It was an experience the young singers will never forget.

Lambton Youth Choir singers recently recorded their first CD in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the choir. The CD was recorded at the encouragement of Greg Gilpin, Director of Educational Choral Publications for Shawnee Press, Inc. in Indianapolis and includes several of his compositions, according to LYC spokesperson Diane O’Dell.

O’Dell says youth choir leaders met Gilpin several years ago while reviewing choral music for the choir. Over the years, O’Dell got to know Gilpin and “casually talked about” his work in the recording industry. “Greg does a lot of recording of the sound tracks of the music Shawnee Press offers,” she says.

They talked about visiting with the choir and over the years they went several times performing and taking in performances.

But last fall, the trip took on a different twist; the students had four hours of studio time to record an eight track CD.

Gilpin, who has worked with Lambton Youth Choir in the past and has directed other youth choirs, says the Petrolia-based group was a joy to work with. He says usually he has to “hush” overly excited singers. But he says the Petrolia singers were ready to work and only showed their excitement after the recording session was done.

“It was really exciting,” says O’Dell. And she and the students – who received their copies at a CD release party – are proud of the effort which is meant to be a momentum of the singers time with the Lambton Youth Choir. “People can hold up cameras or phones during a performance but you don’t get the same type of quality,” says O’Dell.

“I didn’t know if it would be something people hid in a drawer…but we’ve been very, very happy with it.”