What you need to know about Kiwanis!

The annual Kiwanis Music Festival is happening April 11-28, 2023!

The deadline to register is December 21st at 11:59pm.

Registration and fee payment can be completed online here:

https://kiwanismusicfestivallondon.com/

What is the festival?

The Kiwanis Festival is an annual music competition which occurs in major cities across the country and is organized by the Kiwanis Service clubs in the area.

There are many festivals in Ontario, one of which occurs in London. Top performers in the competition are nominated to attend the Provincial round.

Lots of different instruments can participate in the festival plus ensembles! If you play in a school orchestra, you may have already participated with your classmates!

Why participate?

In addition to being a wonderful celebration of our student music community, the Kiwanis Festival provides an opportunity to receive feedback from professional musicians, gain experience performing, and potentially win trophies and/or prize money depending on the class.

Students can gain important skills from the Kiwanis Festival. Students will improve their performance abilities, managing nerves, and working towards a goal.

For students who intend to do an examination, this is a wonderful opportunity to perform a piece prior to the examination. The more performances you do, the better the result when it counts!

At Maple and Spruce, we encourage students to apply for August RCM Examinations because you will have 3 opportunities to perform before the examination date (Holiday Recital, Kiwanis, Spring Recital). This ensures that each piece can be performed in front of an audience prior to the exam.

The Kiwanis Festival is a "rite of passage" for many young musicians. Most professionals have performed in their local competitions when they were young and we love to share that experience with you!

Kiwanis Festival awards help build a young person's resume. It can improve their chances of getting into a post-secondary institution of their choice. In addition, prize money and larger scholarships can help fund lessons, instrument purchases, auditions, or even go towards post-secondary tuition.

As a teacher and performer, I encourage students to perform for the experience, the celebration of hard work, and the confidence that will come from it. NOT to win. Winning isn't the goal and comparing yourself to other players is not a healthy way to approach music making. However, hearing other players that you aspire to can be hugely motivating and inspiring!

There are both competitive and non-competitive classes! Students are encouraged to perform in any class they feel will be a good experience for them.

What does it cost to enter?

There are fees associated with each class. The fees increase with the difficulty level of the class.

Class fees for Suzuki Book 1-3 Non-Competitive, or for Level 1-7 range from $20 to $28.

Accompaniment is also required so please budget to pay your accompanist.

What do I need to prepare to play?

Each class gives a maximum amount of time (increasing with difficulty level) and an instruction to perform one to two selections.

For example, if you are currently performing repertoire in Level 2 RCM, you could enter the Level 2 Class and perform 1-2 pieces as long as it doesn't exceed 5 minutes.

Many of you could choose to perform a piece that you have prepared for the Holiday Recital. You are also welcome to prepare a new piece as long as you work hard! Students are encouraged to have their piece performance ready a minimum of 3 weeks prior to the competition.

Yes! I want to do it!

Talk to your primary teacher at your next lesson to discuss which piece(s) to play and to get their support in the application process. Be very careful to apply with the correct class number (found on the Kiwanis London website under Syllabus). Please also ensure that you book an accompanist as soon as possible and ensure you have adequate rehearsal time prior to the competition.

Nope! Not my thing!

No problem! We hope you make some time to go and see one of the classes to get an idea of what it's like and maybe you might want to try another year!

I want to do it but I cannot afford the entrance and accompaniment fees.

Talk to your primary teacher. Everyone at Maple and Spruce Music Academy is committed to looking for ways to fund these experiences for students who are hard working and want to participate. Whether we look for fundraising opportunities, a donor, or an opportunity for students to earn money, we can likely find a solution!