After inspiring piano students from Castor to Stettler and beyond for more than 40 years, piano teacher Veronica Weber of Castor was honoured with the Stettler Music Award of Excellence on Tuesday night.
“She is an extraordinary artist, pianist, accompanist, teacher, and community volunteer,” said Rhonda Sylvester, the vice-president of Stettler and District Music Festival Society.
Each year, the group presents the award at the grand concert that concludes the Stettler music festival.
Surprised when her name was called, Weber said she was grateful to receive such distinction.
“I feel endeared to the community of Stettler,” Weber said.
“It’s like a home away from home.”
Music has been a big part of Weber’s life from the time she grew up in Castor.
“Family and school always fostered an appreciation for music,” said Weber, who travelled to Eisenstaadt, Austria, for a piano workshop last year.
“I truly love opportunities to encourage and teach young people and bring out the best in them.”
As a student at the University of Alberta, Weber was under the tutelage of renowned music teacher Sandra Munn.
“I firmly believe that music is a part of everyone, and it’s a universal form of communication,” Weber said.
She was described as a “person who has played an enthusiastic role not only in our own community of Stettler, but in several surrounding communities,” Sylvester said.
Since she began teaching piano in 1976, Weber has expanded her repertoire of students in Castor, Stettler, Alliance, Coronation, Forestburg and Consort.
“With Veronica’s direction and leadership, these students have strongly integrated themselves in their communities by performing at seniors’ lodges, extended-care facilities, local churches, studio recitals and music festivals,” said Sylvester, who also nominated Weber.
Weber began teaching piano and theory in local schools in the early 1980s and continues to teach in the Castor schools of Gus Wetter and Theresetta Catholic, along with Coronation School.
In her home community, Weber serves as pianist at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and has been active with Castor Little Theatre for 31 years as the designer of posters and playbills.
She has also been a pianist for live theatre in Stettler for Heartland Arts Troupe Society productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Fiddler on the Roof, Music Men, My Fair Lady, Cinderella, Pets, and Nunsense 1 and 2.
Beyond the Castor-area communities, Weber has served as adjudicator in Hanna and Three Hills and at the provincial musical festival. She’s also a member of the Alberta Piano Teachers’ Association.
Despite her busy life, Weber also finds time to spend with her husband, Walter, children Corwin, Nigel and Angelina, and two young grandchildren.
Angelina Weber has also excelled musically through her studies at McGill University in Montreal, where she’s pursuing her master’s degree in music.
She graduated from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., with distinction in violin performance.