Kootenay Festival of Arts starts week two, Honors Concert Saturday at the Capitol Theatre
By Bruce Fuhr
Week one of the Kootenay Festival of the Arts 2012 delivered some amazing dance performances.
Week two promises to be just as exciting as the music and vocal arts take over culminating with the Honors Concert Saturday at the Capitol Theatre.
“The festival is like, ‘Kootenay’s Got Talent’ and is an opportunity for students to hone their skills in front of the public and adjudicators,” said Festival chair, Bruce Hunter.
Week two of the Kootenay Festival of the Arts 2012 began Tuesday with vocals and piano at Nelson United Church and Bethel Christian Centre.
The Evangelical Covenant Church hosts strings beginning Wednesday.
The competition continues through Friday with the top students in each field performing Saturday at the Capitol Theatre.
Show time Saturday is 7 p.m.
“The goal of the adjudicators is to help and mentor the kids . . . not to destroy them,” Hunter explains.
“We want to make this a very positive experience for them and give them the skills needed to help them accomplish their goals.”
Kootenay Festival of the Arts 2012 competition has been around since 1930 when the first festival was held.
The Kootenay Music Festival began when representatives of the Trail Veteran’s Orchestra and the Nelson Symphony Orchestra set up a joint committee to plan for a Kootenay-wide festival in the spring of 1930.
Founders realized that one of the most challenging problems was a suitable venue for the large number of participants and audiences anticipated.
Following some breaks during the war and in the 60s, the festival was revived, alternating between Trail and Nelson each year.
In 2012, Nelson is host city.
“We’re here to help kids young people to have them want to come to another festival and to learn from us,” Hunter said.
The format has competitors performing in front of adjudicators, who at times will stop the competition to instruct students on the finer points of their respective interest.
The top competitors will be pushed to the provincial competition May 27-31 in Nanaimo.
“We are one of 34 festivals happening in the province,” said Hunter. “The provincial festival is always looking for the best so our adjudicators will recommend a small number to go on.”
For complete schedule go to http://www.kootenayfestivalofthearts.ca/
