NEW MY POP CHOIR DIRECTOR FINDS WHAT SHE WAS LOOKING FOR

With a tune always in her head and a lifetime of music, the director of the new Whitby group of My Pop Choir is a perfect fit. And she is delighted that she has found what she was looking for.

After retiring from her long-time teaching career, Mary Lynne Calvert was looking for what was next.  “I didn’t know what that was going to look like, but it was something I needed. I was open to ideas.”

Mary Lynne heard about MPC from a cousin, a member of our Oakville group. The concept of a no audition, sing for joy community choir intrigued her, so she approached My Pop Choir owner/director Alex Fiddes about the possibility of starting a choir in Whitby. “I sent in my resume, and videos of my conducting and we talked on Facetime.”

Then she visited Oakville to watch Family and Friends night, the regular end of term celebration that all the MPC choirs host.  “I just loved it,” says Mary Lynne. “I loved seeing the faces of the performers and how invested they were. And how much fun they were having was evident.”

Mary Lynne has been retired since June of 2023. She spent the past year music directing for a children’s drama program, which she found enjoyable.  But after becoming familiar with the My Pop Choir philosophy and watching it in action, she says that “it just struck a chord.” (She points out that she can’t resist music puns!)

Mary Lynne’s absorption in music is not surprising given her background.  She comes from a musical family and she grew up hearing harmony. “My Dad rarely sang melody so I had an ear for harmony from the get-go.”

In high school, she was always involved in music, both choral and band.  “I made great memories and great friends,” she recalls. Aiming for teaching she went on to Brock University to obtain her B.A./B.Ed. with a Choral Music elective.

She directed student choirs throughout her career.  For her last five years as an educator, she taught in the prestigious Arts and Media Program for the Durham Catholic School Board, a regional effort for which students audition from the entire region.

“I taught vocal music to Grades 7 and 8,” she explains. “It was a dream job and the pinnacle of my career.”

And now My Pop Choir promises to be another joyful musical adventure for her. And for Mary Lynne, it has become a family affair. Every choir needs a manager to look after administration, keep track of membership and answer the frequent questions that singers have throughout each term.

Sometimes it can be a challenge to find such a person for a new choir, but Mary Lynne came with her own manager. “My husband, Mark Dejaegher, has taken on the job,” she explains. “He  loves spreadsheets, communications, logistics and organizing.” Everything, in fact, that a choir manager needs.

When we spoke, Mary Lynne was about to take on Week 4 of the fall 2024 term with the new Whitby choir.  There are currently about 35 members. “When I initially introduced myself and talked about My Pop Choir, I made it crystal clear that it’s about having fun and I wanted that warm feeling of ‘you belong here’.”

She says that of those who signed up, there were some with a lot of choral experience and some who hadn’t sung since high school and now sing mostly in the car. “I didn’t know what to expect vocally.”

The new choir will be happy to learn that her reaction was very positive. “I’m impressed with the sound,” she says. “And the fact that they are here means that they are taking a risk and we’re going to celebrate that.”

With all her teaching and directing experience, Mary Lynne knows that she has to build relationships with her choir members. “They have to trust that they can raise their voices without fear of criticism.”

Her philosophy should make any singer comfortable, no matter how limited their experience might be.  She wants her choir to sing “loud and proud. I would rather you make a mistake than feel inhibited. Just own it and let it go.”