Sep 29, 2026 · 40 min · 10 segments
**Marion Newman** is a mezzo-soprano, a teacher, and the voice you hear on CBC's *Saturday Afternoon at the Opera*. Kwagiulth and Stó:lō, born in Bella Coola and raised in Sooke, she spent more than…
Marion NewmanGuest
Ashley Daniel FooteHostAnd ever since that moment in the conversation, I've just been replaying and replaying what it means to have a quiet choir of support and to realize that that the struggles that maybe we feel maybe aren't as great as the ones that are the people who've come before us are.
And I'm so curious to hear you talk more about what it means to have a quiet choir of support and encouragement around you, if that makes any sense.
Yeah, I've always attributed my sense of self and confidence to the fact that I was homeschooled.
And my family was very aware of all the things that interested me that I could and couldn't do, like skating, for instance.
And music was clearly something that meant a lot and that I was driven to do.
And I, I was an award winning piano player and I picked up on things musically, musical things really easily as a kid.
And there were rules like you do have to practice every day, but I never had to be pushed.
And I think just knowing that everybody showed up, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my parents, my sister and brother came to performances and sat through like hours of other kids playing things and so that they could be there for my moment.
I was never told that I was amazing and wonderful and we're going to McDonald's for treats afterward or anything.
You're a person, you get up and you do the things you're good at, whether you feel like it or not, process is important, and that you're representing community and family.
And so I guess that quiet choir have been those people who kept doing their jobs, but also making sure that I was able to to do the things that are important for a kid and then a young adult and then an adult to do.
And ever since that moment in the conversation, I've just been replaying and replaying what it means to have a quiet choir of support and to realize that that the struggles that maybe we feel maybe aren't as great as the ones that are the people who've come before us are.
And I'm so curious to hear you talk more about what it means to have a quiet choir of support and encouragement around you, if that makes any sense.
Yeah, I've always attributed my sense of self and confidence to the fact that I was homeschooled.
And my family was very aware of all the things that interested me that I could and couldn't do, like skating, for instance.
And music was clearly something that meant a lot and that I was driven to do.
And I, I was an award winning piano player and I picked up on things musically, musical things really easily as a kid.
And there were rules like you do have to practice every day, but I never had to be pushed.
And I think just knowing that everybody showed up, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my parents, my sister and brother came to performances and sat through like hours of other kids playing things and so that they could be there for my moment.
I was never told that I was amazing and wonderful and we're going to McDonald's for treats afterward or anything.
You're a person, you get up and you do the things you're good at, whether you feel like it or not, process is important, and that you're representing community and family.
And so I guess that quiet choir have been those people who kept doing their jobs, but also making sure that I was able to to do the things that are important for a kid and then a young adult and then an adult to do.
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