It’s springtime again, which means music students from around the region are coming to Humboldt to participate in the 78th annual music festival.
There are three different events occurring over a three week period: the piano competition ran from April 20-23; vocal, choral, and speech arts from April 27-30; and band, strings, and guitar on May 4 and 5. The three events are run separately from each other because there are many students participating in different disciplines. Participants range in age from six to 18.
“We have a different adjudicator from out of the area for each discipline who comes and listens and gives the kids many new or same tips as their teachers do.
Sometimes when they come from someone other than their teacher, things sink in,” said Tanya Schuler, one of the organizers of the events.
There are 480 entries this year, which is comparable to last year but down from years before that. Students come from Englefeld, Naicam, Bruno, Middle Lake, Lake Lenore, Humboldt, and Muenster.
It’s a big event put on by only a few people: two people co-ordinate and run the festival, and there’s a volunteer board of directors, which has about six people.
“They get experience from performing and may get some new tips on different techniques from the adjudicator,” she said.
Schuler added that the event also creates a “buzz” in Humboldt.
“We have a very strong musical community here and the festival just shows and strengthens that fact,” she said.
Participants are also eligible for monetary scholarships.
“The festival is a great goal for our kids to work towards,” Schuler said. “We all need something to work towards to make the many hours of practicing pay off. It gets them use to performing and is a great way for them to share their musical talents, and a way for them to hear others their age or older perform.”
The final concert will take place at the Marysburg Assumption Church on May 7 at 7 p.m.
