The Flin Flon Community Choir will soon, for the first time in years, be under a new director. Crystal Kolt is stepping down from that position and Angela Ishaka will pick up the baton.
Ishaka will be taking over Kolt’s position as the director of the choir, taking effect later this fall. Ishaka will now be the person leading the choir’s rehearsals, choosing music and planning future events.
She said the job has taken adjustments, especially in planning, where Kolt has left big shoes to fill, but said her predecessor has been very helpful during the transition.
“Truthfully, the planning part is where I feel most nervous, because Crystal has had such a history of having really big scale ideas. She has huge ideas and she makes things happen. I’m really comfortable with the leading of the rehearsing and that kind of thing, but a little bit intimidated by her legacy, let's say that,” said Ishaka.
“She's also extremely approachable and very helpful and doesn't want anybody to feel intimidated by her. I would say I feel intimidated, but also very excited. I’m very confident with my skills in directing and leading the group.”
Ishaka, originally from Ontario, was part of two professional choirs in her home province, the Elora Singers and the Elmer Iseler Singers, performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. After she and her family arrived in Flin Flon in 2016, Ishaka has been a part of the community choir and the Borealis chamber group, also working with the music departments at the three Flin Flon schools where music is offered. Ishaka has also taught private music lessons and performed with the choir and in several local and regional productions, including the choir’s production of Mary Poppins earlier this year.
Ishaka’s history with music usually involves performing, not leading from the front. The role will mean some similarities and some differences.
“You're using your ears in both instances. When you're part of the choir performing, you're listening to your own self and how you're blending in with with the rest of the singers to produce what the director wants. When you're leading, then you're kind of in charge of listening for the overall effect and being able to pinpoint different sections and different people, asking for different things,” she said.
“As the director, you also have the overall vision for the piece you want to create and you have to have the confidence to lead, you have to have the skill to show the singers what you want them to do and also inspire them to want to follow you.”
Ishaka will also take on a new task - overseeing the creation of an official children’s choir, associated with the community choir as a whole. The only childrens’ choirs in Flin Flon exist as school clubs - the only community kids’ choir outside school, the Coppertones, ended in the mid-2010s.
The new children’s choir, which will begin officially Sept. 16, will sing at choir events like the group’s annual Christmas concert and others. More than 30 kids are already signed up to join the choir.
“Right now, we have one goal in mind - the Christmas concert. We want to see how that goes and how many people are invested. If they want to carry on into the future, then we will,” she said.
“I would like to see it carry on, then do a spring production. This year, we’re just going to join in with those other groups, which gives us the flexibility not to have to learn a whole concert’s worth of music for the first time - but I would like to do a whole concert with just the kids.”
As for Kolt, she said she will still maintain some role with the choir, similar to the Flin Flon Arts Council, from which she stepped down as cultural coordinator earlier this year. Kolt said she will still take on a role with planning major musicals and other productions, but added the choir is in good hands with Ishaka.
“In terms of the skill that she can give to people and the knowledge she can give to people, it’s going to be very exciting to see,” she said.
“I’m so grateful and I’m excited to learn from here too.”
