More often than not, when a local choir performs, Wendy Nixon Stothert is standing with her back to the crowd.
From her work with the Just In Time choirs, to leading the Military Wives Choir, Nixon Stothert is one of the busiest, and most recognizable, people in the Comox Valley choral community. And when she is not leading others in perfect harmony, she occasionally finds time to perform, herself, as a member of the a cappella group, Swing Set.
Nixon Stothert created the Just In Time choirs in 2005, and has directed the Military Wives Choir since 2015.
Simply put, music is in her blood.
“When it comes to singing, I’m motivated by the flow of internal to external and external to internal. Singing provides a vehicle for us to express ourselves to the outside world. Our voices, unlike other instruments, are directly connected to our bodies - it requires a willingness to be vulnerable, to express ourselves, when we sing so that others may hear us. I love witnessing that expression and the connection that happens between people who are singing and those that are listening. And when it comes to group singing, the collective energy of merging our voices, hearts, souls, and minds is pure magic.”
Her passion for her craft came through in spades during COVID.
Once restrictions prohibited in-person meetings, Nixon Stothert continued to reinvent the wheel in order to maintain structure with the choirs. In the spring of 2020, she moved practices outdoors.
As restrictions eased somewhat, she arranged to have smaller practice sessions, always mindful of whichever stipulations had been put in place by health authorities.
Once restrictions heightened again, Nixon Stothert once again adapted, taking her choirs completely online. As Zoom is not a good platform for accommodating many voices at once, she took a different approach. She not only taught songs but also music theory, expressive solo singing, ear training, creating harmonies, and other methods for those interested in becoming better singers
Nixon Stothert says the continuance was important for her.
“I think COVID offered a unique opportunity to deepen some of the singers’ individual musicianship skills such as the understanding of harmony, of solo singing, of musical literacy, and of the art of improvisation, etc. When those musical skills are boosted, there is a deeper understanding of the art form the singers are engaged in.”
Nixon Stothert’s commitment to the Comox Valley makes her an easy choice as the Local Heroes Arts Ambassador for 2022.