“Serving an Audience of One”

Thanks to all who participated this year!

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR PRAISE BANDS/WORSHIP TEAMS

Dear Friends

Musicfest Canada is a national event which involves about 10,000 high school
and college students for a week every year in the month of May. This big
event is held in a different Canadian city each year. The 2009 event will
take place at venues in the Markham/Toronto area.

This year a new opportunity for Worship Teams has been added to the roster.
This special "Worship Team Day" is jointly sponsored by Ontario Christian
Musicfest and the Salvation Army in conjunction with Musicfest Canada. If
this is a success then opportunities for Worship Teams will become an annual
part of the Musicfest program.

This year's Worship Team Day is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12 and will be
held at The Salvation Army Agincourt Community Church. Each group will be on
stage for one hour. The group will perform for 20 minutes and then one or
more of the clinicians will work with the group for the rest of the hour.
These expert clinicians will include professional musicians who happen to
also be Worship Team leaders.

At 8:00 that evening there will be a concert at Agincourt (free to
participants) featuring the York University Gospel Choir and the group DV2.

This event is not a competition but, rather, a learning experience. Each
group will receive adjudication - not for the purpose of "criticism" but,
rather, as a helpful learning experience. Each participating group should be
advanced enough to benefit from adjudication.

The cost for each group is $150.00.

We need 8 groups to participate in order to make this event a success. Any
interested group should contact Dennis Ullman (Ontario Christian Musicfest)
at the following:
drums@sympatico.ca

April 1-3, 2009

Purpose and Mandate

The Ontario Christian MusicFest (OCM) was founded to provide a venue for students from Christian based schools and churches to perform music in a Christian environment and to be educated and encouraged by adjudicators who share Christian beliefs and practices.

OCM wants to promote the study and performance of excellent band and ensemble repertoire that provides a foundation for developing musicality and prepares students for a life long appreciation of music.  As stated in Psalm 150 … Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord.

OCM has been a regional festival of MusicFest Canada since 2006.  As an affiliate of MusicFest Canada, OCM officials may offer invitations for outstanding ensembles to participate at the national finals of MusicFest Canada.

A new category for MusicFest Canada began in 2006 through Ontario Christian MusicFest, Praise and Worship ensembles are now encouraged to participate in OCM.  Praise and Worship ensembles are also eligible to participate in the national finals of MusicFest Canada.  If an ensemble is deemed eligible an invitation may be awarded through OCM by the adjudicators.  Praise and Worship ensembles may include members of various ages (i.e,. youth and adults in one ensemble).  Praise and Worship ensembles from churches, youth groups and schools are encouraged to participate in OCM.

It is our goal by supporting school and church music programs through this educationally focused festival, that we can inspire parents, school officials, school supporters and volunteers, staff, music teachers and students to truly work to “Serve an Audience of One” through the wonderful gift of music.

This festival is not exclusively for Christian based schools, private, public and Catholic schools are also encouraged to participate. 

2009 Festival Date(s)

             
Festival Information

Every performing ensemble will have an opportunity to hear some of the finest Christian school concert bands, instrumental jazz ensembles and Praise and Worship Teams in Ontario.

Every performing ensemble will be observed and listened to by two or three of the most respected and experienced adjudicators in North America.  Past adjudicators have included James H. White, Peter Stoll, Carol Johnson, Chester Thompson, Carl Feddema and Steve McCracken.

An educational clinic will follow each performance with one of the adjudicators.  This clinic will focus on providing encouragement for each ensemble.

Each performing ensemble will receive:

                 1) A CD audio recording of performance.

                 2) CD audio recordings of each performance with a voice-over by 

                     the panel of the adjudicators.

                 3) A DVD of their festival performance.

                 4) Written comments and recommendations from each adjudicator.

Each performing ensemble will receive their recordings, comments and rating (i.e., Bronze, Silver, Gold) 30 minutes after their clinic is completed.  Performance ratings for the ensembles will not be publicly announced by the festival.  Please note, the DVD will be mailed to the ensemble after the festival due to the time required to complete the transfer into disc format, etc. 

Special clinics and workshops will also be scheduled as part of the activities during the festival. In the past, clinics have included presentations by Chester Thompson (drums), Peter Stoll (clarinet), Carol Johnson (worship, saxophone) and St. Michael’s College School - SMC Drumline.

Performing ensembles will have an opportunity to be invited to attend and participate in the national finals of MusicFest Canada at the discretion of adjudicators and Ontario Christian MusicFest regional co-ordinator.

A warm up room is provided, complete with chairs, stands and standard equipment for each performing group to use immediately prior to their OCM performance.

Repertoire                        

The performance of pop music, movie themes and music that may be deemed not in accordance with a Christian based mission statement is not permitted at anytime.  The festival reserves the right to stop any performance that is in violation of the purpose and mandate of Ontario Christian MusicFest (OCM).

All jazz ensembles are required to perform repertoire that is representative of three contrasting jazz styles.  Opportunities for improvisation by various student soloists are encouraged at every age level.  A minimum of 9 and a maximum of 24 performers are permitted on stage during the performance of any single selection.   Jazz Combos may include 2 – 9 performers during the performance of any single selection.

       
                                

Fee Structure

It is our goal to keep registration fees at a minimum.  Each performing concert band and jazz ensemble (big band) will be charged $95.00 for their participation.   Praise and Worship ensembles and jazz combo fees will be $75.00 per entry.

Please make all cheques payable to: “BDCSS” and indicate on the memo line – Registration Fee – OCM.   The fees must be received prior to February 28, 2009 or the performing ensemble may be disqualified.

(festival sponsor)

Registration

Each performing ensemble is required to register by completing the festival registration form (click to download) and submitting it prior to February 20, 2009.  Late entries are generally not accepted.   A waiting list will be developed and an ensemble may be invited if one of the registered ensembles cancels or becomes disqualified after February 28, 2009.

Email will be used as our primary form of communication with all participating ensembles.

Please note:  Ontario Christian MusicFest (OCM)  is not responsible for any theft or damages that occur while participating at this festival.

Regional Co-ordinator

Requests for additional information should be sent to Dennis R. Ullman, Regional Co-ordinator at drums@sympatico.ca.