2003 Inductees: Sister Mary Brendan Lynch PBVM
Category: Music
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Sister Brendan graduated from St. Joseph's Academy in Windsor in 1947, entered the Presentation Convent in 1948, and professed as a member in July, 1952. Following graduation from St. Francis Xavier University with B.A. and B.E.D. degrees, and study in Voice and Choral technique at both Mount Allison and Mount St. Vincent Universities, she began her service in education. At St. Joseph's School in Gander in 1958, she began her first association with Kiwanis Music Festivals when she took her first choir to the Festival run by the Kiwanis Club of Grand Falls.
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Over a nine year period, this choir was the recipient of many awards, and was recommended to compete for the Matheison Trophy.
In 1967, Sister was transferred to St. Patrick's Girls' School in St. John's. While there, even a cursory perusal of past Kiwanis Music Festival Programmes gives evidence of her strong support of the Festival. For some 14 years she gave service on the Festival's Syllabus Committee, and for over 11 years she was a member of the Festival Advisory Board.
She founded, and was Choral Director of the famed St. Patrick's School Girls' Choir - 85 voices that for thirteen years won the hearts of both their audiences and the men and women who adjudicated their performances. One adjudicator used two words to sum up their performance: "consummate artistry", and recommended them for National Competition under the auspices of the Canadian Federation of Music Festivals.
In March, 1973, Sister Brendan was invited to take her Girls' Choir to Ottawa for an appearance at the Canadian Music Educators' Association Convention. The Choir's performance at the National Arts Centre received rave reviews, and was acclaimed by these top musicians as "the highlight of the Convention", and was of such a high quality that it provoked numerous letters of commendation. One such letter, written by the Ontario Minister of Education to his counterpart in Newfoundland, Hon. Gerald Ottenheimer, stated in part: "this choir.....sang with the quality and sincerity of children, and......with the polish and style of professional singers. I.....have never enjoyed choral singing more, nor....ever seen an audience of musicians and music educators so visibly moved......" Two years later, this Choir won the Leslie Bell Trophy in National Competition, which honours the most outstanding children's school choir in Canada, and two years after that, they were again invited to sing at the Canadian Music Educators' Association Convention; this time in London, Ontario.
After St. John's, Sister was transferred to Placentia, Brent's Cove, Harbour Breton, and St. Albans, respectively. In each of these towns, choirs were formed and taken to compete in Kiwanis Music Festivals. Both the Harbour Breton and St. Albans' Choirs won top awards and were recommended to compete at the National level for the Matheison Trophy. In 1987, the Harbour Breton Lions' Club chose Sister Brendan as "Citizen of the Year" for her voluntary work in the field of music. Indeed, Sister Brendan's legacy continues. In March, 2003, the Kiwanis Music Festival in Grand Falls-Windsor had 62 entries from the town of St. Albans, and the St. Albans Songsters performed at the Saturday night "Stars of the Festival" Concert.
It is because of the tremendous efforts and sincere interest of dedicated individuals such as Sister Brendan that our Kiwanis Music Festival has enjoyed more than 50 years of success, and has become the toast of music adjudicators and educators all across this country and beyond. With pride in her accomplishments, thanks for her work in the past, and appreciation for the work she continues, the Kiwanis Music Festival Association of St. John's is pleased to induct her into the Festival HALL OF HONOUR in the Music Category.
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