Six young local performers are off to the 2024 Performing Arts BC Festival in Fort St. John this June.
To support their efforts, a fundraising concert is planned for April 19 at Knox United Church in Parksville, according to a news release.
Each of these performers, aged 10 to 17, competed at the Mid Island Music Festival in Nanaimo in early March. After winning their categories at the music festival, the adjudicator picked a select group of performers who would be competing at the provincial level.
If they do well at the provincial level, they will have a chance to compete in the Canada West Performing Arts Festival in Victoria July 25 to 27.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for them,” said Lindsey Tromba of Songbird Voice Studio in Qualicum Beach, in the release. “To have one or two local performers be selected to compete at the provincial level is pretty incredible — and this year we have six local children from Oceanside who will be there.”
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Off to the provincial event are Joey Scoffings, 10, from Qualicum Beach; Jenna Friesen, 13, from Qualicum Beach; Lavender Medd, 13, from Qualicum Beach; Eva Simpson, 14, from Qualicum Beach; Lyra Sales, 16, from Qualicum Beach; and James Miguel, 17, from Parksville.
The concert program will showcase a variety of singing repertoire from classical to musical theatre, as well as speech arts performances. The group is fundraising to help cover the cost of travel to Fort St. John, meals and accommodations, as well as festival fees.
Simpson and Medd study under the direction of Tromba. Sales and Miguel study with Patricia Plumley in Nanoose Bay; and the two speech arts performers, Scoffings and Friesen, study with Jennifer Kelly in Qualicum Beach.
The concert starts at 7 p.m. and admission will be by donation. Knox United Church is located at 345 Pym St. in Parksville.
The Performing Arts BC Festival is scheduled for June 2 to June 6.
— NEWS Staff