By Rob Saunders
The Huntsville Festival of the Arts is celebrating its 10th year of providing scholarships for budding performing arts students.
This year up to $2,500 is available from the festival.
Rob Saunders, Hunstville Festival of the Arts general manager
In recent years the Huntsville Community Choir has offered vocal scholarships and the festival has worked with the group by directing vocal applicants to apply for a community choir award.
The Huntsville Festival of the Arts scholarship program began in 1997 with just a senior scholarship in the amount of $2,000. In that first year, there were 10 applicants and the scholarship was subsequently awarded to Brigitte Reid on piano. Reid continued her studies and currently teaches music in France.
In 1998 the scholarship attracted 14 applicants and two co-winners, then in 2000 a junior scholarship of $500 was introduced. The inaugural junior winner was Maxime Riviere-Anderson in dance. At the same time the senior award was adjusted to $1,500.
In 2001, the festival presented its first Scholarship Tribute Evening as part of its regular summer programming. The show featured current and past scholarship winners and applicants. Two years later in 2003 they again presented an all-student evening titled Rising Stars, which was repeated with a scholarship evening last summer.
Also in 2003, the festival featured scholarship students in its Music at Noon concert series. Seven of the 10 noon concerts had scholarship applicants as featured artists.
In 2006 another $500 was added to the scholarship pool with the introduction of an intermediate category for 14 to 16-year-olds.
Various scholarship winners over the years have gone on to pursue careers in the arts. Bassist Jamie Bestwick plays in various ensembles and in musical theatre throughout the province, and often plays in and around the Huntsville area. Drummer Dan Neil plays professionally for jazz and rock combos, while performing artist Jack Bevington is enrolled in One Yellow Rabbit theatre company.
Vocalist Bridget Mantha, who is continuing her musical education, has sung for the Larks, a local musical group, and in numerous musical presentations in the area.
Jennifer Taylor graduated with a music degree from McMaster University and then went on to get her masters. She is now teaching musical theory.
Over the years in excess of $20,000 has been awarded in festival scholarships, making a significant contribution to the development of upcoming artists in our community. This combined with the performance opportunities that the festival offers has created an opportunity for young artists to build on the quality instruction and teaching they have received through the high school and private instructors.
Meanwhile students who live in the Huntsville/Lake of Bays area or are currently at post-secondary institutions pursuing studies in dance, theatre, and music can apply for a 2007 Huntsville Festival of the Arts award.
The junior scholarship of up to $500 is available to applicants 13 years of age and under as of December 31, 2006. The intermediate scholarship, also an award up to $500, is available to students 16 years of age and under as of December 31, 2006, and the senior scholarship totalling $1,500 is available to students 17 years of age or older as of the same date.
Applications for both scholarships may be picked up from the Huntsville High School guidance department, music department or at the Huntsville Forester office at 11 Main St. W., across the road from the post office.
Applications are to be completed and mailed back to the festival office at P.O. Box 5465, Huntsville P1H 2K8 by May 11. For further information call 788-2787 or 789-3175.
