ALEXANDRIA, Ontario – Many talented young musicians performed in front of a packed crowd at the Alexandria United Church on the Hill on Sunday, March 31 as part of the 12th annual Musical Celebration Musicale.
With just shy of 30 acts, the afternoon saw a variety of entertainment, including solo ballads, duets, trios, choirs, piano, fiddle and cello performances. The acts ranged from somber tunes to theme songs and uplifting tracks, performed in various languages by young adults. Tickets into the show cost $10 for attendees aged 12 and up, and all proceeds go towards funding musicians scholarships. Each performer received a sponsorship, donated by a number of local businesses and families.
“We are in our twelfth year, and it’s always around this time of year (we host)…it’s for piano, voice, strings, groups, choirs and it’s for all of the region,” explained Gabrielle Campbell, event organizer. “We even get some people from Ottawa come down…they compete, they get prizes. We have adjudicators that come down from Montreal and Ottawa and they give (performers) some tips on how to play better.”
Campbell explained that as the program is a part of the Ontario Musical Festivals Association, students from Grade 6 and up an compete at provincial level. A judge may pick up to two individuals per level to compete against the best in the province.
“We have 10 (students) that were chosen this year, so they will get to move on to St. Catherine’s where they can compete,” said Campbell.
Campbell believes the annual event is not only entertaining and a positive experience for the audience, it is also beneficial to the performers.
“I find all of the kids come out of here motivated and encouraged, so I find it’s a very uplifting experience,” said Campbell.
