The Airdrie Rotary Festival of Performing Arts was unanimously voted a part of the Alberta Provincial Music Festival Association (APMFA), May 27.
The decision, made during the APMFA’s annual general meeting in Edmonton, will allow the fledgling festival to send future participants to the Provincial competition.
“We are very excited,” said Nadine Low, president of the Airdrie festival board. “The festival was really, really successful.”
The inaugural Airdrie Rotary Festival of Performing Arts, which ran from April 23 to 27, had 607 participants in 221 entries. This year, the festival featured choirs, pianists and singers from Airdrie and surrounding areas. Organizers are hoping to add more disciplines in the future.
Four adjudicators judged participants and gave favourable comments about the festival.
“We had comments that there was great talent in Airdrie,” said Low. “(One adjudicator) said ‘you would have never known this was your first year.’”
About five years ago, the provincial festival board approached Airdrie teachers about starting a festival, according to Low.
“They wanted us to be a part of this,” she said. “Based on attendance of Airdrie (performers) at the Calgary and Olds festivals, they saw the need.”
According to Low, this year four Airdronians were given provincial recommends at the Olds and District Kiwanis Music Festival and competed at Provincials.
In 2011, there were eight Airdrie performers that went to Provincials.
“We obviously have enough of a musical community to support something like this,” said Low.
Response to the five-day festival was outstanding with many local sponsors stepping forward, said Low.
According to Low, the festival had 42 volunteers and 1,150 spectators during classes and its final showcase event.
It also operated in the black, a necessity for being accepted by the provincial organization.
“We were pleased with that,” said Low.
