Following the success of a benefit event last year, the Kiwanis Festival of the Performing Arts (KFPA) Stratford is gearing up for this year's edition of the event.
Pat McKinna is the Executive Director of Kiwanis Festival of the Performing Arts Stratford, and she launched a new learn-and-perform program last year, designed to give non-professional artists of all ages a chance to learn a musical and then perform it as a benefit concert.
“The inaugural musical was 'Anne of Green Gables' and singers ranged in age from 7 to 79, McKinna said. “This year's show is the world premiere of a new musical version of Shakespeare's beloved comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', co-written by esteemed microjazz composer Christopher Norton and his wife, composer Wendy Edwards Beardall-Norton. The cast ranges in age from 9 to 68, and includes a father-daughter combo as well as a grandma-grandsons combo.”
The Nortons' music has proven to be so popular that the concert has expanded to include more of their music.
“Additional compositions will be performed by musicians who have participated in KFPA,” McKinna said. “When this music calls for an accompanist, these young musicians will have the special privilege of being accompanied by Christopher Norton himself, and as a special bonus, professional pianist Sandra Mogensen will perform music by Wendy Edwards Beardall-Norton, and Dr. Jamie Syer will join Sandra and Chris Norton for a series of duets (4 hands on one keyboard) and trios (6 hands on one keyboard).”
For several years, KFPA has offered an annual variety show concert to raise funds to cover the operating costs of the festival.
Speaking of the festival, KFPA is gearing up for this year's event in April. It’s an event that will have been around for 100 years in 2027. The first community festival was held by an association of music teachers in 1927, and the festival has taken place every year since, except for 2020, which was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year's benefit concert will be held on Friday, March 28, at the Avondale Church at 7 p.m., with admission being pay-what-you-can. The concert will also be live-streamed..
Anyone looking to learn more can visit the KFPA website.