A student recital was held on Sunday, Nov. 24 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Penticton to conclude the celebrations of Canada Music Week.
Canada Music Week is celebrated from Nov. 18 to 24 across Canada.
This recital tries to promote music composed by Canadian composers.
Each of the 15 member music teachers chooses students to perform. This year’s recital had music performed by piano and voice students. There were also two original and fascinating compositions performed by student composers, Matthew Thomas and Wynn Nordlund.
There was an appreciative audience of around 120 people present to enjoy the music performed by all of these young students. Everyone was treated to refreshments after the recital and awards presentation.
The following is a list of the awards and scholarships presented. The students’ marks and the location of their music teacher are listed as well.
Grade 1: First Nicola Thompson, piano 83, Kaleden; second Logan Dougherty, piano 82, Kaleden.
Grade 2: First Kate Piche, piano 93, Summerland; second Jacob Weaver, piano 85, Penticton; second Kendra Leinor, piano 85, Osoyoos
Grade 3: First Nathanial Klassen, violin 88, Penticton.
Grade 4: First Cole Piche, piano 89, Summerland; second Arianna Lainsky, violin 88, Penticton.
Grade 5: First Lara Moshaver, voice 85, Penticton; second Tamatea Westby, piano 82, Penticton.
Grade 6: First Natalia Ibanez-Richer, piano 85, Osoyoos.
Grade 7: First Sacha Perry-Fagant, voice 85, Summerland; second Carleigh Dean, voice 81, Penticton.
Grade 8: First Teighan Litke, voice 83, Penticton, IODE Diamond Jubilee Scholarship.
Grade 9: First Evelyn Krieger, piano 86, Summerland, IODE Diamond Jubilee Scholarship.
Grade 10: Saige Carlson, voice 86, Penticton; second Mattthew Thomas, piano 85, Oliver.
Theory: First Jasper Meiklejohn, Advanced Harmony 88, Osoyoos.
Mme. Janisch Music Excellence Award: Jasper Meiklejohn, Penticton; Matthew Thomas, Oliver.
Certificates for Practical Exams, 80 per cent and above:
Grade 1: Lindsay Spear, piano 81, Penticton.
Grade 4: Kieran Noseworthy, piano 87, Summerland.
Grade 5: Jaedyn Foley, piano 80, Summerland
Grade 9: Madeleine Everton, piano 80, Summerland.
Certificates for Rudiments Theory, 90 per cent and above:
Evelyn Krieger, 97 Advanced Rudiments RCM, Summerland.
Anne Lu, 99, Advanced Rudiments RCM, Kaleden.
Madeleine Everton, 98, Advanced Rudiments RCM, Summerland.
Sacha Perry-Fagant, 96, Advanced Rudiments RCM, Summerland.
Natalia Ibanez-Richer, 96, Grade 2 Theory Conservatory Canada, Osoyoos/
A plaque and scholarship for Excellence in Music in Memory of Madame Janisch was presented to Matthew Thomas of Oliver and Jasper Meiklejohn of Penticton.
This award recognizes excellence in their music studies and also a commitment to sharing their musical talents with the community.
Matthew Thomas has recently passed the Grade 10 piano exam with first class honours and is currently taking voice preparing for the Grade 8 exam. He plays and teaches guitar.
For the past seven years he has played weekly on his church worship team and is now its music director.
He has mentored several young people in their development on piano, keyboard and guitar.
Thomas enjoys performance and has played regularly for some years in local care homes, the Penticton Kiwanis Music Festival, and a variety of recitals for the Oliver Arts Council as well as RMT recitals.
In Alberta he was part of Dreamer, a large production of live theatre. He enjoys composition and has entered work in the Festival. He has recorded three albums of all original music, and is writing more songs and planning to record another album in time for Christmas.
He is currently trying to support himself as he continues his music studies in theory, history and voice. His career goal is to compose, perform and produce music.
Jasper Meiklejohn began his violin studies with Elizabeth Lupton at the Penticton Academy of Music when he was 10 years old.
In the eight years since, he has performed at numerous community events, and has been an active member of Fiddlekidz, the Penticton Academy of Music String Orchestra, McNaramata Band and the Penticton Secondary School Jazz Band (saxophone). In more recent years he studied with Mary Sokol Brown of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, became a member of the Cygnus Trio, and had the opportunity to perform on a regular basis with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra as both a first and second violin section player.
From 2010 to 2013, Meiklejohn was a member of the Youth Symphony of the Okanagan (violin and viola), for which he composed two pieces, and in 2013 appeared as co-concertmaster and featured soloist of this ensemble.
He is pursuing a degree in violin performance at the University of Victoria.
The South Okanagan Branch of the B.C. Registered Music Teachers’ Association is appreciative of the extra financial support they receive for their Scholarship Fund from the IODE Diamond Jubilee Chapter and the family of Madame Janisch.
