St. Albert Rotary Music Festival gears up for 39th year

It never fails to amaze how students at the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival work so hard to make the most technically challenging pieces look seamless.

The talent is definitely there and Rotarians go out of their way to encourage, nurture and support these emerging stars.

As the 39th music festival rapidly approaches from April 5 to 15, young musicians, dancers, singers and composers have entered 780 classes. Organizers estimate that’s more than 2,000 young performing artists attempting to raise the bar.

“The entries are higher this year – about a 100 entry increase,” said festival coordinator Maryan Threndyl. “I don’t know what to attribute to the increase, but it’s very encouraging and exciting.”

Entry levels across the province have fluctuated this year, in part due to the economy. Threndyl, who just returned as an adjudicator from the Cold Lake Music Festival, reports a significant drop in the northern city’s participation.

“Because of the economy, so many people have moved away.”

Here on home turf, the numbers are still strong. Throughout the 11-day festival our rising stars can be viewed at four venues. In addition to the Arden Theatre, three churches have opened their doors – St. Albert Evangelical Lutheran Church, Salvation Army Church and St. Albert United Church.

Threndyl takes a positive and proactive approach to the festival. She sees it more as a launching pad than a competition.

Yes, there are scholarships up for grabs and sweaty palms to dry before going on stage. But for many young performers, the festival is one of the few public places to shine their talent.

“A lot of what they do here builds in them as a person and gives them life skills in what they decide to do.”

A local music teacher, she is passionate about the entire festival. However, this year organizers are featuring three specific competition concerts.

The first concert, the Lyle Moore Scholarship Class, has three artists vying for a $1,000 scholarship. The scholarship is for advanced musicians planning a career in music. Each participant is adjudicated during a 25-minute performance on Thursday, April 7 at 7 p.m. in the Salvation Army Church.

St. Albert’s own Grace Bokenfohr, a Bellerose High student, plans to sing six musical theatre numbers including My White Knight (Meredith Wilson), The Glamorous Life (Stephen Sondheim) and Live a Little Julia (Leslie Arden).

Dacia Gramlick, a University of Alberta student from the Stettler area, has chosen four opera selections that vary from Mozart to Claude Debussy.

And Katie-Anne Bargen is a classical pianist that is as adept at Gershwin as she is Brahms and Rachmaninoff.

The second concert follows on April 11 with seven entries in The Family Music Class. Here different groupings of family members set up a kitchen party atmosphere playing different instruments – flute, harmonica, strings, percussion and piano.

“It’s really a fun class,” said Threndyl adding that this class focuses on more relaxed tunes that range from Hedwig’s Theme and The Balloon Pop Polka to Sixteen Tons and The Pirate Ship.

The concert starts at the Salvation Army Church at 6:30 p.m.

And in closing, the Jazz Band Night takes place on Wednesday, April 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Arden Theatre.

It brings together Westlock’s St. Mary Stage Band, Sturgeon Composite High School’s Jazz Band and St. Albert Catholic High’s Jazz Band for an unforgettable student package of stylistic diversity.

Joining them is the vibrant ska-jazz-rock band Thursdays. Within the last 12 months, the relatively new five-piece has made significant strides in St. Albert’s music scene with their dynamic sound and charming stage presence.

Threndyl encourages as many music fans to attend these three concerts as possible.

“Over the years, many people have come to the festival and been astounded to find how big it is, how much variety there is and how talented our young people are. It’s worthwhile – and it’s free.”