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Stettler music festival spotlights top talent

Music resounded during the 42nd annual Stettler and District Music Festival that wrapped up with the grand concert April 27 at Stettler Performing Arts Centre.

Music resounded during the 42nd annual Stettler and District Music Festival that wrapped up with the grand concert April 27 at Stettler Performing Arts Centre.

“The 12-day event was well-attended and we had many remarkable performances. It’s always such a treat to see such talent and variety each spring,” said Lorna Piché, the media secretary for the festival,

“Adjudicators are continually impressed with the high level of instruction and quality of talent in this area.”

“Teachers, performers, and the festival committee executive are already planning for next year. It’s never too early to ensure that things run smoothly and everyone’s prepared. That’s one of the things that keep the participants and audiences coming back each year to Stettler,” Piché said.

Top performers earning awards and provincial recommendations in various categories and age levels were in the spotlight during the grand concert.

Award winners performing at the grand concert were:

• The Gracenotes – “Popular” – musical theatre adjudicator’s choice and vocal highest mark.

• Alyssa Copan and Tori Canadine – “Tango” – piano adjudicator’s choice.

• Stettler Elementary School Show Choir – school chorus adjudicator’s choice.

• Rhonda McCulloch Danceology – “Congratulations” – dance highest mark. “Mama Mia” – adjudicator’s choice.

• Stettler Middle School Grade-8 band – “Barn Dance” – adjudicator’s choice.

• Marc Spady –“Jazz at the Bistro” and “Hard Rock Blues”- piano highest mark.

• Andrea Benoit – “Vergebliches Staendchen” – vocal adjudicator’s choice.

• Jessica Skaley and Pat Calllin – “If It Means a Lot to You” – dance adjudicator’s choice.

• Meghan LaRose – “How to Go About Laying an Egg” – speech adjudicators’ choice.

• Sara Munden and John Tempest – “A Stud and a Babe” – musical theatre hghest mark.

• Sarah Hutton – dance highest mark.

Several performers received provincial recommendations:

VOCAL

• Dacia Gramlick – 12-and-under (alternate Alexandra Brigley).

• Thecla Wiart – 16-and-under (alternate Jillian Schaffner and Jaycee Davidson).

• Andrea Benoit – senior.

• The Gracenotes – choral.

MUSICAL THEATRE

• Dacia Gramlick – 12-and-under (alternate Jessi Robinson).

• Sonya Marquart – 16-and-under ballad (alternate Erin Chase).

• Carly Armstrong – 16-and-under up-tempo (alternate Jaycee Davidson).

• Andrea Benoit – senior ballad (alternate Sara Munden).

• Sara Munden – senior up-tempo (alternate Andrea Benoit).

SPEECH

• Kianna Taylor – 12-and-under.

• Meghan LaRose – 16-and-under (alternate Jenny Taylor).

• Stettler Elementary School Grade 2DB/2AH – choral speech grades 1 to 3.

PIANO

• Tori Canadine – grades 5 and 6 (alternate Thecla Wiart).

• Tanya Nguyen – grades 7 and 8 (alternate Andrea Benoit).

Over 800 entries and more than 2,000 performers took to the stage at the festival from April 15 to 25 in a variety of disciplines such as vocal, piano, band, speech arts, music theatre, dance and school chorus

Performers traveled from Stetter, Erskine, Big Valley, Botha, Donalda, Gadsby, Halkirk, Castor, Consort, Coronation, Delburne, Hanna, Bowden, Three Hills, Innisfail and Wimborne.