Students of the arts who are planning to perform at this year’s 100 Mile Festival of the Arts will have a chance to get their jitters out next week.
A student recital, during which they can test run their performance pieces, is planned for Feb. 25 at the Evangelical Free Church in 100 Mile House.
It’s a regular part of the festival process where students gain practice in performing, announcing their selection and even just walking onto a stage.
“It gives them self-confidence for festival,” explains festival president Eleanor Nicoll.
Between 20 and 30 performers are expected at the recital, showing their stuff in the areas of piano, vocal, instrumental and speech arts. The latter is expected to be the largest component of the festival this year.
Five days have been booked for the adjudication of speech arts, compared to three days apiece for piano and vocal, and two days for instrumental.
Speech arts within the youth community has been growing by leaps and bounds, thanks largely to local speech arts teacher, Ginny Alexander, who has been instrumental in establishing programs in many area elementary schools.
She is involved in delivering primary choral speaking classes at schools in 108 Mile, Canim Lake, Buffalo Creek, Horse Lake, and soon, Lac la Hache. 100 Mile House Elementary School has its own program.
“I think every elementary school should offer this. It does wonders for kids, even if they only have experience with speech arts through primary choral speaking.”
Festival of the Arts takes place from April 26 to May 6, which is later than usual, due to a late Easter, says Nicoll.
“If festival was done as usual, Easter would have fallen into the middle of it.”
To avoid interference with school events which happen in early May, festival organizers have decided to shorten up the festival by running different classes of adjudication simultaneously in two venues.
Martin Exeter Hall will be the main venue, but during the first three days, there will be performances held at the Evangelical Free Church.
“We also need to be done in time for the provincial festival in Kamloops.”
The student recital starts at 6:30 p.m., with doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is by cash donation and money raised will be used for funding the festival.