In March, many students excelled at the Barrhead Rotary Music Festival, impressing judges with their talent, technique, attention to detail and poise before an audience. More than two months later a select group of them took those same qualities to an even bigger stage: the 2013 Alberta Provincial Music Festival in Edmonton.
For students who advanced from the Rotary festival to the provincials – Amanda Warkentin, Hannah Nikkel, Lexi Stein, Mikaela Widdup, Monique Fortier, Katianne Bargen and Christopher Bourque – it proved an unforgettable experience.
They performed at the Alberta College Conservatory of Music – Grant MacEwan University and McDougall United Church, submitting themselves to the scrutiny of leading adjudicators, as well as their competitors.
Of the 436 entries, 390 were solo. Students came from all over the province and there were even some from Yellowknife. Afterwards every participant received a certificate from the Alberta Music Festival Association.
Here we ask Barrhead area students about their experience at the May 29-June 1 event. Although they didn’t win their categories, they returned with excellent marks, a greater understanding of the demands of public performance, and some useful advice from adjudicators.
Performances: Sonatina in C Major by Friedrich Kuhlau; Katherine by Stephen Chatman
Adjudicator: Michel Fournier
Mark: 87%
About Amanda: Amanda is 16 and won gold and a scholarship at the Rotary festival. She performed at this year’s Volunteers Appreciation Night at the Agrena.
Amanda’s comments: “The provincials went very well and I really enjoyed them. It was nice to hear what the adjudicator had to say and to be among all the other piano players.
“I think I performed pretty well. I don’t normally get too nervous. I have played in a few bands in church and performed in events in the area.
“I performed the same two pieces I played at the Rotary festival and got 87 per cent, competing against 17 other students. It would have been nice to know how well I did compared to the others, but only the first and second positions were announced.”
Amanda said Michel Fournier gave her some good advice on pedal use and also suggested she move her hand differently while doing a downward scale.
“I have started Grade 8 and hope to continue playing piano, maybe one day becoming a piano player.”
Amanda said it was her first time at the provincials.
Jennifer Thomas is Amanda’s music teacher. She was keen to praise her “dream student.”
“Amanda got 87 per cent at the provincials, which was excellent,” she said. “The provincials were exciting for both of us and Amanda’s performance was marvellous. It is very impressive how hard she works and deals with pressure. I am actually quite jealous. She is a dream student.”
Performances: Ballade by J.F. Burgmuller; A Dance by G.P. Telemann
Adjudicator: Stephane Lemelin
Mark: 85%
About Hannah: A Grade 4 student, Hannah is nine-years-old and like some of the other local competitors at the provincials is home-schooled. She lives on a farm in Barrhead county. Her teacher is Donna Eyben, from Fort Assiniboine.
Hannah’s comments: “The provincials went very well and I was only a tiny bit nervous. I competed against 13 other students in the 12 and Under Piano. The adjudicator said I performed well and he liked how smiley I was. He gave me 85 per cent.
“I’ve been playing piano three years and want to study until Grade 10. I’ve also started singing.”
Hannah said she loves different types of music, from Mozart to country music.
Performances: I Wear The Most Amazing Shoes by Jack Prelutsky, and Du Fond Du Coeur by Anne Schwarz-Henrich
Adjudicator: Kelly Handerek
Mark: 81%
About Mikaela: Mikaela is 12 years old, although she was 11 when she performed at the provincials. She is a Grade 6 student in Madame Muriel Laffitte’s class at Barrhead Elementary School and a member of mother Irene Widdup’s Footworks Dance Academy.
Mikaela’s comments: “It was nerve-wracking, but a good experience watching all the other kids from the province perform. I would say it was more scary than the Rotary festival because it was more official and formal.”
Mikaela said she had worn special eye-catching shoes to go with Prelutsky’s poem.
The use of props to tell a story impressed Kelly Handerek. It was something the other students also did.
“There was a lot of amazing talent on show. One of the students even memorized a passage from Shakespeare. I was very grateful I had the chance to go to the provincials.”
Mikaela, who has also started playing the piano, has been performing speech for about two years. It is a talent that would serve her well if she ever wanted to be an actress.
Meanwhile, her work at the Footworks Dance Academy gives her plenty of opportunity to express herself theatrically.
Performances: The Jig by Violet Archer and Little Prelude in C Major by J.S. Bach
Adjudicator: Michel Fournier
Mark: 84%
About Lexi: Lexi is 12, home-schooled and has been playing piano for five years. She thinks she will continue playing the piano as a hobby while pursuing her ambition to be an author. She has written poems and short stories.
Lexi’s comments: “The provincials went well, although I had two memory slips. The adjudicator said he enjoyed The Jig and that I had a great tempo. He said he wanted to get up and dance.
“With the Prelude, he said I could have come up a bit stronger, but that my memory slips did not affect my performance and probably wouldn’t have been noticed by someone who didn’t know the pieces. He said my run was very well done.
“I wasn’t really nervous … well, maybe just a little. I was the fifth one to play in my category. There were 13 other students. I think everyone played very well. It was similar to the Rotary festival, but the standards were higher.
“It was interesting to see how other people play. They were really good.
“I have some experience playing in public. I played at my sister Chey’s wedding last year and every year I play in the music festival. This was my first time at provincials.
“I learned that you really do get rewarded for practising and playing well.”
•Riley Ferguson, who attends Barrhead Elementary School, was an alternate for the provincials, but was not required to attend.
