Squamish music students will get a chance to show their talents in the Howe Sound Music Festival at St. John's Anglican Church next month.
Produced by Howe Sound Performing Arts Association, the festival takes place from April 10 and 15. A total of 112 students plus a number of choirs will perform 170 pieces of music to be assessed by two professional adjudicators.
"It's the adjudicators who make the event a positive experience," said Colleen Koop, executive director of the festival.
The adjudicators provide constructive and valuable feedback, added Koop, and are a resource for both students and teachers to learn from. She selected them only after reviewing their teaching experience and watching performances.
Koop said she was very careful when she chose the two adjudicators.
This year's festival adjudicators are Michael Oike and Janet Warren. Oike, from Winnipeg, and will judge piano and Warren, from Vancouver, will judge the choir and vocals. Oike teaches piano at the Winnipeg and Steinbach branches of the Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts. Warren, a graduate of UBC, is now retired from teaching in North Vancouver and is a faculty advisor for UBC.
The choice of each musical piece will also play into the judging as each students themselves chose the numbers they will, which were submitted to festival organizers last month. The adjudicators will grade the students and given a bronze, silver or gold. Those with a gold - over 86 per cent - will go on to play at the highlights concert on Sunday April 15 where the adjudicators will also perform.
"You may have three golds in one class, you may have none," said Koop.
If they believe a student is ready, the adjudicators then will pick someone to attend the Performing Arts B.C. Provincials being held in Penticton this year.
"The festival is kind of like a stepping stone."
Some students also look as the festival as practice for the Royal Conservatory Exams, an internationally recognized testing ground for up and coming musicians.
The Howe Sound Music Festival also has dates in Whistler so music students in the resort town will also have a chance to perform on April 12 and April 13. There are a lot of talented students playing at this year's festival said Koop, adding she is especially excited about the vocal section this year.
Tickets for the festival are $2 per session and $10 for a festival pass, which allows entry into all of the sessions including the Highlights Concert/Awards Gala, which alone costs $7. For more information and festival times phone 604-898-5981.
