Finding voice: Singing the Peninsula
Whilst seeing and hearing our South Arm Songsters at the market and other events brings joy to an audience’s ears and hearts, the impact of our community choir goes much deeper. Jo Dillon’s tribute to retiring choir leader Betsy Hanson explains...
I have a pretty ordinary singing voice really and have always found it challenging to hold a note by myself but I love singing, so was excited when well known opera singer Sharon Prero, some 10 years ago initially put an ad in the South Arm Peninsula News for people interested in being part of a community choir.
For the first year or so the choir met at St Barnabas Church but we moved to the South Arm Community Centre when our current choir leader, Betsy Hanson took over almost 8 years ago.
Now, I can't in all honesty claim that after ten years of singing my heart out most Monday nights, that my singing voice nor capacity to hold a note individually has improved dramatically, but what I have learnt is that I can indeed sing in harmony with others. This revelation seems to me to be a metaphor for life in general and in particular for life living in this South Arm community.
We have all sorts of singers in our choir, some have spectacularly good voices, some are professionally trained, some have sung in bands or are accomplished musicians in their own right but most of us would consider our voices as 'ordinary'. And yes, we have all certainly learned techniques that have helped us sound better as individual singers but the beauty of our community choir is that somehow, under Betsy's tutelage, when this diverse range of voices comes together we actually sound pretty darned good!
Sadly Betsy is leaving our choir and we all pay tribute to her efforts and skill as both teacher and musician. Choir members have spoken of the simple joy that singing with Betsy has brought to their lives; of going home after choir feeling uplifted and positive; of opportunities to shine; of laughter, fun, support during difficult times or bereavement and of inspiration and increased confidence to keep singing.
We have lost people but there have been new and forever friendships made at choir, even the occasional sniff of romance or snippets of salacious gossip to share! The camaraderie created has also led to the emergence, particularly during Covid, of a number of small bands and singing groups which still continue to go from strength to strength. The larger group will continue to meet for informal singalongs and social gatherings while we consider the next step.
We thank you Betsy for your easy and effortless teaching style, (we know it wasn't!) for creating an atmosphere where we all felt that we had something to contribute, for your infectious and spontaneous humour, for the fabulous music and most of all for helping us find voice.
Jo Dillon, South Arm Songster
24 May 2025
Thank you Betsy!
You have given us a great gift: to sing together with heart and mind and soul and voice; to become a bonded group. We have laughed - and cried; we've followed you where you led us and we thank you for consistently turning up at the end of the day when all you probably wanted to do was go to bed with a good book!
Gill.
I looked forward to Mondays every week because no matter how low I felt, Betsy’s beautiful, contagious smile immediately lifted me up. The singing and laughing together was better than any medicine. I thank you Betsy and wish you good health and happiness.
Jan.
