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Blyden- Taylor returns to -rootsý By IRENE GENTLE Special ta The Champion Aformer Milton star will shine here again his weekend couresy of Mtoi' ii sI ecslî ucaIIy bustcd Three Choir Festival Concert. The dazzling conductor and direc- tor of the Toronto Orpheus Choir Brainerd Blyden-Taylor will make his appearance Sunday Mar. 8 aE St. Paul's United Church for the event. The 3 p.m. show will feature up 10 100 young singers between the ages of 8-16 from the Milton Children's Chorus (MCC), Halton His Chidren's Chorus and the St. May's Children's Choir from near London. As guest conductor Mr. Blyden- Taylor wili also be in town Saturday for an ail-day workshop with the kids and their music directors. The trip wîll bring back memories for Mr. Blyden-Taylor, who is best known to many locals as the former director of the Milton Choristers. The event will be a stroîl down memory lane for MCC music direc- tor Audrey Mead as weli. That's because Ms Mead was one of those singers under Mr. Blyden-Taylor' s direction here in the 1980s. S"He' s just one of the best ieading Canadian choral directors and he has quite a flamboyant and fiery style," said Ms Mead. "He's exciting. He brought so much imagination 10 the music. He brought it alive." Ms Mead was a teenager in those heady days of the Milton Choristers and she soon gave it uto1 do the things that other teens deemed more important. StilI, she neyer lost sight of Mr. Blyden-Taylor, tracking his stellar rise through the ranks of Canadian music. * Mr. Blyden-Taylor was born in Trinidad and has spent the (ast 24 years here, making bis name one of the best known in North America for bis teacbing and guest conducEing skills. He's especially admired for his almost magicai ability to musi- cally inspire children. In facE, the larger than life conduc- tor is seen as one of those rare indi- viduais able to marry razzle-dazzle with solid musical subsEance. Ms Mead herself returned to music and when she became music director of the MCC, it was only a matter of time before she gave ber old mentor a caîl. "He bas the experience and knowledge when it comes, 10 spiritu- als and I wanted the kids to experi- ence what 1 bad," said Ms Mead. As a mother and president of the parent volunteers for MCC, Sandra Kenzie is also happy for the chance to tub shoulders with Mr. Blyden- Taylor. "'ve seen him before and he's just amazing. There' s something in bis personality that kids are juat mes- merized by," said Ms Kenzie. "He really brings the best out in tbem." The three-choir format is recog- nized by it's audience as one that makes for some resounding music. It's also good for the kids. 'They Iearn a lot just by being able to be with such a large group," said Ms Kenzie. "They really leam to sing out and project." Tickets for the event are $ 10 adult, $8 seniors/students. Children under 12 are free. For tickets, caîl 878-9937. Former Milton conductor Brainerd Blyden-Taylor will direct 100 yaung singera in Sunday's Three Choir Festival Concert at St. Pau's United Church. Halton board drops a grievance against L teachers over strike cassette. By TIM WHITNELL Special ta The Champion The new Halton District Scbool Board continues to reverse deci- sions made by the former board. On a nigbt when the current 10 trustees agreed to defer the closure of two Burlington elementary schools, as ordered by the old scbool board, the new representa- tives also tossed out another con- tentious decision of the old board at a recent meeting. A grievance filed by thse former I 8-person board againstýHalton's teachers, for any costs to the board associated wîth (ast fall's two- week teachers' strike over Bill 160, was withdrawn by current trustees in an 8-2 vote. Michael Ellis, the Burlington trustee wbo introduced the motion, said be didn't like the idea of a grievance for a number of reasons. "We were the only board in Ontario to launcb a grievance against teachers (the Hamilton and Wentwortb boards withdrew simi- lar attempts). If we want to mend fences, let's get rid of this griev- anc e," lie said. 'T4è logic behind a grievance was ùWcover the board for cos incurred during the strike. But after you take savings froro (not paying) teachers' salaries, and even witb the daycare expenses I19M TRCEER One owner. Red/grey cloth. 50(1- l àI ,Ue Per esgeco,"U6,7 pas- top, auto. cassette. Balance of' factory warranty. senger, air cond., cassette, air deflector. running On/yl 1700 kms: boards. oiy $17,995 orLawsto,$31 9/45.e-I1odey$15,995 vLaawetu,$2341Wa riaic pr lck 6 wiilws tltcris, A KM ,uwIuy COU 3U uaU.ai cond., AM/M stereo cassette. On/y 59, 000 kms. oaIry$3,595 I oay $18,995 o em for ,$28919m~. Il199 LtIMINA APV One owner Two tone red/grey if194 l E SOM One owner. lacWlgrey cloth, V6, wîth grey cloth. V6, auto, air p.locks, tilt cruise, .auto, air, tilt, croise, cassette, deep tntedt glass. cass. deep inted glass. On/y 77000 kms I On/y 87.000 kms. of,,ý$14,995Lst«o$299MeÊiftoa oi,$13.995 erLenfer $299,24.."1 AI Tanner paid to parents, the board did not have any costs," said Mr. Ellis. Halton board business superin- tendent Wayne McNally said the board is about $1.8 million to the good on the difference between teacher salary savings and paying daycare expenses to parents (14,000 of about 20,000 families received a reimbursement). The best news, said Mr. McNally, is the. Ministry of Education bas told Halton to con- sider the excess money as revenue for 1997. That reduces the board's '97 deficit to about $3 miillion. Mr. Ellis said the wbole griev- ance affair was ill-conceived. 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