The Howe Sound Music Festival celebrates its 10th year this coming April, and locals can get a preview of what's in store this year by supporting a benefit concert early next month.
The Howe Sound Performing Arts Association (HSPAA) presents Inspiration, a piano and voice concert to promote the festival on Feb. 6.
"All ages are sure to enjoy this hour-long showcase of amazing music," said HSPAA executive director Veronica McPhee. "The concert promises to be jam-packed with a wide variety of Squamish talent including Sea to Sky music teachers."
Well-known singers Melissa Braun, Kelly Coubrough, Carol Grolman and pianists Paula Donville, Joy Keeler and Colleen Coop are only a few household names scheduled to perform. There will also be musicians playing the violin and the Japanese koto (a 13-string instrument).
The Inspiration concert is the only fundraising event HSPAA holds to raise money for the Howe Sound Music Festival, which attracts musical talent from Pemberton to Britannia Beach.
McPhee said local businesses, scholarship donors and individuals often donate as well, but the most of the cost falls on HSPAA's shoulders because organizers keep festival attendance costs low to accommodate as many interested youths as possible.
The festival is an opportunity for performers as young as six to take the stage and show off their musical chops under the scrutiny of highly experienced musical judges.
"Over those years, we have encouraged over 1,000 young musicians from Britannia Beach to Pemberton," said McPhee."We have hosted amazing adjudicators, produced entertaining concerts, sponsored engaging workshops, and presented thousands of dollars in scholarships to deserving students."
Festival organizers invite members of the community to consider donating a scholarship to a dedicated student. Donors can specify a discipline (piano, classical voice, musical theatre, or choral), age group/level (under 12 years, adult/beginner or honours) and an amount.
The event runs for four days - students enter themselves in classes based on age and skill level and have the opportunity to train under a different style of teaching.
"For example, someone who's 14 and under and wants to sing a folk song will enter themselves in that category and come April, they've been working on the piece from now until April," explained McPhee.
"We hire professional adjudicators to come to town and all the students in that class sing or play their piece and the adjudicator gives them written and verbal feedback, respectively."
McPhee said often students learn a lot from the variation in feedback.
"It's just to give them a different perspective from having their regular teacher all the time," she said. "It's also a really great experience for the students themselves to just hear other students singing and learning some new repertoire perhaps, being exposed to some new songs."
Musicians who earn a score of 86 per cent or higher through the festival adjudication are asked to entertain the afternoon crowd at the closing gala. Last year the Howe Sound Music Festival had four participants and two observers at the provincial music competition in Duncan.
Everyone has a chance to support the festival by attending the Inspiration concert on Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. at St. John's Anglican Church. Admission is by donation.
For more information contact Veronica McPhee at (604) 892-7819.
