Fall 2022 Newsletter
Happy Fall! We’re a month into our 2022/2023 orchestra season, and enrollment is still growin ...
Every three years or so, our Singing Strings Orchestra celebrates its achievement of music excellence with an international concert tour. Singing Strings has been around the world over its history, performing in Taiwan, Cuba, Spain and many other exciting destinations. These are more than concerts, but a once in a lifetime educational experience that is the capstone of many years of dedication and hard work.
During Spring Break 2014, Singing Strings enjoyed performing on a 10 day concert tour of Europe. Our students travelled to Berlin, Prague and Vienna, the heart of strings music! They sampled the charms of central European cuisine, enjoyed the wonders of old world palaces, museums and cathedrals, and delighted audiences in some of Europe’s most historic venues under the baton of our esteemed Singing Strings Conductor, Petar Dundjerski.
Through casinos and other fundraising activities, the cost to students and chaperones is very affordable, much like everything else to do with Music Enrichment Program. But this can only be made possible with the dedicated work of volunteers like you to help participate on the Singing Strings Tour Committee, help fundraise or even travel as a volunteer chaperone. If you would like to help, please fill out the Volunteer Sign-Up form.
In a nutshell, that is what being a student with Music Enrichment Program is all about. All of our four orchestras and all of our group instructional classes have access every year to a rich variety of supplemental programs designed to enhance their music education. All instructional classes participate each year in the Kiwanis Music Festival, where they not only perform, but get expert advice from top-level strings musicians from Western Canada’s finest orchestras. Workshops and seminars are arranged each year for our orchestra students, sometimes combined with a weekend tour to Grande Prairie, Jasper, Banff and other Alberta favourites. These in-province tours are not all work. We always arrange evening social activities and plenty of chances to enjoy the exciting, “band camp” atmosphere. We have also held small-class seminars for jazz and swing music, and for specific instruments, like the cello seminar. Promotional tours by our strings orchestras in the local schools each May are often what has drawn many to join our Program. They catch the enthusiasm and the possibilities that music creates in our lives.
Our volunteers make these tours happen. Without them, no tour or any other event can occur. Particularly if you are a parent of a student in the Music Enrichment Program, we need you to volunteer this year for our Tour Committee. You can make a tremendous difference in the lives of young musicians with helping to plan these events. It is easier than you think. You can sign up on our volunteer page to volunteer today!
Students may register and join our orchestras for the 2018/19 season pending audition and approval by affected conductor.