Missed our interview with Optimist Festival Chairperson/Music Director Bill Kristjanson and Ecole Viscount Alexander School students? Watch here!

Every year around this time, the Convention Centre is buzzing with young nervous musicians from all over the province getting ready to go on stage and perform. If you are or have ever been a band student in Manitoba and especially Winnipeg, this is almost a right of passage. Last year there were over 14,000 participants in the Festival! 

Optimist Festival Chairperson Bill Kristjanson dropped by Morning Light along with grade 8 band students Owen B., Joseph N., Cassicy M., Rebecca P. and their band teacher Vanessa Nostowski to chat with host Michael Wolch.

 

 

The concert band portion of the festival begins Tuesday (Feb 23) and runs through to Friday (Feb 26) at RBC Convention Centre in downtown Winnipeg.

The jazz band portion of the festival begins March 2nd and runs through to March 5th at the North Kildonan M.B. Church.

During the Concert Band Festival & Jazz Band Festival we will have some of the musicians coming by our studios to perform on 107 LIVE! Not sure if our studios will hold 14,000 performers, but we will do our best to get as many iin as we can!