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Bittersweet changes coming for Wild Heart Music

Singer-Songwriter Ali Romanow to replace Joey Clarkson as music instructor
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After four years of bringing music into the lives of North Island children through the Wild Heart Music Program, Joey Clarkson is getting ready to say goodbye.

Clarkson currently travels from Europe to the North Island every year to facilitate the free six-week music program that brings choral and song-writing instruction into schools, reaching roughly 350 kids throughout the North Island.

“It’s by far been the busiest year,” said Clarkson, explaining that the program, which started in 2012, has been continually expanding with new schools jumping on board each year.

“She’s been tremendous, but the life that she’s living has to move forward,” said Wild Heart Music Board Member Deborah Murray, adding, “We are moving forward, but we are so fortunate we have a new person to facilitate the program.”

Clarkson moved to London a year after Wild Heart Music began (she currently lives there with her husband), and has flown back three different times to instruct the North Island school’s programs.

“I love living in Europe, and I want to be in Europe — I miss it right now, but my heart is always on the island and with the kids up here,” said Clarkson.

Singer-songwriter Ali Romanow, who Clarkson has known since they were both five or six-years-old when they used to sing in a choir together, will be taking over the reigns.

“She came up and shadowed for a day of teaching, really loved the program, and wanted to do something on the North Island anyways, so she is going to be stepping in to this role and she’s going to fly with it,” added Clarkson.

“We are extremely fortunate we have had Joey for this amount of time and she has created this energy that builds every year and now we have a spring board with Ali,” said Murray. “To get that type of energy, knowledge, and that type of person without extreme research — it was just meant to be.”

Even though this year’s six-week program is wrapping up, it won’t be the last goodbye for Clarkson, as she will be returning to North Island in the summer to instruct a week-long program for Wild Heart Music.

“Music is so important up here,” Clarkson said. “I know music was such a big part of my life because I was surrounded with the opportunity to fall in love with it, and I think it’s so important knowing kids have access to that, which is what made it really important for me to come back, and then it made it really hard to decide not to come back.”

Wild Heart Music is a fully-non profit organization that operates with a team of dedicated volunteers who raise all funds needed to operate the program, and was started by local singer/songwriter Georgia Murray when she was approached by kids in her hometown of Port McNeill who expressed a desire to learn to sing or play an instrument.

Coming up for Wild Heart:

Wild Hard Music is also presenting a three day all-ages choral gospel singing workshop with Marcus Mosley, who is a member of the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame, followed by a concert at the Gate House Theatre.

“He came last year and we had 39 people turn out to do this workshop,” said Murray, explaining that “What happens is you get together and he teaches you and then we do a concert where he’s the featured soloist and you back him up.”

Registration and rehersal starts on Friday night on April 6 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the A Frame Church and then on Saturday, April 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by a performance at the Gate House Theatre on April 8 at 7:00 p.m.

“While it’s gospel pieces, it’s a choral workshop and all people from all faiths and backgrounds are encouraged to participate, because it’s about the love of music,” said Clarkson, adding, “You walk away feeling very fulfilled and strengthened.”

The workshop costs $70 per person, however, teenagers and children can join for free and participants do not require any previous vocal experience.

Tickets for the Sunday night performance are $10 or by donation and kids are free.

For more information contact Deborah Murray at 250-956-3297.