Locals take part in arts festival
By Carolyn Steeves SPAF
Photo Courtesy of Carolyn Steeves
The 90th Anniversary edition of the Drumheller Performing Arts Festival was celebrated at the Badlands Community Facility and the Kaleidoscope Theatre in Drumheller on March 14 – 25 with many young Strathmore musicians participating. This was the first live performance in years for many of the festival’s musicians, due to COVID-19 restrictions. There was plenty of excitement in the air leading up to and at the festival.
The festival held its final concert and award presentations on March 25 at the Badlands Community Centre. Sophia Fabris, Hayley Gervais and Connor Riou entertained the enthusiastic audience with Musical Theatre numbers while Evangeline and Sophia Greep and Parker Riou performed a duet and solo on the piano, respectively.
In addition, several Strathmore musicians received awards. Wynn Phung received the Vera Marchuk Memorial Scholarship for the highest mark in piano solos 6-12 years while Evangeline and Sophia Greep were awarded the Winona Sibbald Memorial Trophy and Krabsen Scholarship for highest mark in piano duets and trios plan 1 and 2. Tavia McKinnon won the Drumheller Music Teacher’s Plaque for highest mark in Canadian composer classes Plan 1 and 2 while Brianna Hollingsworth won class award #1 for piano solos, grade 9 and under. Parker Riou was awarded the Ross Ferby Scholarship for piano solos plan 2, grades 6-8 and Dan Erik Lehmann won the Riverside Medical Scholarship 2 for piano solos jazz, blues and ragtime.
In musical theatre, Sophia Fabris won the Amy Thompson Trophy for the highest mark in 10 years and under while Connor Riou was awarded the Beta Sigma Phi Preceptor Lambda Charter Plaque for highest mark 11-15 years. Hayley Gervais received the Hazel Bilson Memorial Trophy & Scholarship for highest mark 16 and over and Anthony Laycock and Evan Lloyd won the John and Lavina Edwards Memorial Scholarship for Musical Theatre duets, trios, ensemble and production numbers.
Strathmore musicians were also nominated for a number of 2022 Virtual Alberta Provincial Music Festival classes. Winners at the Alberta Provincial Music Festival could move onto the inaugural Canada West Performing Arts Festival to be held in Saskatoon this July. Wynn Phung was nominated in piano plan 1, 12 years and under and Connor Riou was nominated for piano plan 2, Grades 4-5.
In musical theatre, Sophia Fabris was nominated for 9 years and under, Connor Riou for 12 years and under up-tempo, Anthony Laycock for 16 years and under ballad, Parker Riou for 16 and under up-tempo and Haley Gervais for both senior ballad and up-tempo.
Congratulations for all of Strathmore’s musicians on a terrific showing at the Drumheller Performing Arts Music Festival.