Morning Light host Michael Wolch welcomes a long time volunteer, Dr. Fraser Linklater, Band Director for MBCI, Andrew Klassen, and one of his band students live in studio. Tune in!

If, in the last 40 years, you were a concert band or jazz band student in Manitoba, chances are you went through those nervous minutes getting ready to step foot on the stage of the Winnipeg Convention Centre.  Everyone dressed up in their band attire, cumberbunds, bow ties and instrument at the ready. A row of adjudicators sitting at their tables ready to mark those two pieces your band had been working on since before Christmas! Everyone attentively watching the band teacher who would give you that great big smile and final nod of silent assurance that you guys would do great! This is the Optimist Band Festival!

This year, the festival is celebrating 40 years. Forty years of nurturing musical talent and supporting music education in Manitoba.

The Optimist Band Festival is the larget provincial school concert & jazz festival in Canada. On average more than 8000 musicians and over 230 bands participate.

Goldent West Radio and Classic 107 is very proud to be a sponsor of this years festival which runs Feb 24-27 at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg and March 5-7 at the North Kildonan Mennonite Bretheren Church.

Tune in Tuesday morning at 8:30 AM when Michael will have live in studio:

Dr. Fraser Linklater who is presently an Associate Professor in the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music at U of M. Dr. Linklater has been on the Executive Board of the Manitoba Band Association for almost two decades now and coordinates all three levels of the MBA Honour band program. In October 2002, he received the MBA Award of Distinction for his services to music education in Manitoba. Not only has Dr. Linklater been involved with the festival for many years, he has also served as an adjudicator.

Andrew Klassen has taught at Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute for the past 28 years, where his concert and jazz bands have maintained a strong reputation for musical excellence. He will be bringing his own concert band to the festival on Thursday.

Andrew performs regularly as a saxophonist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and plays viola in the Bel Canto String Quartet. He is a former Artistic Director and Conductor of the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble, and has been invited back to guest-conduct the group on several occasions. Andrew has also guest-conducted both the U of M Wind Ensemble and Concert Band, as well as several honour bands and band camps, including the 2003 Manitoba Junior Honour Band.

For his work at MBCI and in the music education community, Andrew was presented with the U of M's Excellence in Music Education Award. Each summer, Mr. Klassen coordinates a highly successful MBA Elmwood Junior Band Summer Camp at MBCI, now entering its 20th year.

Joining Andrew, will be one of his grade 10 music students.

 

Some people you may know who participated in the festival as young music students or have been part of the festival as professional musicians:

Chris Wolf - Classic 107 Music Director and host of Intermezzo

Luke Thiessen - Classic 107 news reporter

Claudia Garcia de la Huerta - Classic 107 Assistant Program Director and host /producer of the Classic 107 Arts & Entertainment Calendar

Brendon Thompson - Principal Timpani player, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

James Robertson -  - Horn player, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra