When Townsite Jazz festival director Paul Cummings attended BC Choral Federation (BCCF) Chorfest this past spring, the retired Brooks Secondary School music teacher was caught off guard by being presented with the 2024 Willan Award for outstanding service to the BCCF, according to an email sent to the Peak from BCCF communications coordinator Andy Rice.
Rice indicated that Cummings, the now former past-president of BCCF, was instrumental in steering the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting a fully-virtual BCCF World Chorfest broadcast in 2021, and creating opportunities for young singers as a champion of the BC Teen Choir.
2023 Willan Award recipient Fran Pollet surprised Cummings at the Chorfest celebration by presenting the award to him at the annual event.
“I never saw this coming,” said Cummings, reflecting upon a decade of service on the BCCF board. “The team, the board of directors, and especially the executive, working with them through COVID was a true honour. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.”
The honour coincided with Cummings’ retirement after years of teaching secondary music students in Mission and in the qathet region at Brooks.
The Willan Award is awarded annually and presented for outstanding service to the BCCF. Nominations are made at the January board meeting and a vote is held. The results are held in secret until the presentation is made, traditionally at the banquet on the Saturday night of Chorfest, according to BCCF.
The BC Choral Federation encourages and promotes choral music throughout British Columbia. It is a nonprofit association and members include singers, music educators, conductors and organizations that share enthusiasm for choral music, according to BCCF.
Join the Peak’s email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
