Nearly every Canadian interested in music and the arts has heard of the Kiwanis Music Festival.
It has one of the most storied histories of all Canadian music events.
Although now rebranded locally as the Sault Music Festival, the event continues to grow and evolve providing even more opportunity for performers in the area.
In Sault Ste. Marie, the festival has an 85-year history.
It began in 1937 as an initiative between the Algoma Music Teachers' Association (affiliated with the ORMTA in 1946) and the Kiwanis Club.
By the 1970s, the festival was the second largest competition festival in Ontario.
Now in 2022, the festival is not only alive and well, but evolving with the times.
Coordinated by the Algoma Conservatory of Music, the festival will not only feature showcase performances by music students from the region, but will be capturing those performances in an audio and video format for the students to take with them.
“The music festival will be set up as a series of traditional concerts that run from April 7 to 10,” says Dr. Carolyn Hart, the festival’s coordinator, who works with the principal of the Conservatory, Guy Traficante, and music teachers on the festival.
The performances will be held at The Loft, the new state-of-the-art venue located on the top floor of the Algoma Conservatory of Music.
“Their performances will be recorded with multiple cameras and a state-of-the-art audio recording…[taking] advantage of the new recording studio.”
Hart says organizers are excited to be able to document each participant’s performance.
“We not only have the capability with state-of-the-art equipment, but also with the professional audio and video engineers.”
Heading up the audio recording and production for the festival is Juno award winning performer, writer, producer Greig Nori (Treble Charger).
He is complemented by the filmmaking skills of director Dan Nystedt, who will head up the video production of the performances.
The Sault Music Festival is a competitive event in that participants have the opportunity to be nominated to participate in the Ontario Provincial Music Festival (OMFA).
“The OMFA requires that participants be recommended by their local music festival.”
This year up to three participants in every category can be recommended.
Hart says the decision to launch the new format for the festival was more of a natural evolution versus a response to the pandemic.
“The slight change in format is a natural progression from what was done before,” says Hart.
“The response to the pandemic is that we have learned we can hire adjudicators from anywhere in the world.”
As with competitive festivals, the performances will be reviewed by “highly specialized adjudicators.”
This year’s adjudicators are Dr. Charlene Biggs, Denise Gamez, Irene Tandberg and Dr. Matt Warnock.
“After reviewing the recordings, they will send helpful feedback to each of the performers,” says Hart.
Submissions to the festival recently closed
“We have received all the registrations and are now programming the various recitals. Everyone who registers will be performing on one of the recitals.”
In addition to the festival performances, there will be a Showcase Festival held this summer specifically for amplified bands and soloists.
“The public is welcome to attend any or all of the recitals,” says Hart, adding that all the music festival recitals will be offered in support of Ukraine.
To find out more information about the Sault Music Festival – including dates, times and a list of performers – visit the Sault Music Festival’s website or contact organizers via email.