By Andy Burke
As the Peterborough Singers began its new season last Fall, everyone knew that the next several months would be unlike any the choir community had experienced. Artistic Director Syd Birrell was starting his 35th year at the choir podium, but come January, he would entrust the baton to others, having announced his retirement the previous year. The search for a successor was underway. This set the stage for exciting and bittersweet months ahead – and for many unknowns and challenging times to come. But thanks to the initiative, talents, and hard work of the choir, along with the astounding generosity of its supporters, as the final chorus of Haydn’s The Creation resounded in May, the Peterborough Singers’ past, present, and future were ready to be cheered.
Kicking off the performance season was the annual UnConcert choir fundraiser, a lively mix of homegrown entertainment presented by choristers themselves. As usual, the evening showcased the often hidden talents of Singers, with acts spanning a jazz quartet, an original musical comedy, a heartwarming mother-daughter duet by Pam and Rebecca Birrell, and a Backstreet Boys’ tribute (to name a few). Oh, and if the show itself wasn’t enough, another successful sale of Singers’ own crafts and baked goods capped off the night!
As Syd entered his final holiday season at the helm, this year’s Yuletide Cheer concert was a special celebration of what many audience members have come to consider the launch of winter festivities. The outgoing director was sure to pack the setlist with some of his all-time favourites, ranging from delicate choral arrangements to classic audience sing-alongs bolstered by the Venabrass ensemble’s brass accompaniment and the mighty Casavant organ. As a parting gift in honour of Syd’s long history with the virtuosic Venabrass at Yuletide Cheer, Marcus Venables created a special composition. And in keeping with a legacy of stage banter at the event, Marcus also named Syd an honorary member of the Venabrass trumpet section…an instrument that Syd, apparently, needs to practise!
Handel’s Messiah has been the centrepiece of the Singers’ season from the beginning, and given its deep musical and personal significance to the Birrell family, the oratorio fittingly served as Syd’s deserving sendoff. The two performances featured some of the conductor’s favourite soloists from over the years, as well as Ian Sadler, our longtime one-man orchestra, at the organ. All musicians combined to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Syd, 1,300 attendees, and choir members. As he affirmed in a speech after his last performance as artistic director, choral music is “not just harmony on the page, but harmony between people.” For all his musical excellence and his building of a world-class choir in Peterborough, Syd is beloved by Singers past and present and by the community because he creates that harmony. He brings people together in and through music, and this gift is central to his legacy – locally and beyond.
Under the emotional weight of the new year, the PS was lucky to have its very own Melissa Wotherspoon accept the baton to lead the production of On Broadway. Bringing a wealth of expertise in musical theatre direction – not to mention an infectious passion and unparalleled humour − Melissa inspired the choir toward many demanding and adventurous artistic achievements this winter. But she also laid bare the storytelling, emotion, and shared humanity at the core of show tunes. The song “Heart and Music” from the musical A New Brain, served as a theme, emphasizing both the possibilities and challenges of change. It was a memorable pop concert, and an inspiration during the uncertain times felt both within and outside of this musical family. Thank you Melissa!
For a video playlist of selections from the On Broadway concert, check out our YouTube channel.
To close out the season, the Singers joined forces with the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra to present Joseph Haydn’s The Creation, under the direction of PSO Maestro Michael Newnham. For two performances, audiences were immersed in the collective voice of chorus and orchestra that conveyed the world’s creation through sound and story. Adding to the majesty of this work was a standout group of soloists that included Peterborough native Jacob Abrahamse and local soprano Shannon McCracken. In a choir season full of change and trials, The Creation, with its early theme of upheaval, was apropos. Haydn’s masterwork, though, culminates in the triumph of light, order, and beauty, which parallels the Singers’ path. The choir is proud of its journey this season, and, with its new Artistic Director Shawn Grenke at the helm, looks forward with confidence and excitement.
On this note, the organization’s optimism for the future could simply not have been imagined without the humbling support the Singers received this season. The steady contributions of season sponsor SGS, concert sponsors such as Bussey Ainsworth, and all regular donors have been especially appreciated. Making this year truly extraordinary, however, has been the Syd Birrell Legacy Fund, created in the hopes of honouring the founding conductor’s vision by ensuring the choir can continue to bring in emerging artists, world-class soloists, and keep its background work running for years to come. Thanks to the incredible generosity of this community, the fund hit the ambitious target of raising $100,000 in just five weeks by the end of December 2025. This remarkable gift has provided the choir with secure financial footing and much needed confidence during its time of transition. But it also represents what the Peterborough Singers has come to mean for so many – musical excellence rooted in connection, care, and shared purpose with a wider community. With your continued support, the choir looks forward to carrying on its mission – “enriching and transforming lives through the learning, singing, and sharing of choral music in our community” – next season and for many seasons to come.
