The Manitoba Band Association has played host to close to thousands of students from across the province for last week's launch of their Family of Festivals.
"This is our 50th Anniversary for our Family of Festivals," shares Executive Director, Brent Johnson, "and we kicked things off with the Concert Festival, which is the largest of our festivals. We're here at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg with music happening from about 9:30 in the morning all the way through till around 9 or 10 o'clock each night!"
The Concert Band Festival featured 122 school bands with students from Grades 6-12, numbering about 10,000 students.
"It is a whole lot of fun," adds Johnson. "There's a lot of music being made!"
The Band Festivals are both a competitive and non-competitive environment and is affiliated with MusicFest Canada. Band directors are encouraged to enter the Class that best suits their ensemble’s needs, regardless of grade level.
The Manitoba Band Association festivals are a tradition that dates back to 1976. Over the past 50 years, this Family of Festivals has grown to include the Concert Band Festival, Jazz Band Festival, Level One Festival in Winnipeg and Brandon, and the Community Band Festival.
"The nice thing about the festival experience is that students are coming, and yes they've worked hard and they're performing at their best, and they receive feedback from our team of amazing adjudicators, but they also get to hear their peers from other schools and other places from across the province who are making music in similar ways," explains Johnson.
"Quite often at that age, you don't get to hear many other bands like your own, and so that part of the experience is really an important one as well, and the community building that comes from that," he adds.
The public is welcome to attend with no admission fee, but by donation.
"So, you can come and hear these young students who've worked hard and are performing their hearts out for themselves and for their peers," invites Johnson. "We encourage folks to come out and revel in the music making."
Family of Festivals 2025:
Concert Band Festival: February 18 - 21, 2025 – RBC Convention Centre
Jazz Band Festival: February 27 - 28, 2025 – Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain