About Us

History

Prelude…
In the fall of 1991, the Artistic Director of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Peter Gardner, programmed Britten's Saint Nicolas Cantata for the orchestra's coming season. This work requires a high level children's chorus, and at the suggestion of Douglas Dunsmore, conductor of the NSO's Philharmonic Choir, Peter contacted Susan Knight to see if she would be interested in participating in the project. Susan agreed to organize auditions and prepare and conduct a choir drawn from the Eastern Avalon community to perform this one concert. Of the many who answered the audition call, Susan chose 70 and prepared them on Sunday afternoons over a two month period for the March concert.  This ad hoc group was called the NSO Treble Chorus and Susan chose as her rehearsal accompanist Marlene Stanley, a senior undergraduate piano major at MUN.  Rehearsals were held free of charge in the Brinton gym, where Susan was the music teacher. Enthusiastic rehearsals led to a most successful performance of the Saint Nicolas Cantata in the Anglican Cathedral in March 1992.

Founding…
Coming up to the Saint Nicolas concert, Susan approached the choristers' families wishing to know if they would like to be part of a new independent and permanent community choir following the performance, to which there was an overwhelmingly positive response.   A chief volunteer during this preparation period had been parent John Baker. John agreed to Susan's request to chair the board of this new community youth choir and served with distinction, energy and astonishing commitment over the next 12 years.   Susan also invited Ki Adams(now retired) to become accompanist and associate conductor for the new choir. His dedication, commitment and musical contribution was a significant piece of the early success of the choir.  The first performance of the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir (now SHALLAWAY) was in September 1992 at a Gala marking the 125th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, hosted by Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn at the Arts and Culture Centre in St. John's.