General News

Sugartones’ beloved founding director retires

January 25, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Judy Breckles

Sugartones has been entertaining Alliston and South Simcoe since Jan-Åke Westin moved to the area 11 years ago and founded a local women’s chorus through HarmonyInc – an international barbershop organization. 

He recently decided to take a well-deserved retirement from directing Sugartones and Barrie Soundwaves’ Sweet Adelines Chorus to concentrate more on his wonderful musical arrangements. 

For the past 40 years, he has directed 10 different barbershop choruses. 

Jan-Åke (pronounced yawn-O.K.) discovered his love for music at an early age in his native country, Sweden. He began to study music theory, trumpet and French horn in high school while playing in a marching band and orchestra. He was involved in choral singing in jazz and dance bands as well as entertaining with his guitar and pop vocals – particularly Beatles music. 

After moving to Ontario to work in the pharmaceutical industry, he began his long barbershop affiliation by doing vocal warm-ups with the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) men’s chorus, Oakville’s “The Entertainers,” in 1983, eventually becoming their assistant director. 

He has directed five BHS choruses. He has also directed five women’s choruses, with Sweet Adelines, Burlington Skyway Chorus, Ontario Heartland Chorus (Mississauga), Barrie Soundwaves Chorus, and two with HarmonyInc: The Over Tones (Guelph) and Sugartones (Alliston). 

Jan-Åke is a certified Chorus Director both in BHS and Sweet Adelines and became a certified BHS Music Judge in 2013. He retired from judging in 2020. 

In recent years, sharing his vast knowledge by coaching, teaching and arranging music has enriched the barbershop world. 

Sugartones enjoyed almost 11 years under the direction of this caring, talented musician. 

Jan-Åke and Barbro Westin live in Alliston, where they enjoy spending as much time as possible with their son, daughter and four grandchildren. 

Jan-Åke’s love of all types of music is evident in everything he does. 

Sugartones will miss him, but he still volunteers his time to entertain others in Alliston. 

Jan-Åke encourages the Alliston community to continue to enjoy Sugartones under the direction of their talented new Director, Jeanette Martin — an experienced choral director and musician who is best known in South Simcoe as the founder of Music in Motion.

Readers Comments (0)