Share The journey In Concert November 8th
News from Joanne McDonald for the Momentum Choir
When a small group of eight people living with a disability and a big dream to sing came together with an artistic director who never doubted their ability, it marked the genesis of Momentum Choir, now 55 members strong, and ready to share their music and personal journeys in a special concert ‘A Year in the Life’ Sunday, Nov. 8, 3 p.m. at Bethany Community Church in St. Catharines.
Momentum Choir soloist Jeremy Goode rocks Cab Calloway’s ‘Minnie the Moocher’ during rehearsals for the upcoming concert ‘A Year in the Life’ Sunday, Nov. 8, 3 p.m. at Bethany Community Church in St. Catharines. Photo/Joanne McDonald
“The whole concept of Momentum is not only to produce musicians but to nurture people to be more confident and feel like they have a deeper sense of belonging in this community,” said Executive and Artistic Director Mendelt Hoekstra.
Now launching its ninth season, Momentum continues to inspire audiences as a powerful and professional platform with its talented and fun-loving singers who change hearts and lives every time they perform.
More than music, ‘A Year in the Life’ will bring to life the personal stories of those singers whose lives have been transformed by the opportunity to share their gifts onstage. And they don’t hold back, giving their all to a wide repertoire of songs that will be interactive with the audience and interspersed with video clips that come straight from the heart.
“We’re going to recap some of last season’s highlights with brand new numbers and share insights from Momentum musicians, with short video clips, photos and commentary from the singers, their families and support staff,” Hoekstra said. “Our new songs are hard hitting, fun and singable.” A full night of audience of interaction, songs will include, ‘Brave’ by Sara Bareilles, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You’ by Frankie Valli, and ‘Minnie the Moocher’ by Cab Calloway.
Momentum Choir’s talented soloists Sam Gates and Jeremy Goode rehearse with Mendelt Hoekstra, Executive and Artistic Director for the upcoming concert ‘A Year in the Life’ Sunday, Nov. 8, 3 p.m. at Bethany Community Church in St. Catharines. Photo/Joanne McDonald
For St. Catharines’ resident Anjali Wellard the Momentum family has helped her find her voice and wings.
“Momentum Choir helped me figure out that I can talk for myself instead of people talking for me. I can make my own decisions now.”
The name Anjali means ‘a gift from God’ and she truly is a blessing to her musical family since joining the choir eight years ago.
“When Anjali first joined Momentum we were just looking for fun activities to keep her busy but it soon became the most important activity in her life and the one that gave us the most joy,” said her mother Pam Wellard of St. Catharines.
“I feel that all I can ask for my child is for her to be happy and Momentum makes her very happy and fulfilled. Performing has given her a lot of self-confidence. It has given her value and friendships and the discipline to make the commitment to be part of a professional choir,” Wellard said. “Mendelt is wonderful, he’s patient and the choir members just idolize him because he never doubts their abilities.”
The Momentum motto is ‘Belong, Believe, Inspire’ and at a recent concert that brought students together from local schools, a Grade 4 student stood up in the crowd to announce, “I want to see you guys perform a thousand times.”
Hoekstra says the impact on children and adult audiences is the same. “You get a better sense and appreciation for humanity and belonging in this community. The commitment level of the choir members is off the charts.”
Enriching lives through the power of music, Momentum, the only choir of its kind in Canada, has spread its wings to wide acclaim and now international fame, expanding the unique brand with Momentum Western New York now launching its first season this fall in Buffalo.
“Many Momentum members have said that their lives have been changed. Relationships are deeper, they are better advocates, both for self and others and have more confidence,” Hoekstra said. “My goal is that every community has the opportunity to display the gifts of people who live with a disability and this Momentum movement will continue in Buffalo.”
Tickets for the Sunday, Nov. 8 concert are available at the door of Bethany Community Church, 1388 Third St., St. Catharines, or online at www.eventbrite.
The cost is $10 per person; $25 per group home; and $7 per supported individual or student. For more information contact info@momentumchoir.ca
BACKGROUND – MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MOMENTUM CHOIR
Momentum Choir is a group of 55 singers, living with a disability. Members are from across the Niagara Region. They are all passionate about sharing their joy of music.
When a group of people believe and invest in a purposeful vision, great things can happen. This is the Momentum story.
Established in 2007, Momentum Choir was the vision of Mendelt Hoekstra, with support from Bethesda Community Services and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
It is a registered charitable organization, under a Board of Directors. The choir, now sought-after for concert bookings, carefully chooses the events and venues at which it will perform.
Momentum’s mission is to provide an authentic musical experience in which the gifts of unique artists can be professionally nurtured, and through which the artists can be given the opportunity to belong, believe and inspire.
Momentum is a highly disciplined, professionally facilitated, performance-based choir. Momentum provides a stage for these unique adults to not only display their gifts and talents but to genuinely and inspirationally contribute.
Momentum’s reputation is growing with past performances before diverse audiences from the House of Commons on Parliament Hill to churches, banquet halls, workshops, conferences and an audition for Canada’s Got Talent.
Membership fills a huge quality of life needs for choir members, gives them an opportunity to develop friendships with each other and gives them self-respect and a feeling of self-worth. It gives them a way to reach through disability to find passion, friendship and belonging. It shows us that people living with disability have valuable contributions to make to society.
Momentum is the only choir of its kind in Canada.
To hear them sing is a profound emotional experience.
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