Annual festival kicks off on Valentine's Day
Jan 21, 2010 - 12:39 PM
By Jeff Hayward
NORTH DURHAM -- An annual festival for music lovers in north Durham will kick off on the day best known for love.
The 53rd annual Sunderland Lions Music Fest is returning on Valentine's Day, Sunday, Feb. 14, continuing until Thursday, March 4.
The venues for the festival include Sunderland Town Hall, Sunderland United Church and Port Perry High School, and Uxbridge music students have also traditionally been involved.
"The Sunderland Music Festival is a special event in the lives of those who reside in north Durham Region. The third generation of many families now proudly participate," noted organizers.
This year's adjudicators come from "varied backgrounds, but share the common desire to promote musical awareness and development amongst our youth". Those judges include Amanda de Boer (piano), a graduate of Royal Conservatory of Music and University of Toronto; Mayumi Kumagai (string and choral), a graduate of University of Toronto; Pam Birrell (vocals), an alumni of Trent University and Royal Conservatory of Music; and Bill Thomas (instrumental), currently an assistant professor of music at York University.
While the main festival runs from Feb. 14 to Feb. 26, the Stars of the Festival concerts will be featured from March 1 to 4.
Festival programs are available online at
www.sunderlandlionsclub.ca. They are also on sale for $3 at Shoppers Drug Mart in Uxbridge and Port Perry and at Jennifer Nevue-Cook's studio in Uxbridge, while in Sunderland the programs can be purchased at Flindall's Freshmart, Pilgrim's Home Hardware, Sunderland Guardian Pharmacy and Brown and Brethour Insurance. Libraries in Port Perry, Sunderland, Cannington and Beaverton have programs for viewing only. Festival passes good for all sessions are $10, while admission to each individual performance is $2. During the event, the women of Sunderland United Church will serve lunch each day at "very reasonable prices."
The festival will officially be opened by Brock Mayor Larry O'Connor at Sunderland Town Hall on Monday, Feb. 15 at 9:30 a.m.
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