Patience and a lot of hard work has paid off for Meadow Lake’s Piper MacFarlane. The recent Carpenter High School graduate competed at the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association’s (SMFA) provincial finals in Saskatoon May 31 to June 2, earning second place and the runner-up award valued at $150 for her performance of ‘Times Are Hard for Dreamers’ from Amelie in the Meadow Lake Music Festival Musical Theatre Up-tempo Contemporary (17 years and under) scholarship class, as well as first place and an award of $300 in the Margaret Caldwell Musical Theatre Ballad Contemporary (17 years and under) scholarship class for her performance of ‘Pretty’ Funny from Dogfight.
There were 14 competitors in the first class and 18 in the second. “Those were very well-deserved awards for her,” explained Krista Brost, president of the Meadow Lake and District Music Festival. “Her performances were absolutely incredible to watch.” MacFarlane is also no stranger to the provincial music festival, but this marked the first time she came home with a firstplace win. “She did very well, and it was a really nice way for her to end her Grade 12 year,” Brost added. According to MacFarlane, she’s attended the provincial competition for the last four years. “The first time I went it was during COVID, and I finished second overall,” MacFarlane said. “I kept going year-afteryear, and, going into it this year, I wanted to win. I showed up to win. I’ve graduated, so this is my last year. I worked really hard at it. Music festivals can be a long process, and, when I finally got up to sing, it felt really good… I had no clue who would win the first class I was in because everyone was so good. When the adjudicator called my name as runner-up, I still thought it was exciting to get second place.”
MacFarlane performed again the next day, however, and, following another lengthy process, she was named the winner. “Again, it was so close and everyone was so talented,” MacFarlane remarked. “When she called my name, it felt like a dream. It didn’t feel real.” Going forward, MacFarlane still plans to embrace music, but not as a full-time career. “I love music so much, but I love it as a hobby and I don’t want it to ever get to the point where it becomes so stressful because it’s my job and how I’m making my living,” MacFarlane said. “I hope to one day become a speech and language pathologist, and to continue using my musical background to help in that job. Music works with our brains differently and has so many psychological uses, so being able to use music with the career I hope to do would work really well. Music helps a lot of people. It’s going to stay a hobby, but will definitely help me in my day-to-day life.” MacFarlane, who qualified for the provincial event following a strong showing at the Meadow Lake and District Music Festival this year also praised the local festival for the opportunities it provides to young musicians.
“Meadow Lake and District Music Festival is still going strong after all these years, and a lot of people continue to put a lot of work into it,” she said. “I wouldn’t have won provincials if we didn’t have a district music festival, so it’s important.”
Meanwhile, two other performers from Meadow Lake also qualified for the provincial competition. Danica McLaughlin competed in the Doris Covey Lazecki Musical Theatre Ballad Contemporary (12 years and under) scholarship class. She performed ‘Home’ from Wonderland. There were 11 competitors in this class. McLaughlin also competed in the Centre Stage Studios Musical Theatre Up-tempo Contemporary (12 years and under) scholarship class where she performed ‘Everlasting’ from Tuck Everlasting. There were nine competitors in this class. “I had a lot of fun with my mom and a really close friend of ours from Sasaktoon,” McLaughlin said of the experience. “I met some really great people and singers. I’d like to thank my voice coach, Ms. Brost, because she is such an amazing voice coach and has helped me so much. I’d also like to thank Lindsay Boal who was my accompanist. She played wonderfully and I couldn’t have done it without her. I really hope I get the chance to go to provincials again next year. It was so much fun. I’d also like to thank my family, Blair, Melissa, and Conner McLaughlin for supporting me all the way.”
According to Brost, McLaughlin gave a very strong performance. “Her one song did bring some people to tears in the audience,” Brost said. “For me, it means a lot to have sent a student of mine to provincials. I participated in festivals when I was growing up, and I competed at provincials several times. It’s cool to see it through a student’s eyes as well as through a teacher’s.”
Also competing at provincials was pianist Kenzi Hildebrand. She competed in the Dr. Thomas Yu Piano Recital (14 years and under) scholarship class. She performed ‘Puck, op. 71, no.3’ by Grieg. There were15 competitors in this class. “I am happy with how I played after having worked on my song for quite a while,” Hildebrand noted. “I really enjoyed listening to the other performers and was very excited to get to play at the provincial competition. The more chances I get to play for others, the more comfortable I get.”