Registration is open now until January 23!
We're happy to announce that the 2021 Saskatoon Music Festival will be held from May 3 to 8! However (as you might have guessed) it will look different than previous years. The main difference is that it will be completely virtual! Students will register as usual, then will have the opportunity to record their piece, upload it to YouTube, and send us the link through Music Festival Suite. After the adjudicator has reviewed the pieces for each class, they'll give comments to each class via a video adjudication.
Q: When does my YouTube video need to be uploaded?
A: The deadline to submit your recording link is Saturday, April 17.
Q: Do I need special equipment to record my video?
A: Not at all! The camera and microphone quality of most smartphones is sufficient for our purposes.
Q: What kind of video should I submit?
A: We require a single one-take video for each class you are entered in. If you’re in a concert group for voice, for instance, you must sing each piece one after the other - you can’t edit multiple recordings together into a single video. The only editing we will permit is trimming of the beginning and end - but keep in mind that the recording needs to start before you start your piece, and it must end after you’re finished your piece. We also require that you make your video unlisted - you can find a tutorial at MFS on how to do that!
Q: What should I call my video?
A: Please title your video this way: [Name of Performer] - [Name of Piece]. Example - Mariel Unger - Sontina in A major
Q: What if I’m entered in an Excellence class?
A: The Excellence class recording process will be slightly different, but if you register in one of these classes we’ll get in touch with you after the January registration deadline to let you know what we need.
Q: Do I still need an accompanist?
A: Yes, if you're singing or playing an instrument other than the piano you will still need accompaniment as in previous years. Please note - recorded accompaniment is permitted, but it must be piano accompaniment. Orchestral and karaoke accompaniment is not permitted.
Q: Will there still be scholarships available?
A: Yes! Thanks to our generous scholarship donors, we'll be able to provide scholarships as we have in previous years.
Q: What's happening with the Kinsmen awards this year?
A: We're hosting a virtual event on the evening of Saturday, May 8 to celebrate our Kinsmen winners. Stay tuned for more details!
Q: Where did the duet classes go?
A: Due to social distancing guidelines, we’ve decided to remove our duet and ensemble classes from the 2021 Saskatoon Music Festival. Don’t worry - they’re not gone for good and will hopefully be back in 2022.
Q: What happened to the transaction fee/administration fee?
A: We typically charge a $25 transaction fee for each student in the festival. This fee helps us cover administration costs such as office supplies, trophy engraving, mailing costs, and the like. However, this being an atypical year, we’ve decided not to charge the fee for 2021. Our administration costs are considerably lower this year, so we wanted to reduce fees for participants.
If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to email info@saskatoonmusicfestival.com.
2021 Festival Dates
General and Musical Theatre - Monday, May 3 to Saturday, May 8
Kinsmen Awards - Saturday, May 8
