Assisting to awaken the creative spirit in all ages and stages of individuals is the mission of the Okanagan School of the Arts, which has been working towards this for 57 years.
In the beginning, in 1961, the Okanagan Summer School of the Arts (OSSA) was modelled after what was then called the Banff School of Fine Arts. At that time, the Penticton Board of Trade, now the chamber of commerce, with support from art community leaders, such as Eva Cleland, George Gay and Edith Sharp, embarked on the journey of bringing a fine arts school in the summer to beautiful Penticton.
In 2018, the Okanagan School of the Arts is very pleased to provide summer programs along with year-round programming. July is Music Month which leads off with ‘Strings the Thing’ an outstanding annual summer camp that takes place at the air-conditioned “Shatford Centre” in Penticton, July 9-13. This five-day camp, with delicious lunches included, is affordably priced and features outstanding faculty from the Okanagan, Lower Mainland and US. The camp is open to all ages and provides programs for beginner and advanced string players.
The program is structured around orchestra and chamber music, but also includes choir, private lessons, and masterclasses. This year’s faculty includes Rosemary Thomson, Artistic Director for the Okanagan Symphony, well-known violin teachers from Kelowna, John Suderman and Sandra Wilmot, cellist Joel Stobbe and violinist Calvin Dyck from the Fraser Valley, and international artists Susan Goldenberg (violin) and William Goldenberg (piano).
The finale of the camp will be a gala performance on July 13 at the Shatford Centre which will feature the repertoire learned during the week. Faculty Concerts will also be held in Penticton on July 11 and Kelowna on July 12. Admission to both concerts is free for students of Strings the Thing. Early Bird Registration Fee of $400 for seniors and $300 for juniors, available until May 15th. Remember lunches are included!
Guitarists, bassists, drummers, vocalists, keyboardists, horn players are welcome to Rock Skool, which runs from July 16th to 21st, with 2 hours a day for five days. During this time frame, students get accustomed to their music, equipment and playing with others. On the last day of Rock Skool, the students perform in the Big Rock Show on Saturday afternoon in the Shatford Centre auditorium. Family, friends and the community are invited to enjoy this live performance. The fee is $175.
Jazzcool is a proven and very successful program for youth and adults, designed to get students excited about jazz. The main focus will be on improvisation, as this is what jazz is all about. The program is open to students in grades 7 – 12 and adults. Students need a minimum of two years experience on their instrument. The ability to read music is essential. Students will be placed in groups based on age and ability.
Professional and dynamic faculty members this summer are Will Schlackl, Bernie Addington, Chris Perry, Stan Sabourin, Craig Thomson and Mike Treadway. Program fees include one complimentary ticket to the fantastic Jazzcool Faculty Concert on Thursday evening. The fee is $325. Bursaries are available for OSA’s music programs.
For the first time, OSA will have a five-day Robotics Camp for youth from August 20th to 24th, in partnership with the South Okanagan House of Science Society. The camp will be available to register soon, so don’t delay it will sell out quickly!
Creativity Camp for children is filling up fast, so go to shatfordcentre.com to sign up youth from 6 to 12 years of age! For information or to register, call 250-770-7668, e-mail info@shatfordcentre.com or drop in.
Steve Kidd Senior reporter, Penticton Western News Email me or message me on Facebook Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
