The performing arts were celebrated during the 40th annual Athabasca and District Music Festival this month.
Talented performers from Athabasca, Boyle and the surrounding area hit the stage during the event to showcase their skills for adjudicators. Some sang while others worked their magic with instruments, and still others performed dramatic pieces.
After their months of preparation, the artists get just one chance to get it right.
ìItís a lot of pressure,î noted organizer Ida Edwards. ìIn performance, youíre learning to compose yourself, learning how to handle all the emotions that come up. The arts are great that way.î
The festival came to an end with the final concert at the Nancy Appleby Theatre last Thursday, when a selected handful of participants performed for the public. Despite the poor weather, the concert hall was nearly full with attendees eager to enjoy the talented performances.
Prior to the concert, the awards ceremony honoured the performers who were recognized as the best of the best by the judges.
In the junior solo speech category (sponsored by True Value Hardware) Alyssa Olson earned top marks while in the senior solo speech category (ADMFA) Gina Hrachy got the award.
All Saints Anglican Church sponsored bible reading, which was won by Marilyn Kariel.
The junior instrumental category (Great Canadian Dollar Store) was won by Gavin Neaves while Clayton Amero earned bragging rights in senior instrumental (Rotary Club).
The best instrumental ensemble (Servus Credit Union) was Brianne and Georgia Popowich.
Junior piano (Canada Brokerlink) was won by Emily Nakonechny and Noah Day; intermediate piano (Beta Sigma Gamma Phi-Rho) was won by Nate Day and senior piano (Sunlife Financial) was won by Liam Jackson.
The piano duet category (sponsored by Dr. Deutscher Family Chiropractor) was topped by Ayden Burger and Emily Deutscher.
Kaitlyn Heroux earned top marks in musical composition (MacNeil Family).
The award for best girls school vocal solo (Town of Athabasca) was won by Jenna Kociuba while boys school vocal solo (Mike Gismondi) went to Eric Geng.
Buy-Low Foods sponsors the junior vocal solo, which was won by Kory Williams. The intermediate vocal solo (Doug Kwasney Trucking Ltd.) went to Emmily Strembesky, while the senior vocal solo (Athabasca Advocate) went to Megan Johnston. The sacred vocal solo (All Saints Anglican Church) went to Alyssa Olson.
Kaitlynn Bulas was recognized in junior musical theatre (Value Drug Mart). Intermediate musical theatre (Koch Ford Sales) went to Anika Asfeldt while senior musical theatre (Athabasca Registries) was won by Megan Johnston.
The Studio Singers were named best musical theatre ensemble (sponsored by Doug and Heather Kariel).
In the junior junior awards (10 and under) sponsored by Strong Trucking Ltd., the winners were Kara Olson (speech), Granger Fassbender and Kai Day (piano), and Kai Day (vocal solo and musical theatre).
Provincial recommendations were sponsored by Jim and Barb Woodward. They went to Megan Johnston (musical theatre), Shalyn Lindballe (ballad alternate), Nicholas McCann (piano solo, senior piano), and Emily Nakonechny (piano solo, 12-under). Recommendations in the musical composition category went to Kaitlyn Heroux in the 16-under category (alternate Ashley Johnson) and Mieke Hoetmer in the 12-under category (alternate Emma Kamelchuk).
