The 2014 Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival opened Tuesday with two days of band performances followed by one day of string performances. Vocal performances begin Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Logie Hall at the Third Avenue United Church. Friday and Saturday are designated as musical theatre days, so if you're a musical theatre fan, enjoy a two-day feast of performances. Friday afternoon features up-tempo solo performances by younger participants. Friday evening features senior student up-tempo solos. On Saturday morning at 10 a.m., ballads from all age groups will be showcased. The closing afternoon will feature duets and ensembles.
Look for selections from a variety of shows ranging from classics such as Mary Poppins, Oliver, Anne of Green Gables and The Sound of Music to more contemporary productions such as Tangled, Frozen, the 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee and Spamalot. It will be a luxury this year to have Kevin Power, from Saskatoon, as a musical theatre specific adjudicator.
Three days of vocal performances begin Sunday at 1 p.m. in Logie with Saskatoon-based adjudicator Garry Gable. Don't miss the choral performances Sunday night as they will be in the lovely acoustic space of the sanctuary. With performances Sunday night from the Battlefords Children's Junior Choir up through the Gallery Singers, you can see some of the youngest performers to some of the "youngest at the heart" performers.
All sessions are open to the public. Donations towards festival expenses are gratefully accepted at the door of venues. The $7 printed festival programs are available at the door of venues. If you have considered offering a little of your time volunteering for the festival, it's not too late to let a committee member know. Contact Shianne Revet at 306-445-5756 or 306-481-6302 if you are interested. Jobs range from tiny tasks to more involved, so don't be shy as we will find a job that fits your circumstances and availability.
When coming out to support young musicians from our community, please keep good performance manners and etiquette in mind. While enjoying the extensive talent being nurtured in the Battlefords area, remember that performers have one opportunity to showcase their work. Ensure that you are not responsible for distractions such as ringing or vibrating cell phones, whispering amid a performance or entering or leaving the room during a performance. Any distraction during a performance or while the adjudicator is speaking must be avoided; this includes texting and perfumed scents. 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.
Speech arts entries begin Wednesday, April 2 at Bready School where several schools will contribute choral speech entries during the school day. Solo sacred reading and Canadian poetry will be featured that evening in Logie Hall at Third Avenue United Church. Solo speech arts will continue the next day in the morning and afternoon at the church. The final scheduled discipline for this year's festival is piano. The three days of piano entries will begin Saturday, April 5.
The celebratory gala and awards ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 9 in Logie. Admission is $5 per person or $15 per family with free admission for award recipients and award presenters. Come on out to enjoy a few adjudicator-chosen highlighted performances from the festival and to help honour the numerous young people from our community receiving special recognition courtesy of local individuals and businesses.
"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." -Thomas Merton
