Elementary students from across the Belleville region gathered on Thursday morning to perform during the third annual BandFest.
In April 2016, Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board held the first annual BandFest, which hosted over 200 students from nine different bands across the region.
According to the school board’s website, the event is meant to be a non-competitive event, without trophies or ribbons, for elementary school bands to showcase the skills they’ve learned throughout the year.
Andy Seguire is the festival co-ordinator. He said it gives the students something to look forward to after a full school year of practice.
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“We have these elementary students that practise all year long — let’s give them somewhere to perform with each other, for each other.”
Seguire added that the event has been growing since its inception.
“Both in the number of students that have been in attendance and involvement with the community, so we’re really excited that in this third year, we’re able to offer an even better event than last year.”
This year’s event included an on-stage performance at Centennial Secondary School where the event was held, as well as musical workshops and master classes taught by members of the Quinte Symphony.
Hilton Dawson was in one of those master classes, working on mastering the french horn.
“It is one of the hardest wind instruments to play — or the hardest,” said Dawson.
Jaequin Christian’s instrument of choice is a bit more raucous.
“I always wanted to play an instrument. I’ve tried a bunch of them, and I kind of just struck with the drums.”
Christian plays in the Gateway Community Youth Jazz Ensemble based out of Tweed.
For Seguire, the event highlights the value of learning an instrument at a young age.
“This is something that they’re going to have with them for the rest of their lives,” the co-ordinator said. “The important part of it is to share it with other people and to experience it.”
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