The Moose Jaw Music Festival begins today, Wednesday March 15, with the Choral Performances section at Zion United Church at 7 p.m.
The General Festival, with categories including Vocal, Musical Theatre, Spoken Word, Piano, Strings, and Band is scheduled for Saturday, March 25 through Thursday, March 30.
The last day of the General Festival on March 30 will see a major scholarship competition being held at Zion United at 7 p.m.
The Final Awards Concert of the Moose Jaw Music Festival will take place Sunday, April 2 at 2 p.m., also at Zion United Church.
The full schedule is available on the Music Festival website at events.solarislive.com/Moose-Jaw-Music-Festival. Updates are also frequently posted on the Moose Jaw Music Festival Facebook page at facebook.com/moosejawmusicfestival/.
All performances are open to the public. Admission to Moose Jaw Music Festivals is by donation. The festival asks that patrons respect accepted etiquette by coming and going only between performances to avoid distracting the performers.
Attendees should note that that festival operates in accordance with the Rules & Regulations of the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association (SMFA). Due to SMFA rules and general copyright laws, all forms of audio and video recording are strictly prohibited.
Organizers were thrilled to announce that 2023's Music Festival is a fully live event, although they admit that holding live events require a large volunteer commitment that hasn't always worked out.
The Festival website notes that "Previous live events have been cancelled due to low volunteer commitment," and admonishes potential volunteers not to let that happen again. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Festival at [email protected].
Registration has now closed for 2023. All competition classes have been fully scheduled and performers are now working on the final touches for their concerts.
Although major events are being held at Zion United, other venues will see some action too, including Peacock Centennial Auditorium and the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery's Performing Arts Theatre.
The festival website FAQ section notes that teachers, performers and parents are expected to read the General Competition Regulations in the current syllabus at smfa.ca/syllabus-regulations/.
