Congratulations to Musaic Vocal Ensemble who have been invited to the International Choral Kathaumixw competition held in Powell River on the Sunshine Coast.
The International Choral Kathaumixw is a five day choral festival, held every other year, that is filled with concerts, common song singing, choral and vocal solo competitions, conductors’ seminars and social events.
The festival is a place where all can learn from each other and from world renowned choral personalities.
The idea of Kathaumixw was born because Don James, music director of the Powell River Academy of Music, wanted to establish an international choral festival in North America that would be on par with festivals he and the Academy Choirs had experienced in Europe.
The first festival, in 1984 had about 400 singers attend. Two years later the festival almost doubled in size and in 1988 it developed a definite international flavour.
Currently more than 1,200 singers from around the world gather at each festival to share their music, culture and friendship.
And this is in isolated Powell River on the Sunshine Coast, a town of approximately 13,000.
Imagine the economic impact of that festival. In Summerland the annual Good Will Shakespeare Festival draws approximately 400 students, teachers and parents to our community each spring.
The Kettle Valley Steam Railway is one of the major tourist draws in Summerland and this year its Christmas trains were completely sold out.
The Summerland Community Art Council’s Seasons Sparkles was much more successful this year than last.
Combine these with Light up the Vines and a myriad of other arts and cultural events and is it any wonder that the cultural sector is important to our economy and that of our area?
Did you know that arts and culture in British Columbia employ more than 87,000 British Columbians, including almost 26,000 artists?
In 2007, the creative sector GDP was estimated at $4 billion.
The arts are critical to the tourism strategies of towns and cities across B.C. Cultural festivals, performance, and institutions keep visitors coming back year after year and help support our local and provincial economies.
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If you know of an event you feel should be included in the Arts Palette or on the Arts Council’s online calendar, please email: artspalette@summerlandarts.com or call: 250-404-3225.
The SCAC online Event Calendar is on the “News” page of summerlandarts.com. Additional information can be found at www.facebook.com/SummerlandArts.
Keep up with current news by following @artspalette.
The Arts Palette is written by David Finnis, publicity chair and president of the Summerland Community Arts Council, P.O. Box 1217, 9533 Main Street, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0.