In the course of introducing this year's Kiwanis Battlefords Music Festival adjudicators, I have featured band adjudicator, Greg McLean, and strings adjudicator, Rudolf Sternadel. This year, for the first time, we are providing a separate adjudicator within vocal entries with expertise specific to musical theatre. This experience will grant the opportunity for vocal entrants to potentially receive feedback and wisdom from two professional perspectives.
Born in Halifax, N.S., as the youngest of seven children, critically acclaimed Kevin Power will kick off the vocal discipline with adjudication of musical theatre performances. Multi-talented and well travelled, Power, has been praised by the Times of London, the Globe and Mail and Opera Canada. He is singer/actor, a vocal coach offering masters classes and a published composer. Stage credits include Tony Award winning musicals The Phantom of the Opera, Urinetown: the Musical, Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, Annie, The Little Mermaid, Snow White and many more. In concert, Power has appeared with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, in his self-produced touring show, Broadway Cabaret /Broadway Jazz, and is a former member of the Montreal Opera Ensemble. Power originated several Canadian roles including "Wind" in the newly restored Canadian Operetta Leo, The Royal Cadet; "Pete" in the world premiere of Boiler Room Suite (Canada/U.K.); and Billy/Bearkeeper in the world premiere The Banff Centre-Welsh National Opera co-production of Tornrak.
Power graduated from the University of Saskatchewan's Department of Music with a degree in music theory/composition/performance. Quoting from his website www.kevinpower.net, "I was influenced by my parents' eclectic recordings of classical, jazz and musical theatre; and inspired by the career of my cousin, Sandra Shayne who, during World War II had sung with well-known big band leader Ray Noble and performed frequently live on Radio Luxembourg." Power can also be seen in movie and television principal roles with major studios including Lifetime Network, Lionsgate films, the SyFy network, CBC and in the premier season of Suits with the US and Bravo Network. He has been featured in commercials for Kellogg's, Ford Canada and Tylenol. 2014 marks Power's 12th season as a national vocal adjudicator.
When perusing Power's website and reading about his own personal philosophies about the direct correlation between concentrated study and success, I am once again reminded of fact musical training instils work ethic and discipline. Quoting the posted article Lesson No. 1: Work Ethic / Discipline by David Ahrens, "Music students are often high achievers academically. They have the personal discipline and focus needed to study for long periods of time. The work ethic developed during personal practice, lessons and rehearsals becomes a part of their character. And this strength of character brings successes in every future challenge they engage in. You must develop a routine of focused attention to the fundamentals of your craft. We all know people who make a habit of getting by on the least amount of work; for whom excellence is seldom, if ever, achieved. Music has a higher standard. Audiences do not accept performances with only 70 per cent accuracy, for example. We must realize excellence every time."
Thank you to all the young people who submitted entries for the festival program cover contest. Watch for the winner to be announced in the next couple of weeks!
The schedule for music disciplines for the 2014 Battlefords Music Festival is: band March 24 - 26, strings March 27, musical theatre March 28 and 29, voice March 30 - April 1, speech arts April 2 - 4 and piano April 5 - 7, with the celebratory gala Friday, April 11.
From Kevin Power's website, "The miracle, or the power, that elevates the few is to be found in their industry, application and perseverance under the prompting of a brave, determined spirit." - Mark Twain
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