With the arrival of April comes excitement for locals preparing to compete in the Cariboo Festival in Williams Lake.
Each year the festival provides an opportunity for people of ages to perform and receive feedback from an out-of-town adjudicator.
The festival begins Tuesday, April 8, with speech arts at the Evangelical Free Church on Eleventh Avenue, followed by piano April 12 and 13 at Hummingbird Centre and vocal and choral April 14 and 15 at the Evangelical Free Church.
"Festival attendance in my studio has been high," said Becky Thomas of Hummingbird Centre. "This year the festival has close to 90 entries for piano alone! The students love the exciting build up in the weeks just prior, and at the event they enjoy listening to the other pieces."
Caroljoy Green and Kevin Zakresky will be adjudicating the performances, each bringing with them years of experience in the arts.
Green is a high school drama teacher at Cedars Christian School in Prince George and helps elementary classrooms prepare choral speaking pieces for the Prince George Speech Arts and Drama Festival. Her adjudicator bio notes she feels passionately about helping a student be empowered to develop their voice and shine.
Zarkesky is a touring orchestral conductor and has conducted in North America, South America and Europe. Previously he was music director of the Prince George Symphony and conductor of the Pacifica Singers. He is presently the music director of the Pacific Spirit Choir and Maddalena’s Descant in Vancouver.
Thomas said the adjudicators have been so encouraging and the kids come back each year wanting more.
"It’s a wonderful way to keep students motivated to practice and perform at their best," she added.
Schedules are available on the Cariboo festival website.
There will be a spotlight concert on Sunday, April 27 at 5 p.m. featuring notable mentions and another concert with the honours and top award recipients at 6 p.m.
Both concerts will be held at the Church on Eleventh.
