Dedicated to music
The Cosmos is usually reluctant to spend many of our precious column inches on events or people who live beyond the borders of the Township of Uxbridge. There is so much going on here; early in the planning of our newspaper, we knew we had to draw the editorial and circulation line somewhere, so we drew it at the Township’s boundaries.
We make exception, however, when it comes to events that our citizens are involved in, even if they occur beyond our borders, and especially if they involve opportunities which don’t exist here in Uxbridge. Our subject this week certainly qualifies in spades.
This coming Sunday, Feb. 8, classes begin for the 52nd Annual Sunderland Lions’ Music Festival, a two-week extravaganza of vocal and instrumental music for which people of all ages, from all parts of North Durham and beyond, prepare for months. Expert adjudicators are brought from across the province to advance the development of pianists, flautists or musical theatre performers at all skill levels; the musicians and their teachers eagerly wait to see if their hard work is given the stamp of approval.
The Festival began in the mid-1950s, and has steadily gained a reputation as one of the best-run events in Ontario. For much of the last two decades it has been a labour of love for Dale St. John and his family, ably assisted by the men and women of the Lions Club, innumerable other residents of the Sunderland area, and financially supported by businesses, organizations and individuals from near and far.
All of these people recognize the simple truth behind the Festival, that an appreciation for good music, and the dedication that goes into creating it, are among the most fundamental requirements for a great society. There is nothing more splendid than closing your eyes and listening to the textures woven by a fine choir, or watching ten young fingers spark fireworks from a keyboard.
Of the thousands who have performed in Sunderland over the years, most will tell you that some of their most magical and satisfying moments as musicians have come during those wonderful weeks in February, moments when they realized, perhaps for the first time, that they had the right stuff to perform, and moments when they first really understood what music was about.
But Sunderland isn’t just for the musician. Too often, the public assumes that they’re not welcome at such festivals, that the atmosphere is just like some large-scale classroom. But the organizers at Sunderland believe just the opposite, that having a “real” audience is essential to the performers knowing whether their work is really appreciated, and extremely helpful for the adjudicators in gauging whether their own reaction to the performance is in tune with what a discriminating audience is hearing.
So if you love music, but have never treated yourself to an adjudicated festival before, take a few minutes some day or evening before Feb. 20 and go to Sunderland. Sessions cost only $2 admission, and you can pick up a program at Shoppers’ Drug Mart here in Uxbridge. Your ears will thank you.
We salute all the volunteers who have made the Sunderland Music Festival such a fabulous opportunity over the years. Thank you for the music!
