By Katie Ryan
The entry deadline is approaching for musicians interested in competing in the Kiwanis Lloydminster and District Music Festival.
The two-week festival drew nearly 700 participants last year and organizers are expecting to see the same number or even more when the festival is held, from April 23 to May 6.
“It depends because last year Vermilion didn’t have their festival so a lot of their people came over. And also this year, we have more music teachers in town, especially piano teachers,” said Peter Yeung, music festival committee member and past president, noting participants come from communities beyond the Border City, such as Wainwright and Lashburn.
Entry forms are available at Sew In Tune, however, all applications must be handed in on Saturday at the Atrium Centre, 5012-49 St. Music festival organizers will be accepting registrations from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“It’s good for both the student and the teacher because from the performance they get an outside point of view of how they are doing,” said Yeung.
“And also, quite often the adjudicators that come are more qualified, usually they have a master’s or bachelor’s degree in music and often they will run a workshop right then and there for kids and teachers, so they learn a lot in those two weeks.”
Organizers began work on the 2012 festival in August last year. Yeung said the big job organizers will soon start is after Saturday, when all of the competitors information has to be entered in the computer.
“We have to make sure that everyone’s name and program is in there without any mix up,” said Yeung, who has been involved with the festival since 2007.
“Quite often the kids will enter two or three things, so there’s not going to be any conflict there to play piano and sing in two different locations at the same time. Those details will be looked after.”
Participants as young as four or five, and even adults, compete in the festival and perform in different disciplines including piano, strings, band, brass and vocal. Adjudicators from Alberta and Saskatchewan will be tasked with evaluating the participants, while the public is invited to take in their performances.
“The kids put a lot of work into their performances and quite often we don’t get that many people out to listen to them,” said Yeung. “Every kid plays a different piece of music so it’s good entertainment. (Everyone) can come out and support the kids, so what they practised and worked so hard for, somebody appreciates it.”
While the festival has grown over the years, Yeung said there were a few years that it was not held during the 1980s, due to a lack of volunteers.
“But the last few years we’ve been very, very lucky that there is lots of help,” he said. “And when you have something that is successful, people seem to like to take part in it too.”
For more information about registration call 780-875-8958 or 780-875-8990.