VIRTUAL FESTIVAL
REGISTRATION IS OPEN
VIRTUAL FESTIVAL
REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Kitchener-Waterloo Kiwanis Music Festival
KW Kiwanis Music Festival
Celebrating excellence in music education since 1948
About the Festival...
The Kitchener-Waterloo Kiwanis Music Festival was established in 1948 and has been running ever since as the largest annual music education event in Kitchener-Waterloo. Each year, approximately five to six hundred public school and private music students perform in solo and group classes. The aim of this two-week event is to support and inspire our youth in their musical ambitions and skill development. The festival offers classes in a wide range of instruments and musical styles and offers both competitive and non-competitive opportunities to music students. The festival also welcomes music students of all ages, with classes for families, adults, and community ensembles.
Festival classes are a learning opportunity for students to develop their musical skills beyond their regular lessons. Every participant receives valuable feedback from an adjudicator who is a professional musician and educator to help them on their journey. And in addition to the class workshops participants are eligible to receive Ribbons, Financial Awards and Trophies. Each year the festival distributes $8000 - $20000 to deserving students, with awards ranging from $25 to $500.
Each year, the KWKMF selects about eighty participants to represent Kitchener-Waterloo at the Ontario Music Festivals Provincial Competition. The festival culminates in a gala Finale Concert which features an impressively diverse musical program performed by some of the top festival participants. The concert also celebrates student achievements with Awards & Trophy presentations.
The KWKMF is supported by volunteers from the community to help run the classes…and we are always looking for new team members! The festival also relies on the generosity of local businesses, arts organisations, and private donors to support our scholarship fund and festival operations. A new initiative starting in 2022 is the KWKMF Music Lessons Bursary Program to provide music lessons to students who show both promise and a financial need.
CLICK HERE to make a Donation and help supports students on their musical journey!
Letter from the Festival Coordinator:
Dear Kitchener-Waterloo Music Community,
I am the newly appointed KWKMF Coordinator, Danielle Beck, and it is my pleasure to take the reins from Heidi Wall who has done a wonderful job of organizing this festival for the past several years. It has been a challenging few years for music programs everywhere, but I'm amazed to see all the ways in which our community has guided students to overcome these challenges of the pandemic.
The 2022 Festival was in virtual format, and it was so wonderful to see the continuing commitment from our community. Students, teachers, and parents attended their classes via Zoom, where they were able to enjoy the video performances of other participants and engage in conversational feedback with our dedicated adjudicators. We were excited to present a Live Finale Concert, and many of our students went on to represent Kitchener-Waterloo at the OMFA Provincials. In my first year as Coordinator I'm so pleased with the success of our virtual festival!
And for the 2023 festival season I am very much look forward to returning to our live format. So, music students.... keep up the hard work in your lessons this coming year and get ready to perform in person this spring!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at danielle@kwkiwanismusicfestival.com. Thank you for your continued support of this long-lasting community music event.
Sincerely,
Danielle Beck
Festival Coordinator
December 1st, 2022