PERFORMING TOUR TO OTTAWA FEATURING MUSICFEST NATIONALS May , 2012 Creating Memories that Last…

includes… Performances Adjudications Workshops Clinics Awards Evening Concerts Jazz Dinner Make New Friends and more… “The MusicFest Experience”

Musicfest is a closed, “Invitation Only” musical experience. Musicfest Canada is not a “pay and play” Festival. Ensembles must perform at such a standard as to be invited by the adjudicators and Festival Committees at the regional level. No one performs without earning an Official Invitation. The object of Musicfest is to bring advanced ensembles into a concentrated music educational environment with a vast array of opportunities for learning for both the ensemble, the director and the individual performers... Musicfest and its sponsors bring in the finest professional musicians from all over North America to work with smaller units of like instruments, and in master classes with individuals. Students attending these have an opportunity to listen and ask questions relevant to their particular instrument and skill level; there are no other festivals where such resources are available in one place in such a condensed time frame. WHAT IS MUSICFEST CANADA?

The adjudication process is challenging and yields significant results. Groups that participate invariably perform better at the end of the process than at the start. The process is unlike any other Festival. For example with concert bands: a) They warm up approximately 1 hour prior to their performance b) On stage there are video cameras facing the band and facing the Director. c) There are a minimum of 5 adjudicators evaluating the band on DVD, CD and written comments. d) An adjudicator who specializes in conducting (University Level) prepares a private DVD with comments just for the Director; a private seminar. e) Following the performance, bands move to another room for a 1 hour private session with one of the adjudicators. f) For bands B200 and above (optional for B100), there is a required sight- reading segment in which an adjudicator helps the band learn more about the sightreading process. WHAT IS MUSICFEST CANADA?

Musicfest provides an array of mini-concert/Q&A sessions in different idioms. They give the students a chance to sit in on 1 hour informal concerts with some of Canada’s finest musical groups and then ask questions or for demonstrations. For the members of the ensembles considering a career in Music, the Festival sponsors 2 national honour bands. One for jazz musicians and another for concert band musicians. Everyone in the country is welcome to apply. These bands are intense “boot camps” for the next generation of teachers and professionals, or for kids who think they might like to pursue music as a vocation. It is a week of rehearsals and sectionals unlike anything they have ever experienced. For senior students definitely pursuing music as a vocation, Musicfest has partnered with corporations, foundations, non-profits, colleges and universities to create a Scholarship Program unlike any other in Canada. In some years, students attending the Festival have received close to $100, in cash, tuition scholarships and bursaries. WHAT IS MUSICFEST CANADA?

There is a 3 pronged approach to the educational process: a) The kids perform and are evaluated; they proactively interface with adjudicators, b) Clinicians and professional musicians speak to them answering their personal questions c) Professionals provide examples of performance excellence in a formal concert environment There is not a Festival anywhere that focuses on music education to the extent of Musicfest. Musicfest is not a “destination”; it is a music education experience. Groups attend Musicfest to improve their skills and be motivated to aspire to performance excellence. No mice, no whales, no roller coasters….the focus is on becoming a better musician. All of the above are included in a single registration fee. The registration fees make up approximately 25% of the cost of the 5 day Festival. Fortunately, amazing partners in music education like Yamaha, Zildjian, the National Arts Centre, Ellison Travel and Tours provide the financial support to cover the majority of the costs (75%). WHAT IS MUSICFEST CANADA?

WELCOME TO OTTAWA, OUR NATION’S CAPITAL CITY!

Return airport transfers in Ottawa …

MusicFest Approved Accommodation

includes… Performances Adjudications Workshops Clinics Awards Evening Concerts MusicFest Registration Fees

TOUR OF PARLIAMENT HILL

Take a stroll through Byward Market to see the outdoor vendors with their abundant stands of fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and arts & crafts or meander through the charming streets filled with eclectic boutiques and cafés. BYWARD MARKET

MusicFest Concerts at the National Arts Centre

Evening Performances at the National Arts Centre

Canadian Museum of Civilization

Canadian War Museum

Ellison Tours Dance Cruise

Creating Memories that Last…