ML & District Annual Music Festival kicks off April 23rd

Participants in the festival mainly run from ages seven up to high school age. Adults can participate also, but usually more school-aged youth take part.

Retired music teacher Sandra Senga, on the festival organizing committee, has been involved in the event since it started 45 years ago.

She said some youth do end up continuing on to provincial competitions afterwards, if they are good enough.

Detailed programs for the festival are available for sale at Madill’s Drugstore.

Senga encourages people to take in some of the performances.

“Anybody can come in and listen,” she said. “There is a small fee at the door for each session.”

The majority of the entries are in piano this year. There are also some school bands performing, as well as violin entries and vocalists.

Competition performances take place in the daytime for the most part. There is an evening performance with band and strings at Carpenter High School on Monday, April 24, and with vocals and musical theatre at the Evangelical Free Church of Meadow Lake on Tuesday, April 25.

Senga said for the youth taking part in the competition, it’s a good opportunity to gain more experience and confidence performing.

The constructive criticism they receive from the adjudicators will help them improve their skills for the future.

“They learn to accept both the positive and the negative [feedback] from someone they don’t know,” Senga said. “It teaches them poise, the ability to ground themselves, and get through difficult times, because when you are performing – often times something can go wrong. They learn how to adapt, and how to take that in stride.”

She said many of the youth say they enjoy their time participating in the festival, and have a lot of fun, but it can be challenging too.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @meadowlakenow

by Angela Brown

ML & District Annual Music Festival kicks off April 23rd

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