A familiar face from the Hinton music scene has big shoes to fill, as Foothills Male Chorus director and founder Bob Udell steps down. 

Filling in the hole left by Udell will be Christina Johns – an unusual pick to front a male choir, but a position the trained vocalist is eager to start. 

“I always like to be challenged and learn something new,” Johns said. 

Udell approached Johns to front the choir, after he decided to step back and just enjoy singing following years of conducting the group. 

Johns was a natural pick, having helped out at the chorus’ events bartending, and even teaching a few of the members voice lessons on the side. Singing has been a part of Johns’ life for many years. Emerging from high school, Johns wasn’t sure what she wanted to do – until she discovered that studying voice was an option. 

“I didn’t even know you could take music in university,” Johns said. 

The vocalist sang in her church choir from a young age, and eventually became the sole member and then eventual leader of the group for six to seven years. That experience led her to want to pursue music. 

“(It) turned into me going away for music,” Johns said. “I’ve been singing for a long time.”

Johns attended Brandon University in Brandon, Man., where she continued to train her own voice and learn how to teach others while working towards a bachelor of music with honours. 

“It was really neat,” Johns said of the university course. 

She majored in voice with a minor in piano, but says teaching piano isn’t her forte. After her experience in Brandon, Johns wanted more, so she headed out west to Victoria, B.C. for a two-year program on vocal pedagogy that she managed to complete in only one year. 

In 1997, Johns settled in Hinton, and has since jumped on board to teach many different choirs and lessons. She conducts and helped found the Hinton youth choir called Singspiration and teaches lessons in Hinton, and even travels to Edson once a week. Johns said she could make a living off her music, but enjoys having her job at Creative Campus as festival director to fall back on – and to pay all those student loans. 

“I like something happening all the time,” said the busy musician. 

The position as director of the Foothills Male Chorus will be a step in a new direction for Johns, but she’s looking forward to working with a great group of singers. With Udell remaining on the choir, Johns said she’ll have plenty of help as she eases into her role.

“The men are just great – I just have big shoes to fill,” she said. 

With a new type of voice to conduct, Johns is looking forward to what it could add to her growing resume of accomplishments. 

“I don’t know that it will be difficult, it will be different for sure,” she said. “Hopefully it will open the door to bigger and better things.”

Watching the male chorus perform at their cabarets each year is something Johns has always looked forward to, so she is thrilled at the chance to stand up to the podium and direct. 

“I think it’ll be fantastic,” she said. “I enjoy being in the audience. To actually be a part of that will be so thrilling.”

Johns hopes she can bring something new to the table as she is phased in as director. She said that Udell has helped organize committees within the chorus that will help her along the way – something that is a great idea moving forward. Johns was worried she wouldn’t be able to take on the incredible amount of work the former director was responsible for due to her other commitments. She said the new format with more involvement from members is nice to see.

The Foothills Male Chorus will start practising for the season on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Gateway Community Church. Men looking to come out and sing are welcome to attend and join the 25-member choir.