Festival of the Arts ‘for everybody’

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This article was published 27/02/2024 (766 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon mom Cindy Gullet was one of many proud parents who filled the pews at Knox United Church for the speech choir competition Monday afternoon during Brandon’s Festival of the Arts.

“I know he’s mine, but they are all so good, and so cute,” Gullet said as she laughed. Her eight-year-old son Samson and his classmates had just finished reciting a poem called “Daddy Fell into the Pond,” which was one of two selections they presented to an adjudicator and other parents.

“I think this is good for kids who might not be comfortable speaking — not only in public — but out loud and to be heard. And being with a group is good, too. He’s not so nervous,” Gullet said.

Brandon’s Festival of the Arts began on Feb. 12 and runs until March 15. Over the course of about four and a half weeks, almost 900 competitors are judged on their dance, music and speech skills, said Carolyn Monkmann, executive assistant for the festival.

“We have a number of different music sessions, which include things like strings, woodwinds, piano, vocal, brass. And we just finished seven solid days of dance, so we had thousands of dances. And then we wrap up at the end of March with an encore concert, which is the best of the best,” said Monkmann.

While students in elementary and high school, college and university make up a large portion of competitors, it’s not just for those in schools. The goal of the festival is to promote the performing arts and give a wide range of competitors the opportunity to showcase their talents.

“It’s not just a school thing — it’s for everybody. We have individuals from the different dance schools, from public and private schools, and kids from the conservatory at the university. The university students can compete for cash scholarships as well as trophies in some categories. So, there’s a little bit of everything in the performing arts that people can observe, participate in, and win prizes,” said Monkmann.

There are dozens of scholarships that are provided by local businesses and service clubs for performers in each of the categories.

Brandon University provides a full-tuition scholarship for one year to a student entering BU as a full-time music student.

And the Kaye and G.R. Rowe memorial music and dance scholarship of $600 goes to first place in the music and dance competition, as well as a $300 scholarship for the second-place performer.

Ten adjudicators were invited to preside over the various sessions. All have credentials that include professional performing, teaching, and collaborations with festivals and performance companies across the country and around the world.

It’s important for the competitors to get the professional feedback, said Monkmann. Sometimes hearing constructive criticism “from someone else” hits home, she added.

“I come from a piano background. I played for many years and participated in festivals growing up in Winnipeg. And that feedback was invaluable, because it was all the things that my teacher had been telling me that I ignored. And then when someone else told me that, I’m like, ‘Oh, I guess I should do that,’” Monkmann said as she laughed.

As a mezzo-soprano, adjudicator Elizabeth Rotoff has performed in operas, musical theatres, plays and recitals across Canada, in England and the United States.

She gives lessons in voice and piano and founded a company that teaches wellness to professional singers. And she loves listening to the young voices, she said, offering her insights to help.

When adjudicating speech choir, Rotoff assesses the students’ facial expressions, how well they project their voices, pacing, and if their words are clear and properly pronounced.

“I love it. There are things I can pinpoint and things that I can give them encouragement about, and areas of improvement, too,” said Rotoff.

“Learning how to communicate effectively is a lifelong skill and one that’s important to develop.

“It can be very hard in this day and age. We sometimes get so stuck in our social media that we forget how to actually verbally communicate with other people, aside from your TikTok.

“So, with a short form format like TikTok, which many kids are into, they can be even more effective as they learn how to communicate well,” Rotoff said.

The last day of competition will be March 15 at Knox United Church, with vocalists performing solos and duets presenting materials including Spanish art songs, French melodies and movie musicals.

The festival’s encore concert is scheduled for March 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Lorne Watson Recital Hall.

For more information including the program for the rest of the festival visit https://brandonfestivalofthearts.ca/festival/

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