Fine Arts Festival a year round endeavour
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- Published on Monday, November 27, 2017
Submitted
Neepawa Banner & Press
Preparations are well underway for one of Neepawa’s longest running annual showcases. Though the 52nd Neepawa and District Fine Arts Festival is not scheduled until Apr. 8-11, 2018, at the Knox Presbyterian Church, the behind the scenes work by the executive committee is ongoing throughout the year.
The annual festival features singers, pianists and orators showcasing their skills in front of an audience and receiving feedback from an adjudicator. The event is composed of both competitive and non-competitive classes. For 2018, the tentative schedule has already been set and includes:
Sunday, Apr. 8 - Piano in the afternoon. Duet concert in the evening
Monday, Apr. 9 - Piano.
Tuesday, Apr. 10 - Vocal and speech workshops throughout the day. A vocal concert in the evening
Wednesday, Apr. 11 - Speech.
The adjudicators for the upcoming year will be David Klassen for vocal and speech and Eleanor Epp for piano. Meanwhile, the executive is looking for a Vocal chair. This role includes organizing the entries into categories, helping create the program timeline and assisting at the time of the festival. Anyone interested in entering can get entry forms and information from their music teachers, ArtsForward, or by contacting our executive through the Fine Arts Festival’s Facebook page. A syllabus (the book that outlines all of the classes and rules for festival) is also located at the ArtsForward building in Neepawa, at 293 Mountain Ave. The deadline for entries is Feb. 1, 2018.
Anyone can support the festival financially by becoming a Friend of the Festival! With a $25 donation, a Friend of the Festival will receive a tax receipt, a free program and have free admission into the festival. These donations are helpful for continuing to help cover expenses, such as maintaining the grand piano, rental, paying for adjudicators and certificates for the participants. Financial support helps the committee continue to give musicians, and now speakers in the speech categories, a chance to perform in front of a live audience and get feedback from an expert in the field.
Next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 14, at 3:00 p.m. in the Lion’s Den, in the ArtsForward basement.
