Sask. musicians shine bright at nationals
More than 10 Saskatchewan musicians competed at this year’s National Music Festival, bringing home nine awards, including a first in percussion for Saskatoon festival winner Fraser Krips.
Other winners: Second place Brass & Special Brass Award: Abby Fuller. Second place Richard Cooke Choral Award: Campbell Spirit Choir. Third place Voice & Special Vocal Award: Spencer McKnight. Special Musical Theatre Award: Jake Heisler. Spirit Awards — male and female: Brendan Catalano and Abby Fuller. The musicians competing:
Spencer McKnight, Battlefords Festival — voice (accompanied by Mark Turner); Gloria Yu, Saskatoon Festival — piano (accompanied by Kathleen Solose); William Boan, Saskatoon Festival — strings (accompanied by Bonnie Nicholson); Stephen Davis, Saskatoon Festival — classical guitar (accompanied by Paul Zhao); Vanessa Klassen, Kindersley Festival — woodwinds (accompanied by Mark Gibson); Abby Fuller, Regina Festival — brass (accompanied by Maria Fuller); Fraser Krips, Saskatoon Festival — percussion; BEAM Saxophone Quartet, Rosetown Festival — chamber (Brendan Catalano, Eric Wong, Anna Wheeler, Megan Bauman); Jake Heisler, Moose Jaw Festival — musical theatre (accompanied by Jeri Ryba). Choir entries (judged by recording):
AVE (directed by Melissa Morgan), Regina Festival.
Campbell Spirit Choir (directed by Russ Baird), Regina Festival.
From the Saskatchewan Music Festivals Association: “To compete at the National Music Festival, the musicians have to first receive a first-place standing in a provincial/ national class at one of Canada’s 233 local festivals. Only after winning at a district festival, and adjudicator recommendation, may they then proceed to a provincial music festival. They must then win first place at the provincial level and be recommended by the adjudicators to represent his or her province at the National Music Festival.”
The event was held Aug. 11 to 13 in Edmonton.
Sixty-four amateur musicians from across the country ranging in ages 14 to 28 competed in nine disciplines: voice, piano, strings, classical guitar, woodwinds, brass, percussion, chamber music and musical theatre.
First place Grand Award winner was pianist Jaeden Izikdzurko from B.C. Allen Yu, classical guitar, also from B.C., was second.