YORKTON – The Yorkton Music Festival is scheduled to begin March 11 and run through to March 21 with a highlights performance at St. Andrews United Church March 24.
The band portion of music festival will take place at the Yorkton Regional High School March 11-13 and will be adjudicated by Jim McCarthy.
McCarthy is a freelance musician with over 25 years of professional experience performing, composing, arranging for bands, studio production, teaching and instrument building.
McCarthy graduated from South Australia's University of Adelaide in 1996 with a Masters degree in Music Performance – Percussion.
McCarthy recently completed his 21st annual tour in Australia, performing for Musica Viva In Schools and continues to give masterclasses and clinics each year. He has also performed with the “Lights” New Music Ensemble, the Adelaide Wind Orchestra, R@taque Percussion Duo, the Adelaide Percussion Quartet and occasionally with the State Theatre Company of SA and the Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra.
Since 1988, McCarthy has held positions working with individuals and ensembles in thirteen schools and universities, written two books on drumming technique and is currently working on the development of marimba/vibraphone video tutorials for the Percussion KEYS website where he also delivers a series of critiques of YouTube video performances each month.
The vocal portion of the music festival will be held at St. Andrews United Church from March 14-16 and is set be adjudicated by Marcia McLean.
McLean is currently the artistic director of the Swift Current Oratorio Choir and an adult chamber choir, Prairie Spirit.
She teaches private voice lessons, gives choral workshops and adjudicates. Now retired, Mrs. McLean was Director of Choral Music at the Swift Current Comprehensive High School where she conducted an 80-voice concert choir, a vocal jazz ensemble and the Comprehensive Chamber Singers. She was the founding director of the Swift Current Children’s Choir and conducted the choir for 12 years.
McLean served on the Board of SCF, including President and serves on the board of the Swift Current Music Festival. She has been guest conductor and vocal coach at SCF’s choir camps as well as a conductor at the University of Regina’s summer choir camp for children. McLean received her Bachelor of Music at Brandon University.
The piano portion of the music festival will be held at St. Andrews United Church from March 18-21. Adjudicator for the series is Janis Smith.
Smith began her musical training with the Sisters of St. Ursuline in Engelfeld, SK, and received her Associateship in Piano Teaching from the RCM and her Licentiate in Piano Teaching from Trinity College of London under the tutelage of Jean Harach.
Smith began teaching in 1982 and joined the faculty at the Conservatory of Performing Arts at the University of Regina in 1990, serving for several years as Head of the Piano Department.
Smith has served on the executive of the Regina Musical Club, Art School Sask and on the Board for Organization of Sask Arts Councils and is a member-at-large of the Sask Registered Music Teachers Association.
Smith has judged competitions for the Regina Musical Club, sat on the OSAC selection committee and has also been a member of the Music Selection Committee for the Provincial Syllabus of the SMFA. Smith continues to live and teach in Regina.
