THE BATTLEFORDS — The piano adjudicator for this year’s Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival, Maria Medlow, is originally from Argentina. Medlow grew up playing the violin and piano. Upon moving to Canada, she was accepted at the Senior Academy at Mount Royal Conservatory and studied with prominent teachers including Lise Elson, Cenek Vbra and John Lowry. She completed her ARCT certification in both violin and piano and moved to complete her music performance studies at the University of Calgary under the direction of Edmond Agopian. Medlow is currently an active member of the Calgary Musicians Association and is also the registration chair for the Cochrane Youth Talent Festival and is a member of the board of directors for the Alberta Music Education Foundation.
Medlow has performed and recorded solo and chamber concerts with members of the Calgary Opera, Calgary Cowtown Opera, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Red Deer Symphony, Metropolitan Opera of New York, Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, Cirque De Soleil and played alongside Michael Buble for his 2014 Canada Tour. She was invited to record for the Canadian Country Music Awards and was featured in the CBC television special for the CCMA awards. She runs a thriving private studio in Calgary. Her students have been finalists in the Canadian Music Competition, placed in provincials at the Kiwanis Music Festival, and won medals and scholarships for RCM exams. She has prepared her students for successful admission to classical string programs throughout North America. Medlow continues her active role as a teacher, adjudicator and performer hosting and playing numerous concerts and fundraisers in support of different charities. She resides in Calgary with her husband and six-year-old son Lucas
For local budding visual artists, the festival committee welcomes youth 18 years old and younger in the Battlefords area to enter the annual musical image drawing contest. Selected pieces will be featured in the festival program and in the festival venues. One entry will be chosen as the winner with the artist being recognized. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 26. Submissions are to be directed to Battleford Central School attn: Lindsay Charabin 252-23rd St. (Box 400) Battleford, S0M 0E0. Though any music theme is considered, the committee is encouraging the theme this year of “Music Lifts Us Up.” Artwork submitted should be on letter-size white paper.
The festival committee is offering live streaming for festival sessions again this year. Students invited to perform at the final gala and awards ceremony will again have the opportunity to bring their talent to the world class stage at the Dekker Centre.
The 2023 Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival is scheduled to run from March 13 to 25. Strings performances will run in the morning of March 13th at the Kinsmen Band Hall. Band entries will begin in the afternoon of March13 running through March 17 using the Kinsmen Band Hall and the North Battleford Comprehensive High School Lecture Theatre as performance venues. The morning of March 20 features speech arts entries in Logie Hall of Third Avenue United Church. Vocal solos and choirs will take place starting in the afternoon of March 20 continuing through March 22 using the sanctuary and Logie Hall of Third Ave United Church. Winding up the festival are piano classes from March 23to 25 also using the sanctuary and Logie Hall of Third Ave United Church.
“I tend to like the traditional sound: three-part harmonies, guitar and piano. I mean, a well-played guitar is a joy forever ... or something.” - Christine McVie (1943-2022), best known as keyboardist and one of the vocalists of Fleetwood Mac
