With sadness and regret, the Kiwanis Music Festival committee must inform you that the 2020 music festival is cancelled due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. The Saskatchewan Music Festival Association has advised all district festivals to cancel all of their events. Our local committee has agreed with this recommendation. We are hoping that this proactive response to the spread of COVID-19 will help all of us get through this difficult time more quickly, and with less people getting ill. Due to the uncertainty of timelines, SMFA rescheduling of 2020 festivals will not be possible. With the cancellation of the majority of our district festivals, the SMFA board of directors also made the decision to cancel the 2020 provincial finals.
Many thanks to all the teachers who have worked hard to bring the joy of artistic expression to their students through bands, choir, speech arts, strings, piano, voice and dance. All of this learning will have a truly positive long-term effect. Also, thanks to the festival committee for their ongoing kind support, many hours of work and intelligent contributions to all of our undertakings. Even though we are not printing a program, congratulations to the winner of the cover contest, Beth Walls,
Our local committee is dreaming of celebratory concerts of all of the music that has been prepared for festival performances, once the threat of COVID-19 has passed. We are fiercely optimistic, and we will let you know when we think it is time to make a plan. While students are away from the routine and learning that happens at school, we hope each one of them finds relief and comfort in their music making.
We thank all those who were preparing to help or perform in the festival — volunteers, sponsors, donors, entrants, teachers and accompanists. Looking forward, the 2021 festival dates are April 18 to 29.
“Why not just live in the moment, especially if it has a good beat?” – Goldy Hawn
