The Boissevain Festival of the Arts Committee is excited to host this year’s event back on stage with the awards concert planned to be back in front of a live audience as well.

Tenley Dyck is the professional advisor for the Festival Committee.

She says the awards concert is scheduled for March 20th at the Whitewater Church, and with fingers crossed the in-person concert will take place, after 2 years of covid cancellations.

“In 2020 we were able to just slide in that last session and then everything shut down and so we couldn’t hold an awards concert,” explains Dyck.  “We presented awards but there was no concert that year.  So, we really haven’t had a concert since 2019.”

With approximately 150 entries, the committee is thrilled with this year’s submissions, even though those numbers are down from an average of 200-250.  “So, this isn’t quite where we were but at the same time, we aren’t able to hold choral sessions, as the choirs were not able to provide yet.  So, given that this is just for piano and individual vocals, we’re quite pleased,” she adds.

Dyck shares how everyone, especially students, are tired of virtual submissions.  “They were so relieved not to have to submit videos this year.  To be able to be in-person after all of that online for school and for lessons and for pretty much everything else, even social things, it’s the educational part of it that’s going to be wonderful, but also the social aspect, for them to be actually in the same space even though they will be distanced.”

“To be together like that is going to be a really positive thing!”

 Tenley Dyck teaches piano and she says the pandemic hasn’t affected her number of students.  However, it has created its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to technology and facilitating virtual lessons.

“I think what a lot of teachers don’t realize in cities, is that what we deal with in the rural is not just a matter of being online but the connections, you know, the freezing up and the start and stop and everything that comes with it. So, I think it may have been more of a challenge in the rural settings than it has been in the cities.

“But, kudos to all of those who have made it possible to continue,” adds Dyck.

The Boissevain Fesetival of the Arts Vocal performances will take place on Wendesday March 2nd afternoon and evening.  Piano performances will take place March 7 morning, afternoon & evening, March 8 & 9 in the morning and afternoon.

The Awards concert is scheduled for Sunday, March 20th at 3:00 pm at the Whitewater Church, but this too could change if covid restrictions change yet again.

“We’re just so very excited about the possibility of this actually happening,” shares Dyck.  “I mean, in the beginning, who ever thought that this was going to go past 2 or 3 weeks, or possibly 2 or 3 months, and now we’re talking about 2 or 3 years.”