Submitted by Susan Wolff, Shuswap Music Festival Society
Two young women swept the top awards at the 19th Annual Shuswap Music Festival.
Jenny Sunderland and Holly McCallum, winners of several awards including the Best of the Festival, thrilled the audience with their performances at the Gala Concert at Nexus on Friday, May 3.
Sunderland won Best of the Festival in Voice, as well as the Mary Fowler Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Classical Voice. She has been recommended to compete at the B.C. Performing Arts Festival in Chilliwack, May 26-30.
Holly McCallum is the first musician in the history of the Shuswap Music Festival to win two Best of the Festival awards—in Piano and in Strings. McCallum won eight awards in total including the Blair Bordon Memorial Scholarship and was one of four recipients of the Klein Family Award. This extraordinarily talented young woman has made music her life. She performs cello with the Okanagan Symphony Youth Orchestra as well as with other local musicians and is an accompanist for choirs.
Sunderland and McCallum have participated in the Shuswap Music Festival for many years on their journey to musical excellence. The festival’s concluding Gala Concert provides a taste of the musical talent developing in the Shuswap. This year Alina Polyakh, a Grade 3 piano student, delighted the audience as she performed her own award-winning original composition.
“So much talent in such a small region!” extolled Martin Ketteringham of the Rotary Club of Salmon Arm as he presented one of the many awards. Congratulations go to all participants.
The growth and development of young musicians and vocal artists is the focus of the festival. Success depends upon the youth themselves – dedication, hard work and hours of practice over the years, with the support of parents and music teachers. The expertise and professional guidance of the adjudicators brought from across Western Canada forms a cornerstone of the festival. A large contingent of volunteers makes it all possible. The Shuswap community of donors and sponsors financially supports the festival and provides the awards and scholarships that reward and encourage our young musicians.
Read more: Salmon Arm students hope to perform at national music festival
Read more: Kiwanis Music Festival
Read more: Third World brings reggae fusion infusion to Roots and Blues
Read more: Ruthie Foster brings her musical mastery to Roots and Blues
Read more: 2018 - South Shuswap music festival runs at Sorrento Centre
This year the awards totalled $6,805. Winners are listed on the festival website at www.shuswapfestival.com under the News/Events tab.
They are as follows:
VOCAL AND CHOIR AWARDS
GEORGINA LAZZAROTTO VOCAL SCHOLARSHIP –Presented by Lorne Lazzarotto to Étoile Brown, Devan Lansdowne, Afton Papworth
MARY FOWLER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP –Excellence in Classical Voice ~ Presented by Norma Jean Gomme to Jenny Sunderland
•
Rotary Club “Best of the Fest” in Voice: Jenny Sunderland—Presented by Sherry Gilroy, Rotary Club of Salmon Arm, Shuswap
Outstanding Junior Classical: Evje Knutson
Outstanding Intermediate Classical: Afton Papworth
Junior Musical Theatre: Evje Knutson
Intermediate Musical Theatre: Afton Papworth
Junior Ensemble: David Langridge & Evje Knutson
Choir Awards ~ Sponsored and Presented by Chrisi Davies & Denise Menzies, SASCU
Best Youth Choir: Bastion Choir;
Best Adult Choir: Vallee Harmony Choir;
Best Ensemble Choir: SAS Jackson Choir
PIANO AWARDS
Rotary Club “Best of the Fest” in Piano: Holly McCallum—Presented by Rob Hislop, Rotary Club of Salmon Arm, Daybreak
BCRMTA Shuswap Branch Awards ~ Presented by President BCRMTA, Jane Hein
Best Performance of a Canadian Piece Award: Junior: Josée Marie Ramsay; Senior: Stephen Moore & Teslyn Bates
Adjudicator’s Choice: Junior: Gideon Breugem Senior: Sarah Trentalance
Outstanding Junior: Venetia Trentalance
Outstanding Intermediate: Sophie Joerissen
Outstanding Senior: Henry Baker
Intermediate Concert Class: Sophie Joerissen
Senior Concert Class: Henry Baker
Junior Composition: Alina Polyakh
Piano Ensembles Awards Presented by Chris Papworth, Salmar Community Assoc.
Junior Duet: Beatrice Gagne & Emma Muddiman, Jonas Roberts & Evje Knutson
Intermediate Duet: Camille Hanry & Sophie Joerissen
Senior Duet: Matthew Neudorf & Jonathan Breugem
Advanced Senior Duet: Shiloh Jansen & Ashley Nicks, Teslyn Bates & Eva Mosher
Concerto Award: Shiloh Jansen
Intermediate 2 Pianos Ensemble Award: Joanna & Lois Osborn
Senior 2 Pianos 8 Hands Award: Matthew Neudorf, Jonathan Breugem, Jenna MacLean & Brynne Smith
Advanced Senior 2 Pianos Ensemble Award: Holly McCallum & Jessica Neudorf
Advanced Senior 2 Pianos 8 Hands Award: Teslyn Bates, Julianne Moore, Samantha & Hilary Vukadinovic
Quartet Award: Holly McCallum, Jessica Neudorf, Eva Mosher & Robyn de Wet
Graded Piano Scholarships
Grade 1: Norah Wooster
Grade 2: Sam He
Grade 3: Alina Polyakh
Grade 4: Kael Ukkonen
Grade 5: Brynne Smith
Grade 6: Robert McBain
Grade 7: Ava Stanley
Grade 8: Matthew Neudorf
Grade 9: Ashley Nicks
Grade 10: Teslyn Bates
ARCT: Jessica Neudorf
STRINGS AWARDS
Rotary Club “Best of the Fest” in Strings: Holly McCallum—Presented by Martin Ketteringham, Rotary Club of Salmon Arm
BCRMTA Shuswap Branch Awards ~ Presented by President BCRMTA, Jane Hein
Best Performance of a Canadian Piece: Akasha McCleary
Adjudicator’s Choice Award: Hannah Breugem
Outstanding Junior: Kade McChesney
Outstanding Senior: Libby Wyse
Concert Class: Holly McCallum
Senior Ensemble: Libby Wyse and Holly McCallum
Graded Strings Scholarships
Grade 1: Isabella Haak
Grade 2: Jack McChesney
• Grade 3: Zaela Thiessen
• Grade 4: Claire Weathermon
• Grade 5: Autumn Sunderland & Anya Massa
• Grade 6: Olivia Sunderland
• Grade 10: Madelyn Stoney
• BLAIR BORDEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP –Presented by Tracey Kutschker, Director/Curator, SA Arts Council to Holly McCallum
• KLEIN FAMILY AWARD—Presented by Dr. Melany Dyer, Shuswap Community Foundation to Teslyn Bates, Henry Baker, Holly McCallum & Libby Wyse
PROVINCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS—Announced by Dr. Melany Dyer, Shuswap Community Foundation
PIANO ~ Junior B Piano: Teslyn Bates (Competitor)
Intermediate Piano: Jessica Neudorf (Competitor), Henry Baker (Merited Participant)
Holly McCallum recommended in Kamloops festival for Intermediate Strings & Piano
STRINGS ~ Junior A Strings: Olivia Sunderland (Merited Participant)
Senior Strings: Libby Wyse (Competitor)
VOCAL ~ Junior Classical: Jonas Roberts (Competitor)
Intermediate Classical: Jenny Sunderland (Competitor)
Junior Musical Theatre: Evje Knutson (Competitor)
Intermediate Musical Theatre: Afton Papworth (Competitor), Jenna Romailler (Merited Participant)
CHOIRS ~ Bastion Choir, Vallee Harmony Choir, SAS Jackson Choir
The Shuswap Music Festival Society thanks its generous donors and sponsors and the many volunteers for their support of this annual event.
