Julia Shields was one of Sister Lillian Gaudet’s singers rehearsing Sunday afternoon for the upcoming Voices for Butare shows March 2 and 3. Proceeds will benefit A Partnership in Caring. (Corey LeBlanc photo)

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A group of young singers are preparing to raise their voices for Butare.
Rather than participate in the upcoming New Glasgow Music Festival, their mentor and voice teacher Sister Lillian Gaudet said she decided to provide her students with another opportunity to show their talents.
“It is about young people lending their voices and providing a helping hand,” the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Martha members said.
This year, she said the singers, who range in age from nine to 15, decided to do something different rather than participate in the annual competition.
“I really wanted them to learn that the talents they have could be put to good use by doing something for someone – someone less fortunate than themselves,” she said.
“I just wanted these children to learn that to give of themselves at this early age, it is not just about going to festivals and learning to compete.
“It is about forgetting about themselves and thinking of those that are less fortunate,” Gaudet added.
She noted it is not that the voice students don’t enjoy participating in the New Glasgow Music Festival.
“I just thought ‘why not teach them to do something else besides thinking of themselves.’ Think of someone else; use your talents to help someone else,” Gaudet added.
With that goal, the group created Voices for Butare – two nights of song that will take place March 2 and 3 at Bethany Assembly Hall. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
Gaudet said the students and their parents decided to proceeds from the concert will benefit A Partnership in Caring, an Antigonish-based group of healthcare professionals that makes an annual visit to Rwanda not only to provide medical supplies, but also their knowledge in helping build the capacity of their colleagues.
“We know it is going to a group that does great work,” she noted.
Sunday, the young voices were fine-tuning their songs for the concerts. Each has committed three Sunday afternoons to getting ready, not to mention their work throughout the year.
“They have put a lot of work into it,” Gaudet said, noting the students have been working on musical theatre numbers since September.
“They are really excited about doing this because they are giving of themselves for something else, and they are enjoying it,” she added.
Admission for each concert is by donation, with refreshments served during the shows.