Up to 6,000 band students from as far as Manitoba will gather at Red Deer Polytechnic next week to hone their musical skills.
For the 45th year, the Alberta Band Association Provincial Festival of Bands will take place at RDP from May 13-16 and May 21-24.
And Red Deer-area residents are invited to attend the free festival and hear the bands in action. Performances will be held from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. each day of the festival on the RDP Main stage in the Arts Centre.
Nathan Oulette, executive-director of the Alberta Band Association, is thrilled with the breadth of participation in this year's festival. He believes it speaks to the event's reputation that students from Grades 6 to 12 are coming from as far as Selkirk, Man. and Saskatoon — as well as For McMurray and Lethbridge, to improve their skills and make connections with other youths who are passionate about music and the arts.
The festival offers participants eight days of performances, clinics and sight-reading activities. Students and directors from about 150 different bands will get tips on improving their musicianship from adjudicators, educators and clinicians.
This year's experts — who will also be judging the festival — hail from Winnipeg, Vancouver and as far as Malaysia, said Ouelette.