by: Mark K. O'Grady '10
In 2001, Janet St. Jean and Allan Taylor founded the Young Singers of Greater Westfield. What started out as a small auditioned choir for elementary students has blossomed into a well known group in this area. They have performed numerous times at First Congregational Church, the Fourth of July Fireworks, as well as on the town green.
YSGW now has three different divisions: juniors, seniors, and Moriah (the high school division). When asked why this group was started, St. Jean replied, “Simply because Westfield had no chorus for the best voices in the city.” St. Jean continued to say that YSGW “makes the world aware of how beautiful young voices can be because there is no other sound in the world like it.”
Aside from bringing kids in Westfield together for the sake of music, YSGW also began a project raising money for the Mathieson School of Music in Calcutta, India.
Four years ago, Jerry Noble, accompanist for YSGW, and his family took a trip to England.While there, they heard about the Mathieson School, and were inspired to help in any way they could. “We heard him describe his activities with the Mathieson School and we were hooked!” Noble said. That is the summer when YSGW held their first concert in support of the Mathieson School. All donations made at that concert were sent directly to Calcutta, India towards the Mathieson School.
Emily Rzasa, member of YSGW since elementary school, was more than glad to be a part of this concert. “Whatever we can do to help, even if it is only a small amount of money makes a difference to the,” says Rzasa.
They were thrilled to receive the donations, and many of the children there sent pictures and cards thanking Young Singers for the money. This year, on September 27, 2009, the YSGW decided to have another concert to benefit the Mathieson School. The Moriah division held a concert at the Church of the Atonement. Over two hundred dollars were raised, and all of the money was sent directly to India.
When the Nobles were in England, they met Anup Kumar Biswas, the founder of the Mathieson School. Biswas orphaned as a young boy, lived in Reverend Theodore Mathieson’s orphanage. While living there, Mathieson taught Biswas the basics of music, as well as many Indian instruments such as the tambura; a long necked string instrument. Biswas went on to attend college in England where he learned to play the cello; he is now a concert cellist. He currently tours throughout England and Europe giving concerts to keep the Mathieson School open and running.
When Reverend Mathieson died in 1994, Biswas was inspired to open up his own school in memory of Reverend Mathieson. Just as YSGW, the Mathieson School started out very small. Biswas didn’t have a lot of money to start it, but believed that he didn’t need money to be successful.
Biswas began to take orphans in, just as the reverend had taken him in. He teaches them the fundamentals of music as well as academic subjects. The students not only attend school there, a they live there as well. The school has grown a lot since it first opened mainly because of donations that have been made.
YSGW plans on Christmas caroling this holiday season to raise more money for teh Mathieson School.