Congratulations, Jaeden! Salmon Arm pianist wins gold at prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition.
Congratulations, Jaeden! Salmon Arm pianist wins gold at prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition. Read the article HERE.
What’s New
A Renewed Festival Returns
The annual Shuswap Music Festival returns April 11-29 and reinstates the full range of disciplines. The Pandemic had forced the cancellation of the 2020 festival, necessitated a virtual festival in 2021, and required a much-reduced festival in 2022. For the 2023 Festival, Choirs, Piano Ensembles and a much larger Band section rejoin the event. The venues have also changed. Sessions for Piano, Strings, Vocal and Choral will all be at Nexus at First Community United Church. Bands will perform for the first time at Song Sparrow Hall. Acclaimed professional musicians adjudicate all performances. They critique and coach performers and inspire excellence–a hallmark of the Shuswap Music Festival.
At pre-pandemic festivals, the Choir and Piano Ensemble evenings drew large crowds. This year, six choirs have entered the festival. Three adult choirs will be performing the evening of Wednesday, April 12, starting at 6 PM, and three school choirs are scheduled for the morning of Friday, April 14, beginning at 9 AM. Piano Ensembles, slated for Wednesday, April 19 (6-9 PM), feature costumed pianists performing duets and ‘two piano-8 hands’ selections. Its great entertainment! The adjudicated sessions are open to the public, and admission is by donation.
A highlight of the festival will be the 13 school bands performing at Song Sparrow Hall. From Tuesday, April 18 to Thursday, April 20, the bands from throughout the local School District will have the chance to play in a professional performance centre, learn from adjudicators, and compete for awards generoously provided by SASCU. This huge increase in the band competition is atrributed to the enthusiasm and support of Michelle Reed, Vice-Principal of Music, School District 83. “Festival is a fabulous opportunity for the music program,” exclaims Reed.” And Song Sparrow Hall is a treat and a draw for bands ready to get back to performing, post-Covid.”
The festival concludes with a Gala concert and awards ceremony on Saturday, April 29, at Nexus. This community event showcases the development of fine young musicians and vocalists in the Shuswap. Admission to the Gala is $10 per person or $20 per family. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Festival Programs and more information, including the biographies of the professional musicians adjudicating this year’s festival, are available online at www.ShuswapFestival.com.
Volunteers to help host the festival are needed and can register online.
What’s New for 2021
A Virtual Festival will be held during the last two weeks of April 2021. Stay tuned for details.
What’s New for 2019
For the 2019 Festival we have added:
- The ARCT for Strings has been added to the Strings Discipline for the 2019 Festival.
- The Band Discipline has been postponed for the 2019 Festival. Changes in School District #83 to the funding and staffing of the music program has necessitated a ‘leave of absence’ for the next Shuswap Music Festival. The Shuswap Music Festival Society is hopeful that Band will return as a viable discipline in future years.
Performing Arts BC 2018 Official Winners
Nakagawa Comes Home for Concert
Salmon Arm soprano, Stephanie Nakagawa, is coming home for a special evening of song and music—A Summer Serenade. She is bringing with her a choir that she directs, Ensemble Étoile, the Vancouver Women’s Chamber Choir. This special evening will take place at the First United Church, Saturday, June 18. The concert begins at 7 PM.
Nakagawa is currently studying for her Doctorate in Music at UBC in Vancouver.
Over the years she has grown up with the Shuswap Music Festival, an event focused on supporting and encouraging young musicians to hone their musical talents. Stephanie has pursued her studies in the USA as well as Canada and has performed in many States as well as in opera houses in Europe.
The evening, a fund raising event for both the choir and the Shuswap Music Festival, will include performances by 2016 Festival participants namely Andrew Stoney (piano), Holly McCallum (cello) and Libby Wyse (violin). McCallum won six awards at the Shuswap Music Festival and Wyse won “Best of the Festival in Strings”. Stoney won “Best of the Festival in Piano”. The Mount Ida Harmony Men’s Chorus and international pianist, Peemanat Kittimontreechai, will also perform at the Summer Serenade. This special evening features Stephanie singing with the Men’s Chorus of which her father, Lloyd Nakagawa, is a member. Tickets for this event are available at Acorn Music and Bookingham Palace Books or at the door. Admission is: Adult $15; Senior $12; and Student $10. Baskets will be raffled.
Funds raised will help to continue the encouragement of young Shuswap musicians. This year at the 16th Annual Shuswap Music Festival, a total of $4795.00 was awarded to participants. This sum, as well as the festival itself, is made possible by the generous donations of local individuals and sponsor organizations as well as bequeaths and memorial funds.
Two of the major scholarships are from memorial funds. The Mary Fowler Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Voice was awarded to Paige Tower. The Blair Borden Memorial Scholarship for post-secondary pursuit of musical studies was offered to three candidates this year: Andrew Stoney (Piano); Emily Wark (Piano); and Jenae VanGameren (Voice). A complete list of all award and scholarship recipients is available on the festival website. Discover more about the Shuswap Music Festival and the Summer Serenade at: www.ShuswapFestival.com. Your support is appreciated.
Submitted by Sue Wolff
Summer Serenade
“Summer Serenade” an evening of music and song featuring Salmon Arm Soprano, Stephanie Nakagawa and Ensemble Etoile, Vancouver Women’s Chamber Choir; pianists Andrew Stoney and international performer, Peemanat Kittimontreechai; Mt. Ida Harmony Men’s Chorus and several outstanding performers from the Shuswap Music Festival. Event is on June 18, 7 PM at the First United Church. This is a fundraiser for the Festival with draws for baskets. Admission: $15 Adults; $12 Seniors; $10 Students. Tickets available at Acorn Music and Bookingham Palace Books as well as at the door.
What’s New
For the 2016 Festival we have added:
- SPEECH ARTS as a new discipline. Check the syllabus for details.The study of Speech Arts develops confident and effective communication skills while training the speaking voice. It includes an array of public speaking, presentation skills, voice production, diction and articulation. Speech Arts helps develop a student’s ability to speak with ease and clarity. At the Festival, students will perform memorized pieces of poetry, prose and/or plays for professional feedback from a Speech Arts adjudicator.
- GRADE 9 STRINGS to the Strings discipline.
[themify_button style=”large rect” color=”#EC008C” link=”https://shuswapfestival.com/registration/syllabus-2/” text=”#ffffff” ]View the Syllabus[/themify_button]