trail home 2023

Thank you to all who performed, hosted, adjudicated, volunteered, or watched
our Kootenay Festival of the Arts!

Our return to the festival stage following the COVID Shutdown has been totally successful.

Congratulations to all our performers, especially those who were awarded special recognition.

— Trail Kootenay Festival of the Arts Board Members

Festival Recognitions:

Photo: Lesley Chisholm

In the Strings Discipline: (from left to right)
Katie ClarkeIan D. Smith Award*, and Provincial Merited Participant nomination 
Gideon Harvest — Award of Excellence
Anais Coombes — Award of Excellence
Kenneth Spencer — Award of Excellence
Stephanie Moss — Award of Excellence
Carmen Lewandowksi — Award of Excellence

Ella Spencer (missing in photo) — Award of Excellence.

* The Ian D. Smith Award is a major award from the Osprey Foundation


Photo: Lesley Chisholm

In the Dance Discipline: (from left to right)
Isla Bitting Osprey Foundation Award
Soleil Bitting Excellence in Jr. Ballet/Modern 
Emily Henry Musical Interpretation, Modern
Samantha Venu  Excellence in Sr. Ballet/Modern & Musical Interpretation, Stage

Due to conflicting events for some of the other studios with it being festival season, other award winners couldn’t be present:
Aaliyah Mota  Excellence in Junior Stage
Lauren Martin Excellence in Intermediate Stage
Keria Danks Excellence in Senior Stage
Annika Heale Musical Interpretation – Ballet
Xin-Xin Zhou Excellence in Intermediate Ballet/Modern
Sylvie Palinka & Leigha Webber Top Duo, Stage
Aaliyah Mota & London Tomlison Top Duo, Stage
Step Dance Centre Top Group Stage 
Soleil Bitting & Annika Heale Top Duo, Ballet/Modern
Steps Dance Centre Top Group Ballet /Modern 
Sylvie Palinka Excellence in Student Choreography

Photo: Jim Bailey, Trail Times

 

In the Voice & Speech Discipline: (from left to right)

Photo: Lesley Chisholm

Isabel McAleer —Top Senior Voice and Osprey Award
Julie Higgins —Top Intermediate Voice
Emma Evans — Top Junior Voice 
*not pictured* Jade Eaton-Heagle —Excellence Award

 

 

 

In the Piano Discipline: (from left to right)

photo: Lesley Chisholm

Emilio RuizBCRMTA Award 
Clara GelberPepin Chan Memorial Award
Oliver MamonExcellence Award
Issac Manaigre Excellence Award
Sofia Maturo Excellence Award
Soleil Bitting Excellence Award
Austin Rafuse Top Senior Performer
Charles Clarke Top Intermediate Performer
Eden Stevens — Top Junior Performer
Missing:
Iris Hussey Osprey Foundation Award
Ryder Schmidt Excellence Award

 

 

 

In the Woodwinds Discipline: (from left to right)

Woodwinds

photo: Lesley Chisholm

Robyn Verhoeven representing the JL Crowe Sr. Concert Band — Top Sr Band award;
Two students who accompanied Keith Todd)
Keith Todd, the instructor of the Stanley Humphries Secondary School Jr. Concert Band — Top Jr. band Award.
Lina Suazo — Special Adjudicator’s award for Overall Performance and Presentation.

Missing: Nico Bucher — Top soloist award and The Osprey Foundation’s special award.