UNITY – Four local musicians hit the high notes for judges at the annual Saskatchewan Music Festival Association Provincial finals. Eliana Bakanec of Kerrobert and Liné Linde of Macklin represented the Prairie Sunset Music Festival while brothers Willem and Steyn Hoogstad represented the Unity Music Festival.
Liné Linde was entered into three classes — Speech, Musical Theatre and Vocal. She placed third in the Canada West Musical Theatre class, second in two classes, the Canada West Classical Voice Scholarship for 13 years and under and the Folk Song Class for 12 years and under.
Linde beat out her competition and was named the winner of the Canada West Speech Arts & Drama Scholarship for 13 years and under and the Spoken Word Scholarship for Spoken Word Prose for 12 years and under. She also received a recommendation to the Canada West Performing Arts Festival in the Musical Theatre, Classical Voice and Speech Arts and Drama in the 13 and under category.
The Hoogstad brothers were also top contenders at this year’s provincial finals. Willem took top place in three classes – Canada West Speech Arts and Drama Scholarship for 17 years and under, Scholarship for Spoken Word Concert Group for 17 years and under and Spoken Word Poetry/ Prose Scholarship class for 17 years and under. He will also represent Saskatchewan at the Canada West Performing Arts Festival in the Speech Arts and Drama under 17 category.
Willem had also attended Alberta’s Provincial Festival for the Performing Arts on May 27, where he received an overall third place for Speech in the 17 and under category.
Older brother Steyn was not far behind his brother, taking first place in his own two categories, the Canada West Speech Arts and Drama Scholarship for 22 years and under and the Spoken Word Concert Group Scholarship for 28 years and under. Steyn was also recommended to advance to the Canada West Performing Arts Festival to represent the province in the Speech Arts and Drama under 22 category.
Bakanec performed in the Strings and Piano classes but was unable to secure a placing.
The event was held at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon from May 30 to June 2. By the end of the event, Linde took home $350 in scholarships, Willem received $900 in scholarships and Steyn won a total of $1,000.
All three performers have plans to attend the Canada West Performing Arts Festival, which will be held at the University of Victoria in Victoria, B.C. between July 25-27. This festival is where the top three solo performers from British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan compete in various disciplines, including Piano, Strings, Classical Voice, Musical Theatre, Speech, Woodwind, Brass and Guitar.
