THE BATTLEFORDS — The annual Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival is underway with band and strings classes April 15 to 19. Vocal classes begin Monday morning April 22 at 9 a.m. in Logie Hall at the Third Avenue United Church running through the afternoon of Wednesday, April 24.
Opening the vocal session is Anwyn Mannix in a solo spoken prose class for 17 years and under performing an excerpt from L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. The morning will continue with various age groups performing spoken prose, poetry, scene excerpts and sacred readings. Adding further variety to this opening morning session are two K - Grade 6 school choirs from Battleford Central School and St. Marys School. Afternoon vocal classes move over to the sanctuary of the church at 1 p.m. with singing classes including Canadian repertoire and sacred repertoire classes.
Monday evening vocal classes, also in the sanctuary beginning at 7 p.m., include recital classes and a Classical or Baroque class. Concluding the evening is a special concert group class for 17 years and under with Declan Wall performing three selections.
If you enjoy folk songs or ballads, those classes begin mid-morning in the sanctuary on Tuesday, April 23.
For those of you who look forward to musical theatre classes, mark your calendars for Tuesday evening April 23 starting at 7 p.m. in Logie Hall and Wednesday after starting at 1 p.m. Piano classes begin the evening of Wednesday, April 24 in Logie Hall. Piano classes run through the afternoon of Saturday, April 27.
Full programs for the festival, which include recognition of all sponsors and donors, may be purchased at Sobeys or the door of the festival venues.
The Battlefords Area District Music Festival officially acknowledges the local Kiwanis Club including it in the name of our local district festival. The club has a long history of supporting the festival. There is a greeting from the club in the festival program stating they are “pleased to provide funding to assist the organizing committee and its many volunteers to make this event the success that it is. This is a great opportunity to showcase the talent of our youth and to create good memories for them. Enjoy the Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival for 2024, The Kiwanis Club of the Battlefords is proud to be the major sponsor for this annual music festival. We would like to wish all participants success at the festival and in the future.”
The gala awards, being held at the Dekker Centre, are Tuesday, April 30 at 7 p.m. Performances at the gala are highlights from the festival chosen by the adjudicators. Awards and scholarships will be presented at the gala award concert; recipients must be present. Tickets are $10 for seniors, and $15 for adults and children under 18 years of age free. Donors, sponsors, performers and volunteers are also free. Tickets for the gala may be purchased through the Dekker Centre or at the door that night.
Local participants also have the opportunity to be recommended for the provincial competition being held this year in Saskatoon May 30 through June 2. District festivals are allowed two district winners to the provincial finals for each Provincial Scholarship Class and each Canada West Excellence Class provided the qualifying mark (88 minimum) has been attained. To qualify, participants must enter and compete in at least two solo classes in the same discipline at their district festival. Performers must not exceed 28 years of age for Provincial Scholarship Classes, or 24 years of age for Canada West Excellence Classes. Memory work is mandatory at the provincial level. The Canada West Performing Arts Festival is being held this year in Victoria, B.C. July 25 through July 27.
“Music has the ability to heal. It can mend broken hearts and uplift spirits.” — Jazz pianist
