When Blair Bailey was a young lad, nervously waiting for his turn to perform at the Kiwanis Music Festival, a grave and stern adjudicator jangled a bell to alert him it was his turn to play.
“This was the 1960s and things were very regimented – very old school,” Bailey recalls. “The adjudicator never called you by name. They handed out first-, second-, and third-place and everyone else kind of got a ‘Thanks for coming’ gesture.”
Times have changed. In today’s era, the adjudicators address the participants by name and often, as time permits, they will spend time providing feedback and tips. And today, participants receive gold, silver or bronze for their efforts.
“In a strong class, everyone could get gold,” explained Bailey. “We changed to that system a number of years ago. In fact, we were one of the first festivals in Ontario to do that … it’s one of the ways the festival has changed over the years.”
This year, the Orillia Kiwanis Music Festival is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Bailey, a participant as a youngster, has been involved in helping to organize the event for almost 30 years and has served for 25 years as its artistic director.
It is a labour of love for Bailey, who returned to Orillia in 1984, after graduating from the University of Toronto, to work at St. Paul’s United Church, where he continues to labour to this day.
“For me, when I think about the festival and its success and longevity, I think about the committee,” said Bailey of the small, but dedicated group of volunteers that works diligently 10 months of the year, behind the scenes, to ensure the festival continues. “Some of those volunteers have been there as long as I have … they are quite an amazing, dedicated group.”
Once again this year, about 1,000 people, mostly children and youth, will participate in the much-anticipated event on the city’s music calendar. Some will play guitar, some will strum a ukulele, others will perform vocally, some will stride into the spotlight as part of a band or a vocal ensemble, others will join an ensemble or strings group and many will play the piano.
“One full week of the festival is always devoted to piano – that’s always our biggest group,” said Bailey.
While the piano competition is a mainstay, some components have ebbed and flowed with the trends of the time, he said. For example, dance was part of the festival at different times. At other times, the ukulele has been wildly popular and, for a time, it seemed to disappear.
“It is kind of tied to what is happening within the elementary schools,” said Bailey. “As things shift there, we have to adapt.”
But what has never changed is the passion for music that drives both the organizers, the teachers that encourage their students and the performers of all ages.
“This year, we have one student who grew up playing at the festival and is now in his second year at university and he’s entered this year – with his own composition,” said Bailey. “That’s pretty neat and it’s absolutely why I do this and why I love to do this.”
Stories like that are why the festival is such an integral part of the community, said Don Haskins, a Kiwanis Club member who is this year’s festival president.
“I was fortunate to have an experience at a festival (in Brockville) when I was growing up, so, to me, it’s an opportunity to give something back and to help others have that opportunity,” said Haskins.
Haskins said he is impressed with the number of volunteers that give of their time to ensure the festival hits all the right notes. “We couldn’t do it without our great volunteers,” he said, noting about 50 are needed throughout the 19-day event. “To me, it also comes down to the teachers that encourage their students to participate. Those dedicated teachers and volunteers are critical.”
The support of the Kiwanis club is also critical, said Bailey. “They help out financially and in terms of supplying volunteers,” he said.
In addition, each year, local music lovers step up with donations to help fund grants to the tune of up to $4,000 each year.
This year’s 60th annual Kiwanis Festival kicks off April 16 and runs until May 4. For a full schedule and more information, visit orilliakiwanismusicfestival.com.
