[From the Ontario District's newsletter, The Trillium, issue 61-02, April - June, 2007 , Waldo Redekop, editor.]

Nashville International Challenge

By Perry Wildfong Toronto Northern Lights President

The Toronto Northern Lights have just accepted an invitation to be the special guests of the British Association of Barbershop Singers at their 2008 BABS convention in Cheltenham, England, May 23-25, 2008.

We are all extremely excited about making this trip, as the BABS audience is very well-known for their overwhelming response and reaction to North American choruses and quartets. Those who have previously performed at this convention have raved about the experience.

As I am sure you can appreciate, this British excursion will require the vacation time and considerable personal expenses of each of our members. We have decided to make this BABS convention our primary objective and performance goal for 2008, rather than International competition.  

Many of you have also undoubtedly heard that the Greater Toronto MegaCity Chorus has also committed to a wonderful trip to Russia in 2008. We wish them well in their planning and preparation for this memorable trip. They have confirmed that they will also not be challenging to represent the Ontario District in Nashville in 2008.

For the first time in many years, the opportunity to represent this wonderful Ontario District at the International competition and convention is WIDE OPEN to any chorus! Neither TNL nor MegaCity will be competing in the fall contest in Brantford October 19-21, 2007, for the rights to compete in Nashville in July 2008.

As soon as our plans were confirmed we wanted to send out this notice, as we would hope that there are a number of choruses in the district that would seize this opportunity to put their best possible performance on stage in Brantford. We also recognize that song selection, building of the visual package and possible coaching assistance all require considerable lead times to organize and must be started soon.

So, what are you waiting for?

The year 2008 is going to be a very special year for the two traveling choruses, but it will also be an extra special year for another chorus in the district who will step onto the stage in Nashville representing the Ontario District!  

For those of you accepting the challenge, or others who just love to perform, best of luck in your preparation for Brantford. TNL will be in the audience cheering for all of the Ontario choruses who choose to compete.

This has the potential to be one of the most interesting and competitive district contests that we have had in Ontario in many years!         k