What makes someone a legend?

Read about the Legend of California.

Mike McCullough and Selana Kong at the St. Collen Church during the 2022 International Music Eisteddfod with the Palmdale High School Choral Union.

My husband, Bill Kong, and I have been hosts for the International Music Eisteddfod since 2013. This year, we hosted the Palmdale High School Choral Union from California, USA. Little did we know that we were hosting a legend.

Day 1 of Eisteddfod

We were greeted by their chaperon, Annika, at the Llangollen Youth Hostel, where the Palmdale High School Choral Union stayed during the International Eisteddfod. We chatted about their journey from LA to London, Cambridge, Stratford, and Shrewsbury before arriving in Llangollen. Llangollen is in a midst of a heat wave this week, but for Annika, this is not so bad because Palmdale is a desert on the edge of LA, USA. Annika explained that the Palmdale High School students are not from a wealthy area, and they had to earn their own money for this trip. They did a lot of gigs at Christmas time and their School District sponsored their air tickets.

Shortly after chatting with Annika, their conductor, Mike McCollough, joined us in the lounge where we were waiting.

Mike has been teaching in college and the Palmdale Highschool Choir for decades. He starts his students off in high school by teaching them how to sing. Many members of the Palmdale High school Choral Union will leave the school and go on to join the Sunday Night Singers. The large Community Choir.

“Everybody can sing,” says Mike. “Some of these students have only been singing together for less than one year, and someone said to me that they should compete in the Eisteddfod, this is the first time they ever competed in any competition”.

I am amazed because The International Eisteddfod is the world’s oldest music festival and being qualified to compete here is already an achievement on its own.

Day 2 of Eisteddfod

When they were warming up to get ready for the competition. Mike said to one of his soloists, “No matter what you do on the stage, remember this, you are always right”.

Who wouldn’t be empowered by his faith?

The Palmdale choir started the second day by winning the 3rd prize in the Youth Choir Competition.

Mike’s choir was relatively small, with only about 24 singers. When the judges commented on how the choir could have sung louder, Mike disagreed.

“ They were already singing their very best, the mics needed to work better to pick up their voices! ” Mike totally believes in his singers, and he is 100% behind them.

After a short break, the Palmdale High School Choral Union went to the Dinas Bran High School and performed for their junior students.

Mike made sure all the students understood the story behind each song, each composer, and how these songs relate to them. Here are a couple of his quotes.

“As an educator, I ask myself - What am I doing to stand right by you all? Teachers, Schools, and Administrators are here for one purpose. Not because we are such experts in our fields, it’s because we are here to help shape your development so you can be the most amazing human being you can possibly be. So, we have to be constantly aware of our working together and teaching each other.”

“Sometimes adults look at youth and we need to really be honest because when you try to fool a kid it’s the dumbest thing you will ever do because kids can tell you are not being honest, right? You know that.”

In the end, Mike sent the Dinas Bran boys and girls away with “The Lord Bless You and Keep You”. Every time they finish a performance, they sing this song because it makes them feel happy to be able to sing together and they hope to share happiness with their audience.

Day 3 of Eisteddfod

On this day, Palmdale was competing against older and bigger choirs in the Open Choir Competition.

Backstage, Mike and his students conversed about different genres of music and how they show up in competitions as if they are in the middle of a music appreciation class.

“He is a Legend in California; he is very famous.” Said one of the students to the presenter when before they were about to go to the stage to compete.

After the competition, Mike kept saying that I was a good host, and I was always right…

I said, “ Mike, you need to stop flattering me or I’m going to believe it!”

And He said, “GOOD!” I felt as if Mike has always been my teacher, too.

On the field, Mike and I had a long chat about my own journey in music education and how I turned from business studies to music and then expanded my music career to include running my own coaching and dispute resolution business.

I said to Mike " You always have a space for everyone in your heart. "

And he said to me and Bill, “Now there are two more.”

I always knew that the International Eisteddfod was not about competition, it was about peace. Now I have got a group of new friends from the Palmdale High School Choral Union. I know that Mike will come back to Llangollen, and I look forward to seeing him next time.

Mike became a legend by shaping young people's development so they can be the most amazing human being they can possibly be.

What is one small thing you could do to shape someone else's life?