An inaugural music competition covering three East Kootenay communities has reached the final round, with 12 performers taking the stage, seeking top honours, at Encore Brewing in Cranbrook on May 4.
The Next Play Youth Music Performance Competition, organized by the Fisher Peak Performing Artists Society (FPPAS), saw three preliminary rounds held in Creston, Cranbrook and Fernie over the past month.
Each of the three communities saw eight contestants entered. Of these, four from each community made the final — for 12, in total.
Performers comprised a range of styles and combos, according to FPPAS member Paul Sawatsky. Solo artists, group vocalists, and some bands. The competition was open to everyone, regardless of age. Performers ranged from 10 years old and up.
There was no stipulation as to genre or style, performers could do whatever they wanted.
“It was kind of a modern take on Battle of the Bands, but we weren’t just targeting bands this year,” Sawatsky said. “We’ll see what it morphs into next year — we might look at a form of differentiated or separated competition. Mixing soloists and bands can be difficult.”
But the feedback so far from the communities has been remarkable, Sawatsky said. “People have been really excited. I keep getting comments like “this is long over-due. We really need this. That’s why we’ve developed this.
“We’re finding that there’s not a lot of opportunity for young performers to get up on stage and perform.”
Organizers noted certain unique aspects to each community, as well. For instance, in Creston, quite a few performers — the majority were music students, currently taking lessons. Cranbrook performers were totally self-organized — a rock and roll town. In Fernie, again, “kind of an outlier,” many were students were taking part with the backing of teachers.
In Creston the event was held at the Legion Hall. In Fernie, the former Knox United — a church that had been converted to a performance space. In Cranbrook, the preliminary round was originally set for the Studio Stage , March 29. But there was such a demand for tickets that the event was moved to the Eagles Hall, “and we sold another 30-40 tickets on top of that.”
Cranbrook and Fernie rounds each had three judges over-seeing. Creston had four judges. Judges scored the performers following a numbered scale, with categories based on just on music alone, but also originality, preparedness, stage presence, audience engagement and other aspects of musical performance. Four competitors from each community made the final, and will appear for the ultimate time at the finale May 4. Tickets for the finale are on sale on the FPPAS website — https://www.fisherpeakperformingartists.com/ — and selling fast.
From Cranbrook:
• Ethan Sawatsky, Tay White, Daniel Pocha (Charity Standing Orders);
• Dan Phillips, Alex Phillips, Bryce Garrett, Dustin Colbert (Caught In The Landslide);
• Brett Webster,Tay White, Dustin Colbert, Ethan Sawatsky (Lined With Velvet);
• Monico Bombardier.
From Creston:
• Lachlan Hamm;
• Hillaree Blackmore;
• Grace Ganong, Aniaha Bourque (The River Sisters);
• Hart Christiansen, Elwood Morris,Rylan Holman, Bodin Gaucher (A Buck And A Half).
From Fernie:
• Peri De Marchi
• Samantha Wood
• Stevie Jean Cruikshank,Bentley Johannson, Iliana Vesley, Pyper Potter (The Treble Makers);
• Charley May
