The Quesnel Festival of the Performing Arts includes piano, voice, dance and speech arts. This year’s festival is March and April, 2012.
Speech arts consist of genres such as reciting poetry, prose (part of a story), acting out dramatic monologues (part of a play), story telling and sight reading either as solo performers or as a group of two or more.
This is a great opportunity for young people (up to the age of 28) to perform on stage in a variety of ways in an encouraging, supportive environment while being evaluated by excellent adjudicators.
At the local level, a performer may choose to enter one or more classes. But for some, the bug of competition may bite and they aspire to be chosen to represent Quesnel at the provincial level. To qualify, one must enter with a lyric or narrative poem, a prose and a dramatic monologue.
Such was the case for Lee Verge who qualified to represent Quesnel in the junior speech arts in Kamloops for 2011. She qualified in 2010 as an observer (chosen to go to the provincials to observe the provincial performers without competing) and then decided to “see if I could do well enough to go as a competitor.”
Tessa Couldwell, who was chosen to compete in 2010 as a junior and as an intermediate in 2011, says she was encouraged by her teacher to “consider qualifying for the provincials” and she couldn’t wait to be old enough to do so. Tessa and Lee have both entered in the local festival each year since they were very young.
The adjudicators give professional, supportive critiques to each entrant to help them improve. This year the adjudicator, Jonathon Love, will be giving workshops as well.
So whether you enjoy getting up on stage to perform at the local level just for fun and the wonderful experience or have aspirations to go to the next level it can be a lot of fun for all involved.
To enter, pick up a syllabus from Quesnel Music on Reid Street or download from www.qfpa.org. The deadline to enter is January 17, 2012.
For further information contact Trish Simpson 747-2711 or Jody Verge dmverge@hughes.net.