Choral concert harvesting community and crops

The live choral concert Singin' in the Grain is returning to in-person performances after hosting the last two years online.

Singin' in the Grain is a fundraising event in support of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for its humanitarian response and agricultural work in various countries that are in the depth of the global hunger crisis.

"11 years ago, Harold Penner, who at that point was the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, was the rep for Manitoba and Northern Manitoba and he approached me in a conversation saying what can we do to involve more people in growing or working towards eradicating food hunger in this world?" says Pearl Braun-Dyck, the co-organizer of the concert series. "It's something I have thought about for years. So, long story short, we talked about having concerts and from that was birthed the idea of giving concerts, and we invited musicians to be a part of it."

Dyck notes that it was that conversation that created the committee and Singin' in the Grain concert, which would consist of two performances, one in Winnipeg and the other in Southern Manitoba.

"We always have two groups participating, of course, the last two years and we had to do virtual and that was a shorter concert, then we had three groups. All the other years, this is our 9th concert and from that perspective, we've always had two different groups of musicians, CMU singers. Under the direction of Doctor Matt Paul, Doctor Janet Brenneman is one of them, and then the other ones are the faith and life women course under the direction of Janet Brenneman."

She applauds the musicians who have donated their time, energy and health to participate in the event, along with the generous sponsors who cover any costs that arise. 

"All funds that we have raised at every concert have all gone directly to CFGB and over all the years we have chosen various different places where it will go that CFGB is involved in and that continues. It may go through one of our sister organizations that are under the umbrella and most often that will always include MCC, Mennonite Central Committee."

Dyck says that despite hosting the last two years online, the response has been positive, noting that being online offers an opportunity for those who could not attend the concerts in person a chance to watch.

The first concert will be held on Saturday, October 29 at 7:00 p.m. at the Douglas Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, and the second concert will be held Sunday, October 30 at 3:00 p.m., no tickets are required but donations are accepted.

Visit the Canadian Foodgrains Bank website for more information.