Choir members keep cantata going

With the retirement of longtime Quay Community Choir director Harold Sloan, many people thought last year's Christmas cantata would be the last.

But the choir members themselves wouldn't let the tradition die.

About 10 choir members formed a committee to take on varying tasks of organizing the performance. As a result, "The First Noel: Celebrating the Birthday of the King" will commence at 7 p.m. Friday at the Center Street Methodist Church at 406 E. Center St., Tucumcari.

The event is free, with a reception to follow. The performance typically draws hundreds of people and often prompts the adding of overflow seating.

Longtime choir member Brian Wilson has taken over behind the director's stand. During a recent rehearsal at the church, Wilson advised choir members on the arrangements of the songs.

Afterward, Wilson admitted being director was a bit "daunting," but thought he'd be up to the task because of Sloan's tutelage.

"Harold started grooming me a number of years ago," Wilson said. "We we would trade off directing pieces through the last few years doing cantata and doing what we sing for Easter."

Wilson said he appreciated other choir members taking up the some of the cantata's responsibilities.

"They kind of expected me to take it over. And I was really reluctant, because as he was stepping down, he said this is a full time job," Wilson recalled. "And I said, 'Yeah, I already have one of those.'

"But we've got other people kind of doling out committee work to coordinate things. That kind of frees me up to just do the directing. It's working."

He said if Friday's cantata is well-received, the choir probably will continue with its run-by-committee structure.

Sloan now is a regular member of the choir directed by Wilson, which he said he was content with.

"Choir is where I started in college, in high school," he said. "So it feels really good to do that and just be a part of the choir."

Sloan admitted he missed conducting somewhat, but he didn't miss the time it required.

Sloan said Wilson was "doing really well" as director.

"He knows music," he said. "His dad was a band director, and his mom was just a tremendous musician in the bell choir. And he's gotten a lot of experience through band, through his parents, through the Catholic Church and then through here. He's he's ready to do anything with the choir. I'm really excited for him."

Sloan expressed confidence the cantata's new organizational structure would run more smoothly in the future.

"I think as we move on, we're going to see it'll get better and better as everybody knows what they're doing and what needs to be done," he said.

"It's working fine right now. Just some minor things are going to make it better."