The Assiniboia and District Music Festival turned 85 this year and celebrated fantastic musical performances as well as deserving music scholarship over two days of competition at the Assiniboia Alliance Church in Assiniboia on April 23-24.
This festival is a part of the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association’s classical competitive festivals running in the province sine 1908. This event was organized by the Assiniboia and District Music Festival committee, including Karen Reisner, Karen Meagher, Gail Mergen, Tara Pedersen, Marjorie Hamilton, Suzanne Waiting, Heather and Chad Giraudier and Marianne Bouvier, who were assisted by many volunteers. Karen Reisner, president of the Assiniboia and District Music Festival Committee, noted that the competition featured fewer students than past years, but the quality was tremendous with 62 classes of performances being adjudicated. Janis Smith and Marcia McLean served as adjudicators at the competition. Smith has an impeccable musical pedigree and is on the faculty of the University of Regina. McLean is currently artistic director of the Swift Current Oratorio Choir and Prairie Spirit adult chamber choir.
The SMFA holds 47 district music festivals from February to May annually providing the provincial Syllabus, entrance to the annual Provincial Competitions, Concerto Competition and Opera Competition, as well as the National Level of Music Festival competition.
For more photos from the Music Festival, please check out our online photo gallery.
