Six-year-old Thompson resident Rydell Monias took to the field at a Winnipeg Goldeyes game on June 2. Monias is not a baseball prodigy, not yet at least, but along with 35 other children, he sang the American and Canadian national anthems before the baseball game got under way.

Rydell is a part of the Music for Young Children (MYC) choir and was selected by his teacher, Michelle Pruder to represent Thompson. The 36-member MYC choir consisted of Music For Young Children students from Winnipeg and rural areas in Manitoba. The choir director is Arlene Schulz from Lorette.

Pruder has been working with MYC in Thompson since 1988 with children ages two and up.

“Each teacher got to choose one student to go to Winnipeg,” said Pruder, “Rydell really likes to sing and he’s not nervous about performing.”

Monias has already built a bit of a resume for himself as he also plays the piano, and has been selected for the Hi-Lites concert in the vocal category two years running at the Thompson Arts Festival. Rydell was selected in early April to make the trip and practiced once in April and once in May for the June 2 performance.

“It was a lot to remember, because he needed to know both anthems,” said Pruder, “and the kids also sang part of the Canadian anthem in French so there was a good amount to rehearse.”

Pruder says that Rydell’s family support was another reason why he was selected to take part in the MYC choir.

“He (Rydell) takes music lessons four times a week and his family is really supportive, either his mom or grandmother are there at all of his lessons,” said Pruder.

While not nervous about performing, Monias was quite shy when interviewed and asked about what he enjoyed most about his experience. The privilege of being on the field and performing in front of large crowd, he says, he enjoyed, but his favorite part was being able to watch the game with his cousins, who came to the game to see him sing.