The adjudications are not over yet as WGSS’s music department is back out of school to go to yet ANOTHER festival. This time, our school’s vocal jazz ensemble, concert bands and jazz bands went to the Kiwanis Fraser Valley Music Festival at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
Using what they have learned from regular practices at school and also the comments that were given at the Cantando Festival, pieces were performed and songs were sung in front of adjudicators with the hopes of bringing back a bronze, silver or gold award. After doing really well at the Cantando Festival, everyone was hoping for similar results.
Unlike the Cantando Festival, however, the Kiwanis Festival consists solely of adjudications. So even though there weren’t any performances or guest bands/choirs to watch, this gave our music groups some time to really focus on what they were playing as they were only there for their performance and adjudication.
“I like how we got to have interactive feedback for improvements at the festival” Jim Wei, Intermediate Concert Band
But these kinds of festivals are great experiences for choir members and band members alike because they not only get to see how well they did in front of esteemed professionals but the adjudicators also come down and have clinics with the groups to help them improve.
WGSS was once again successful at the Kiwanis Festival as all the bands groups got a silver rating and the vocal jazz got gold. The vocal jazz ensemble was also awarded the prize of “Most Promising Vocal Jazz Group” which comes with a trophy and a cash prize of $250. Although it wasn’t as big of an event as Whistler, it was still great a great opportunity to see the band and choir improve through performances and adjudications. All that’s left is the final concerts, no adjudications but a final performance for our school’s music groups!
