International Choral Kathaumixw’s totem pole is taking wing.
The specially carved, six-and-a-half foot totem, depicting an eagle on the top and a beaver below, is jetting off to Slovenia, to be presented to the St. Stanislav’s Youth Choir from Slovenia this coming weekend. The totem, by Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation carver Craig Galligos, will be awarded to the Slovenian choristers, who were adjudicated to be Choir of the World at the 2014 Kathaumixw festival and competition.
There are 22 local people travelling to Slovenia to participate in the presentation. Tla’amin representatives include Chief Clint Williams and his wife Angelina, along with Elder Betty Wilson. Galligos, his wife Cathy, and all three of their children, including their one-year-old, are also booked to fly.
Paul Cummings, Kathaumixw artistic director, and his wife Karen, will be attending, along with Don James, former music director for Powell River Academy of Music and former academy administrator Terry Sabine. Kathaumixw Committee chair F. Gregory Reif and his wife Doreen Smith-Reif, are flying over, as will be City of Powell River Mayor Dave Formosa and his wife Laurie.
Filmmakers Claudia Medina and Megan Dulcie Dill will travel to finish the video project that began with the festival in Powell River last year. Their partners will also be heading to Slovenia and both women will be taking their children.
The contingent lands in Slovenia today, Wednesday, May 6. On Thursday the group will meet the mayor of Ljubljana, Slovenia, will go to his chambers, then tour the old city.
On Friday there will be an official ceremony, which will include the St. Stanislav’s 2014 Choir of the World.
“They’ve come back together just for this occasion,” Cummings said. “I imagine a lot of those students have graduated by now.”
Powell River’s contingent will also be visiting the music school that headquarters the choir, meeting with the students and the principal. A radio interview will be conducted from the site.
Saturday is a day off. A tour will be laid on to the “gorgeous” alpine village of Bled, Slovenia.
Sunday night is the main reason for the trip. The St. Stanislav Institute, with 400 singers, has its annual concert.
“That’s a very big deal,” Cummings said. “It’s going to be an absolutely fabulous night.” The choir’s response to its win at Kathaumixw was worth the price of admission and the excitement has grown.
“I think we’re going to get some national coverage on this when we are in Slovenia.”
Cummings is hoping that the interest and coverage generated from this trip will help establish the uniqueness of Powell River’s choral event to help perpetuate and grow the choral festival.
“This whole totem pole project has blossomed so beautifully,” he said. “I said to the mayor: ‘did you see all of these things happening when we first came up with the idea?’ This totem pole has just been the gift that keeps on giving.”
To see where the Powell River delegation is travelling, readers can click this link.
