Festival History

 

The history of the Music Festival dates back to 1958 when two local music teachers decided to create a performance experience for local music students. Like many festivals of the day, there was an adjudication of each participant allowing for feedback on their growth throughout the year. Many components of that Festival continue today.  We engage adjudicators who provide feedback with an age appropriate focus.  Our Festival Board is still composed of volunteers and all funds are donated by businesses and individual donors from the community, in order to create the event. We now invite school classrooms, and some adult music groups to participate, and the range of musical categories has been greatly expanded. Our mission, however, has not changed.
 

Mission Statement

 

The Fort Saskatchewan Music Festival fosters connection in our community through performing arts. We provide an annual festival to celebrate and encourage emerging talents, where performers are provided with constructive feedback on a professional level.  We are a supportive and inclusive platform that nurtures developing artists.

 

Vision Statement

 

We will create timeless experiences and a more caring and vibrant community by elevating and uniting talents in the performing arts.  We strive to nurture and connect local talents by exposing local amateur performers to their local arts community.  The environment of the Fort Saskatchewan Music Festival will continue to expose a range of diverse performers in a safe and inclusive environment, fostering a joy for music and increasing self confidence that only comes from preparing and performing for an audience. 

Being a part of the Alberta Music Festival Association provides opportunity for growth and opportunities for performers to explore further competitive options in their musical performance progression.

 

Operations

 

The Fort Saskatchewan Music Festival provides an organized, annual, in-person, amateur music festival which is scheduled according to each discipline, class and performer's ability.  Each performance is adjudicated by a hired professional who will give constructive feedback both written and orally on each performance.  This allows these performers an opportunity to improve and accomplish goals of preparing and performing in a semi professional atmosphere.  Our music festival is very encouraging and focused on growth and development on every skill level.

 

We support growth through offering scholarships and bursaries to top marks in each discipline.

Students and groups who achieve top standing for their musical or artistic performance are asked to perform and or accept their award at our GALA.

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We are a part of the Alberta Music Festival Association www.albertamusicfestival.org but also provide local syllabus classes to support all types of local performances.

 

Operational Board/Committee Positions are: 

• Committee Chair

• Secretary 

• Treasurer 

• Festival Week Administrator

• Community Financial Liaison 

• Adjudicator Liaison

• Marketing and Communications Director

• Registration Coordinator

 

We also support other roles outside of the executive, including:

• Members at large

• Volunteers for festival week

• Gala Coordinator 

• Alberta Music Festival Liaison

 

We function solely with volunteers from the community.  

 

Community Financial Liaison

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We are a not-for-profit organization, which means that all the funds received are used for the further development of the Fort Saskatchewan Music Festival.  We actively request grants and donations from our community to fund the music festival in various ways.   This includes providing scholarships, bursaries and awards to festival participants, hiring appropriate professional adjudicators, promoting the event, and paying facility costs associated with booking for a week-long festival in the city.  

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