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| Marku Wainman Photo by Marie Creswell |
The Rotary Burlington Music Festival wrapped up on November 24 with the Grand Festival Concert at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Once again the volunteer spirit and community engagement of the Rotary Burlington membership has triumphed. For the fourteenth year young musicians of Burlington and surrounding regions have been able to gain performance experience, recognition and enjoyment under the guidance of the area’s best professional adjudicators.
The Grand Festival Concert was a showcase of the very best talent from the 600 children who participated in the two-week festival. During the festival, $12500 in scholarship money was awarded, and an additional $4000 was awarded at the Grand Festival Concert. Adjudicators Gail Hakala and Maria Case selected the winners of the top prizes based on the night’s performances. Each of the evening’s performers had done exceedingly well during their festival events, making the level of performance truly exceptional.
The following major prizes were awarded:
- The Irish Family Memorial Scholarship for the Most Promising Overall Student, in the amounts of $1250 and $750
- The Robert E. Elstone Scholarship in the amount of $600
- Most Promising Young Performer Award in the amounts of $500 and $200
Guitarist Marku Wainman won the Most Promising Overall Student award for his moving rendition of Johann Kaspar Mertz’s “Elegy.” Wainman demonstrated exceptional expressive control and his emotional focus held the audience’s rapt attention. Wainman received the Most Outstanding Performer award for Senior Guitar and a recommendation to the provincial open class competition. In addition, he placed first in the Provincials competition held last May in Peterborough.
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| Jeremy Hucal Photo by Marie Creswell |
Pianist Jeremy Hucal was the runner up for Most Promising Overall Student. Hucal received the Most Outstanding Performer award in Senior Piano, and a Festival Gala Scholarship. Hucal capably performed Larysa Kuzmenko’s “In Memoriam: For the Victims of Chernobyl.” The delicate theme reminded the listener of a faint glimmer of hope against sounds of chaos and despair. Hucal received a recommendation to the 2013 Provincial festival at the Associate level.
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| Annie DrysdalePhoto by Marie Creswell |
Vocalist Annie Drysdale won the Robert E. Elstone Scholarship for her Music Theatre selection of Marek Normans’s “Let the Night Begin.” The hauntingly beautiful and challenging selection was from the Stratford smash and Gemini-winning Dracula: A Chamber Musical. Drysdale sang with precision and elegance. This was an excellent choice of repertoire for someone of her age and ability. Her focus and communication were exceptional. Drysdale also won a Festival Most Outstanding Performer award in the Intermediate Music Theatre category, an Intermediate Scholarship, and provincial recommendations for Grade 7 Voice and Intermediate Music Theatre. She also won First Place for Music Theatre Junior level and Second Place Voice award, grade 7 level at the 2012 Provincial competition.
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| Julia Pulo with Linda Fletcher accompanying Photo by Marie Creswell |
Julia Pulo’s song, Eric H. Thiman’s “Path to the Moon,” and Sophie Petrushkina’s piano piece, Boris Berlin’s “Monkeys in the Tree,” earned them the Most Promising Young Performer awards. Pulo was the winner and Petrushkina was the runner up. It was refreshing to see these bright, capable young musicians fully engaged and animated as they performed. Their communication was exceptional.
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| Sophie Petrushkina Photo by Marie Creswell |
Glenn Mallory hosted the evening and kept the tone friendly and relaxed. Accompanists were Linda Fletcher, Dr. Joan Heels, Ian Green, Anthony Scaringi, Tom King, and Jean Keenlyside.
The Rotary Burlington Music Festival is funded by the generous donations of people and organizations. Local music festivals such as the Rotary Burlington Music Festival are an ideal way for supporters of local music and music education to put their money directly into the hands of the musicians and their families, through the many scholarships that are awarded. Festivals like this also give music students valuable experience at performing for medium and large audiences.
I’ll be looking forward to next year’s festival with anticipation.
The Festival is being broadcast on Burlington Cable Television, Cogeco at the following times:
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