The 2015 Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival concluded Friday, March 27 with solo, duet and trio speech arts along with school class choral speech performances. The celebratory gala and awards ceremony for this year鈥檚 festival will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 1 at the Dekker Centre. Admission will be $10 a seat for adults with free admission for performers, award recipients, award donors and youth 18 and under. Tickets will not be sold in advance. Tickets will be sold that evening at the door.
It will be a treat for performers and spectators to experience adjudicator-chosen highlights from all disciplines (piano, band, strings, voice, musical theatre, speech arts) and age categories (junior 12 and under, intermediate, 16 and under, senior 17 and over). This opportunity is largely being made possible and affordable thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Knights of Columbus, St. Joseph鈥檚 Council No. 7736.
The awards and scholarships will be presented at the conclusion of the musical performances program. We are pleased to announce that Cathy Richardson will be offering her talents once again as gala MC! Come on out to enjoy a few special snippets from the abundant talent showcased at this year鈥檚 festival and to help honour the numerous young people from our community receiving special recognition courtesy of local individuals and businesses.
To be eligible for awards and scholarships, a participant must be 19 years of age or younger, have performed two or more solo selections in the same discipline or, for band, at least one solo and one small ensemble. Additionally in terms of award consideration, a participant must have lived or studied in the Battlefords area for a minimum of six months prior to the festival, or be studying elsewhere, but still supported by parents living in the Battlefords and district.
Recipients must be present to receive awards, though exceptions may be made with the prior approval of the scholarship and awards committee. Trophies, plaques and shields do not leave the building though keepers, if awarded, can of course be taken home. If you are fortunate to receive an award, be sure to send a thank you to the sponsor of that award. If you are nominated or recommended by an adjudicator for provincial competition, held early June this year in Saskatoon, note that pieces must be memorized in order to compete.
鈥淚 was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me, like food or water.鈥� 鈥� Ray Charles
