Eight hands. Two pianos. Twelve balloons. They are the Garritano Family, four children that nailed the whimsical Balloon Pop Polka at Encore! with a lot of hot air.
As each performer added a different texture to the sound, they popped balloons whipping up an infectious wave of laughter.
The 39th annual St. Albert Rotary Music Festival ended Wednesday night with an impressive variety showcase and a brisk award ceremony hosted by Colin MacLean.
Encore! was completely packed, a sold-out event for the first time in its history said chair Alan Murdoch.
As the Arden Theatre’s blue velvet curtains parted, a black Petrof grand piano winked under overhead lights, its quiet majesty setting the tone for the evening’s events.
Encore! truly paid tribute to music in many forms ranging from piano, strings and classical guitar instrumentals to composition, band, choral, vocal, dance and musical theatre.
During the three hour plus event, the first half showcased talent while the second part recognized performers’ abilities with awards and trophies.
Although family cheer squads accompanied many young artists, music lovers familiar with the festival’s reputation also attended.
During the intermission, David Kerslake, whose daughter competed at the festival in past years, was asked to comment on performers’ musical quality.
He replied, “Some were brilliant – the pianists in particular. I wish they had played a little more. It’s always amazing to see the talent out there and the many forms of artistic talent.”
Prior to the variety showcase, adjudicators singled out 40-odd performers for bringing something extra to the table.
Katianne Bargen, winner of the $1,000 Lyle Moore Scholarship, played Johannes Brahms lyrical Ballade Op. 10, No. 2 in D Major, a warm, radiant work. The Westlock resident didn’t just play the piano. She made it sing.
As the notes rippled fluidly, Bargen displayed a commanding presence yet interpreted the work with a serene sensitivity Brahms’ work demanded.
Another award recipient that was easy on the ears was Ryan Jacques, recipient of the $150 Patricia Burgess Award for Chopin. His fingers skipped nimbly over the black and whites playing the grand master’s Grande Valse Brilliante, Op. 18, a joyful, spritely waltz.
The indefatigable Hailey Benedict has a wide-spread reputation as a country singer. However, during Encore!, her musical theatre chops were visible as she sang Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid.
Attired in a shimmery blue-green frothy dress, she was every little bit the underwater princess, her powerful golden vocals soaring to the rafters. As Benedict strolled off the stage, MacLean remarked, “What a big, glorious sound from such a little person.”
Using a classical guitar that looked a bit big for his lap, Evan Hall, 12, plucked a delightful jazz rendition of Nuttal and Whitworth’s Night Piece. And the precocious Grade 1 student Michelle Grobbelaar recited a 30-second poem, Garage Sale, sending the audience into spasms of laughter.
Janae Olsen, costumed in a fiery flamenco dress, tapped across the stage in the Latin flavoured Oye Como Va.
“She was amazing. She danced with her whole body. She was really into it,” remarked volunteer usher Jean Irwin.
And the rag-tag Sturgeon Heights Musical Theatre Group belted out a Lion King medley paired with prancing lions, zebras and acrobatic monkeys.
The energetic ska band Thursdays, composed of five Paul Kane students, opened the second act. The five rockin’ cronies from Paul Kane High, Dan Fioretti (sax), Matthew Adams (guitar), Logan Lindstrom (bass), Kevin Yue (trumpet) and Jacob Kryger (drums) delivered a two-song performance that brought a lot of personality to the stage and reinforced their stylistic mojo.
Westlock resident Kirsten Tabert was in the audience watching her son, Nathaniel, receive an award.
“It’s fabulous. I love the variety. It was a really good display of talent. But I’d say it starts with the parents. You can tell they are very involved and have provided options for the their children and that’s how they grow,” said Tabert.
The 10-day Rotary music festival running April 5 to 15 attracted close to 1,800 entrants. Approximately 80 received awards and scholarships totaling more than $12,000. A further 23 entrants received provincial recommendations.
In addition to the Lyle Moore Scholarship and the Patricia Burgess Award, the festival’s most prestigious award, the $500 Rose Bowl was awarded to Jacob Kryger. Amy Polczer was received the $500 Marsha Stanton Award. Meghan MacDougall nabbed the $400 Elsie and Bill Filipchuk Bursary for Musical Theatre while Vivian Tao received a second Patricia Burgess Award.
For more information visit st-albertmusicfestival.com.
About 80 budding performance artists received awards and scholarships at Encore.<br />Several of the top prizes went to the following performers:<br />• Katianne Bargen, Lyle Moore Scholarship valued at $1,000<br />• Jacob Kryger, Rose Bowl, $500<br />• Amy Polczer, Marsha Stanton Award, $500<br />• Meghan MacDougall, Elsie and Bill Filipchuk Bursary for Musical Theatre, $400<br />• Ryan Jacques and Vivian Tao, Patricia Burgess Award for Chopin, $150
