section. They were good, but they all returned to the baritone section the following year when given the choice.
The following year for one piece Brian spent hours arranging for the baritones to double the lower notes of the tenor line, and the altos to double the upper notes of the tenor line. This was brilliant — the baritones and altos in question didn’t have to change seating, and the tenors felt less exposed.
The VCS has also been greatly helped by the piano accompanist Wendy Stofer. Brian acknowledged Wendy’s help at the end of each rehearsal.
I agree with the Lutheran Church choir in thanking Brian for his gift of leading us to share music.
Robert Shepherd
Saanich
