Were you ever inspired to learn an instrument, to take voice lessons or join a choir? Attendance at a live concert or participation in an adjudicated festival can be the spark that lights a lifetime of music enjoyment.
鈥淚nspirations鈥� is an annual concert Veronica McPhee initiated several years ago to show potential festival students that many local adults who participated in similar adjudicated festivals continue to keep music in their lives. It鈥檚 also a fundraiser for the local Howe Sound Music Festival.
鈥淚nspirations鈥� features local musicians and teachers: Melissa Braun, Barb Cook, Paula Donville, Andrew Haringer, Yuko Iwanaga, Kayla Matzen, Veronica McPhee, Kristine Miles, Erik Musseau, Kevin Olafsson, Tatumn Page, Jocelyn Pettit Band, Sydney Sproul, Emma Wong 鈥� and there will be a surprise visitor to open the event.
The annual concert supports the work of the Howe Sound Music Festival, now in its 12th year serving the Sea to Sky corridor. Founded in 2001 by Colleen Koop, under the banner of the Howe Sound Performing Arts Association, the 鈥渢orch鈥� was passed in 2008, after a two-year break, to Veronica McPhee and now in 2015 to Hayley Read, the current executive director. Last year, 128 students participated in more than 200 classes and several were invited to compete at the provincial level.
鈥淚nspirations鈥� 鈥� a variety concert of piano, voice, flute and fiddle selections 鈥� takes place this Sunday, Feb. 15, 2 p.m. at St. John the Divine Anglican Church, 1930 Diamond Road in the Garibaldi Estates. Admission is by donation. For more information, visit www.howesoundarts.org.
Editor鈥檚 note: This article was submitted by Joanna Schwarz, president of Howe Sound Performing Arts Association.
