Just as certain scents and objects can trigger specific personal memories, we all have vivid music-specific memories that transport us to another time and place. I recently watched a documentary called Alive Inside; a story of music and memory. It outlines the journey of health care workers such as social worker Dan Cohen, who demonstrates 鈥渕usic鈥檚 ability to combat memory loss and restore a deep sense of self to those suffering from it.鈥�
Highlighted are several inspiring and emotional transformations of Alzheimer鈥檚 and dementia sufferers who were 鈥渞evitalized through the simple experience of listening to music.鈥� Filmmaker Michael Rossato-Bennett shares uplifting encounters with the human connection and the relationship between music and memory. The film won the audience award at the 2014 Sundance Festival. I was amazed that iPods and a set of headphones could be such a powerful healing tool. It reaffirmed for me that music and arts education is not merely enriching or good brain exercise but also magically intertwined with our hearts. At the recent local walk for the Alzheimer鈥檚 Society, it was evident by the number of people participating that many of us are affected by the sad mystery of memory loss.
Encourage Battleford area children and youth 18 years old or under to submit art images to be considered for use in the 2016 Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival Program. The festival program cover contest deadline is March 1. Artwork should reflect musical themes. Entries may be mailed to P.O. Box 1301, North Battleford, S9A 3L8, or submitted to Kelly Waters at North Battleford Comprehensive High School, Jan Michael Bourgeois at John Paul II Collegiate, or Margaret Sigouin at EMBM. Selected pieces of artwork that are not chosen for the cover may also be featured within the pages of the program. Also look for festival venues to feature and display other entries.
If you missed the Festival entry registration date deadline of Feb. 6, late entries will be accepted until Feb. 13 with a $25 penalty fee. Our local area entry secretary, Melissa Hutchison, can be contacted by email at [email protected].
If interested in volunteering at the Festival, anything you have to offer in way of your time or talent is welcome. If your time is not available but you or your business would like to support the festival monetarily, consider sponsoring an award to be presented at the final gala event, or sponsoring a session for a music discipline of your choice, or being recognized as a patron or friend of the Festival.
With the registration deadline passing, look soon for information regarding this year鈥檚 adjudicators who are professional experts in the various music festival disciplines.
The current schedule, pending final programming, for the 2016 Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival is: vocal April 16 to 18, band April 18 to 19; musical theatre April 19; speech arts April 20 to 21, strings April聽22; and piano April 21 to 23.
聽鈥淢inds deteriorate, but souls dance. Science shows how the proper symphony can liberate lost memories.鈥澛� 鈥� Source: Netflix film description
