April 8 to May 13
2013
Competitors who are interested in advancing to the prestigious Ontario Music Festivals Association finals competition in June of 2013 should keep the qualifications and performance requirements in mind when entering classes or selecting music for our local festival.
Choose your area of interest below for details, or visit the OMFA website: www.omfa.info
“We had 38 entrants and received 24 placements. That’s a tremendous winning percentage in any arena!” declared Michele Boniface, Executive Director of the Stratford Kiwanis Festival of the Performing Arts, when speaking about the Ontario Music Festivals Association provincial championships. Ms. Boniface claimed, “These results not only demonstrate the talent we showcase in Stratford, but the incredible effort our performers put in year after year.“
Kiwanis Festival actors and musicians were outstanding at Provincials, bringing home thirteen medals and eleven honorable mention certificates. Forty festivals belonging to the OMFA sent their top students to the prestigious event in Peterborough ON.
Festival Youth Singers, under the direction of Rich Sumstad, won gold in their class, qualifying for the Canadian Championships. Their recorded repertoire was send to Fort McMurray, Alberta for Nationals in August, where they placed second. Congraulations to FYS members and Mr. Sumstad.
St. Marys Children’s Choir, directed by Jacklin Falconer, placed third in their division at Provincials, maintaining their high standard of excellence.
Our music theatre soloists were outstanding with three Stratford representatives earning medals: Thomas Murray won silver in the senior category, Connor Delaney won bronze in intermediate, and Sean Dolan earned bronze in junior. Kurtis Eisler, Shayne Simpson and Jade Percival performed brilliantly to earn honourable mention.
Not surprisingly, actors representing Stratford excelled in the Speech & Drama category with Emma Dunlop and Annie Lockerbie Newton winning gold medals in intermediate and junior competition, Sarah Kuchma and Jeremy Harttrup picking up bronze medals in senior and junior categories, and Jessica Wareing and Samantha Polzin earning honourable mention.
Stratford singer Lutzen Riedstra led the voice department with a silver medal in grade 10. Callum Hutchinson, Diana Bryans and Katherine Napiwotzki all brought home well-deserved honourable mention certificates.
Three other medalists representing Stratford were Alexandra Gorska who won gold in Grade 10 woodwinds, Mary Ross who took silver in Grade 8 harp, and Jeffrey Lin who earned bronze in grade 9 piano.
Stratford’s own Ji Won Baxter played beautifully to earn honourable mention in her first Provincial Championship. Rounding out the honours were Morgan Melbourne in grade 9 piano and Joanna Gorska in grade 8 guitar, who both earned honourable mentions for their superb performances.
“I’m extremely proud of everyone who performed for Stratford in Peterborough,” says Michele Boniface, “but I’m also forever grateful to the talented accompanists, dedicated teachers, supportive parents, invaluable volunteers and generous sponsors. Typical of Stratford, it’s a community effort.”
Congratulations to all Provincial Finalists!
