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Months of preparation culminated in a morning of excitement, anticipation, and nervousness as 159 youth ages 7-16, from throughout the West’s 10 divisions participated in the Territorial Singing Competition, held on Saturday morning in Cerritos.
Awards were given to the Leeward Corps, under the direction of Laura Luttrell Boyer, first place; L.A. Korean Corps, (leader–Lt. Ruth Lee), second place, and Portland Tabernacle (leader–Wayne Mason), third place.
“All the children here are winners,” said Territorial Music Director Ivor Bosanko, “because to get here they had to win something.”
Each singing company had to perform two songs: “A Brand New Start,” by Diane O’Brien and Ivor Bosanko, was compulsory; the second song was left to each group to choose.
As parents, leaders, and friends filled the hall and lined the walls, four adjudicators–Lt. Colonel Linda Griffin, Band-master Ralph Pearce, Glenn Austin, and Songster Leader Janette Bosanko, tallied marks.
At the conclusion, Bosanko thanked all for participating. “This is the best competition we’ve ever had,” he stated.