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Powell River Festival of Performing Arts returns

High calibre of musicians and performers compete in multiple disciplines
performing arts
VARIED PERFORMANCES: Six different disciplines will be represented at the 73rd Powell River Festival of Performing Arts, which begins Saturday, February 18, and culminates in a Grant Concert on Saturday, Match 4. Peak archive photo

More than 300 entries have been received from individual musicians, community bands, choirs and dance companies for the 73rd Powell River Festival of Performing Arts.

Most entrants are from Powell River, with the exception of some visiting dancers. Musicians and performers range in age from children to seniors.

“I doubt there is another community event that has continued as long,” said Powell River Festival of Performing Arts committee chair Joyce Carlson.

This year’s festival begins Saturday, February 18, with competition in six different disciplines, including piano, instrumental and band, vocal and choral, strings, speech arts and dance. The event concludes with the Grand Concert in Evergreen Theatre at Powell River Recreation Complex on Saturday, March 4.

Performance and competition venues for the adjudicated festival are the Evergreen, Max Cameron Theatre and James Hall.

Adjudicators include Victoria Baroque Players and Vancouver’s Pacific Baroque Orchestra member Paul Luchkow of Victoria, who will be hearing the strings. Prior to being an adjudicator, Luchkow said he was invited to play at Powell River Academy of Music a number of years ago.

“I’ve developed many friendships in Powell River over the years and I’ve known that it is a vibrant, musical community,” said Luchkow, a violinist and violist who plays a range of music from 17th century to present day.

Luchkow added that the calibre of string players who attend the festival is very high.

“To listen to the strong players coming up through the ranks is a real pleasure,” he said. “I expected it to be high-quality activity and it certainly is.”

When adjudicating, Luchkow listens for the “basic nuts and bolts,” including sound, playing in tune and knowledge of the music to tell a story.

“I’m the kind of person who really enjoys music; it’s really cool,” he said. “I have a lot of enthusiasm for it and I want to see how other people are developing their enthusiasm.”

For more information about Powell River Festival of Performing Arts, go to events.solarislive.com/prfestival.