Musicians of all ages and abilities will invade Athabasca this week and the next from all over Athabasca County and surrounding area.
The 41st annual Athabasca and District Music Festival runs March 12–20. It begins at 9 a.m. on Wednesday at the Nancy Appleby Theatre with piano performances.
“The Grade 2s are at the … Royal Conservatory music level,” said Ida Edwards, president of the music festival. “In the afternoon, we have what is called the preparatory level, A and B. Those are beginner levels in learning to read and play.”
Edwards explained the afternoon performances are ones that do not qualify for provincials.
“They are addendum classes that are specific to the Athabasca festival only,” she said. “Those classes do not progress to the provincial festival. They are designed to offer an opportunity to the beginner student who wants to play in the festival who doesn’t meet the Royal Conservatory grade levels.”
On the evening of March 12, students in Royal Conservatory Grades 7, 8 and 9 will perform.
“They will be playing some really wonderful stuff,” Edwards said.
March 13 will also feature piano performances.
“The afternoon will feature duets, and we are looking forward to that,” she said.
Friday, March 14, is the main voice day.
“We have singing in the morning and in the afternoon,” she said. “And there will be a musical theatre Friday night.”
Saturday morning will feature more voice, and in the afternoon, speech will be held.
“Sunday is a day off for us,” she explained. “We resume Monday morning with the school solos at Whispering Hills Primary School; they are awfully cute.”
At WHPS, the Grade 1s, 2s and 3s will be singing.
A new venue for the festival is Pleasant Valley Lodge.
“On Wednesday morning, we have a small instrumental group performing, and seniors will get to enjoy that from the comfort of their own home,” she said. “It is a new adventure for everyone.”
The final concert will be held March 20 at the Nancy Appleby, and Edwards said tickets for the event will be $10.
“Tickets go on sale March 12 at Value Drug Mart. The show will feature adjudicator picks and the award winners for the trophies.”
Edwards encourages the public to come out to watch as the event is free to attend, bar the final concert.
“This year, we have one composition student. You have to appreciate it is a lot of work to compose a piece of music and hand it in,” she said. “We would like to encourage those closet writers and composers to come on out.”
Edwards said that for some, performing is feared.
“The whole point of the festival is to allow people to find out they can perform and get in front of people to share their talents,” she said. “Face the fear, overcome it, and learn to share. You may never feel comfortable, you might never get over the fear, but you can do it in spite of it.”
