'Tis the season to spread warmth and good cheer through the joy of music which also means 'tis the season to look forward to another Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival. The festival itself may still be a few months off but registration is just around the corner and also is a little earlier than usual. The deadline for entries this year is Saturday, Jan. 14. Entries may be delivered in person at the North Battleford City Kinsmen Band Hall from 1 to 4 p.m. on that date or mailed in time for the deadline to Box 1301, North Battleford, S9A 3L8. New for this year, we will be accepting late entries until Jan. 20, with a monetary penalty of $25 per participant.
Fees and program costs will be increasing slightly as our costs have inched their way up to the point where we have no choice but to adjust accordingly. Fees for solos, duets, and trios will increase by $1 making the new fee per entry $13. Other entry categories will remain the same and we continue to encourage multiple entries by offering the family rate of a 50 per cent discount after 10 solo entries by a given individual participant. The printed programs will increase to $7 and we are again running the program cover drawing contest. Children and youth, from the Battlefords area, are invited to submit original ideas for considered use as the cover. Artwork should reflect musical themes and be presented on 8 by 11 paper. The deadline is Jan. 23. Entries may be submitted at the Band Hall on festival registration day or given to Kelly Waters at St. Vital School or Agi McQuaid at EMBM. Selected pieces of artwork that were not chosen for the cover, may also be featured inside the program.
Registration forms for the 2012 Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival are now available at Sobeys and the current provincial syllabus may be accessed on line. The current schedule for music disciplines is: Speech Arts March 8 - 10, March 9, Piano March 10, Voice March 13 - 18, Band March 19 - 21, Gala March 23.
Meanwhile, enjoy the musical talent being showcased all around the Battlefords during this holiday season from the annual Battlefords Children Choirs concert to the carol festival's support of The Empty Stocking Fund to all the marvelous school presentations. Appreciate the time, effort, talent, and artistry of our local students and teachers. Anticipate seeing many of them featured down the road at the 2012 Battlefords Music Festival!
