Drum roll please! The 2017 Kiwanis Battlefords Music Festival opens this Sunday afternoon in the Sanctuary of Third Avenue United Church with vocal entries.
In The Neuroscience of Singing, Cassandra Sheppard writes, 鈥淪inging is as old as the hills. It is innate, ancient and within all of us. It really is one of the most uplifting therapeutic things we can do. There was a time when we all used to sing. We sang at church, around camp fires, at school.鈥� It honours all of our human history and innate love of singing to joyfully open this year鈥檚 festival with vocal entries.
If you are a musical theatre fan, be sure to mark your calendar for the final day of vocal classes, Tuesday, as this entire day is dedicated to this genre.
Band entries fill three days, Tuesday through Thursday using the Kinsmen Band Hall, the Lecture Theatre at North Battleford Comprehensive High School and Logie Hall in Third Avenue United Church as venues.
Speech arts are Wednesday morning and strings Friday, both in Logie Hall. The final discipline of piano entries runs from Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon. That鈥檚 a lot of musical artistry and skills in one week so plan ahead carefully.
The $8 festival programs are available at Sobeys or at the festival venues. All sessions are open to the public. Donations towards festival expenses are gratefully accepted at the door of venues.
When coming out to support young musicians, please keep good performance manners and etiquette in mind. While enjoying the extensive talent being nurtured in the Battlefords area, remember performers have one opportunity to showcase their work. Ensure you are not responsible for distractions.
No photography or video recordings are allowed during performances, adjudications or certificate presentations. Finally, be sure to congratulate all performers for their accomplishments and successes.
Keep in mind the gala date of Wednesday, April 12. The festival gala features adjudicator-chosen festival highlights from all the music disciplines and categories. It is being held at the Dekker Center at 7 p.m. Admission will be $10 a seat with free admission for performers, students, award recipients, session sponsors and award donors.
Accessing the Dekker Centre is a treat for performers, but would not be possible this year without the support of sponsor Lakeland Veterinary Services. Local聽 radio stations are also festival sponsors. Nick Fransoo has agreed to be the gala MC. Tickets are purchased at the door on the night of the gala.
聽鈥淪inging increases self-awareness, self-confidence, and our ability to communicate with others. It decreases stress, comforts us, and helps us to forge our identity and influence the world.鈥� 鈥� U.S. opera singer Katie Kat鈥�
