THE BATTLEFORDS — The deadline for entries in the 2023 Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival is quickly approaching. Entries are to be submitted by Saturday, Jan. 14. Entry forms can be found online by searching “Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival” and clicking on the “music festival suite” link.
The syllabus and festival “rules and regulations” can be found online on the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association (SMFA) website. Note that there are now a variety of non-competitive classes for those who seek the educational aspect and experience of performing for an expert adjudicator without participating in the competitive aspect. Additionally, there is the option to participate in classes that include workshopping in each area of musical discipline.
The areas of musical discipline for the festival include vocal singing, musical theatre, spoken word, choral, piano, organ, guitar, strings, woodwind instrument, brass instrument, percussion and band ensemble. Expanding inclusivity for styles of music, there are now “World Music” classes on an instrument of choice that may include popular forms of non-European classical (Chinese guzheng, Indian raga, Tibetan chant), Eastern European folk (Balkan, Bulgarian), Nordic folk, Latin, and Indonesian. In non-competitive classes, no mark is assigned.
The 2023 festival is scheduled to run from March 13 to 25. This annual local festival provides an a venue for music students to showcase their talent and access feedback from top-quality guest adjudicators who are experts in their field. It’s an event filled with inspiration and celebration for young musicians in our area. Festival entry fees are solo $15, duet/trio/small ensemble $15 and band/choir/large ensemble $30. The late registration fee is $25 per participant; see the online entry forms for more details.
To be eligible for an award or scholarship, a participant must be 19 years of age or younger, have lived in or studied in the Battlefords and district for a minimum of six months prior to the festival, or be furthering their education elsewhere but still supported by parents living in the Battlefords and district. Other students are welcome for adjudication and recommendation to the provincial and national level competitions.
The online entry system, MusicFestivalSuite.com, or MFS, software allows committee volunteers to maximize their efforts in scheduling and planning the festival while keeping personal information exceptionally secure. As MFS requires users to create a profile, it also gives teachers, parents, accompanists and students the ability to interact with their registrations long after they’ve been submitted. Paying for all registrations at once is possible through PayPal, whether you have an account with them or not. All aspects of the information can be accessed from any device with internet connectivity, whether it is a computer or mobile phone. The teacher and student profiles you set last year are saved in the MFS system. If you need to refresh your memory about how to use the website, you can go to www.musicfestivalsuite.com, where you can peruse the festival participants section for how to use the software.
Volunteers are always needed and welcome. If you have an interest in volunteering, there are tasks ranging from small to more involved. There are also numerous opportunities to support the festival in way of sponsorship and awards if you or your business are interested. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and see where your time, skills or resources might be of most help. Correspondence can be directed by email to the committee secretary Chinley Hinacay at chinleyhinacay@nbckband.com or to Box 1301, North Battleford, Sask., S9A 3L8.
“Rock n' roll came from the slaves singing gospel in the fields. Their lives were hell and they used music to lift out of it, to take them away. That's what rock n' roll should do — take you to a better place. We carry the flame for all to see, the fire and passion of what we can be." – Meatloaf (1968 – 2021)
