It has been five years since the last note called out the end of elementary and high school bands in 亚洲天堂 Lake. The end of school bands in the area also meant the end of the instrumental section of the annual Lakes District Festival of the Performing Arts.

Local music instructors, Martina Zechendorf and Gordon Oxendale, hope that an new, alternative section of this year鈥檚 festival, scheduled for April 6 鈭� 20, 2013, will help break local musicians of their solo melodious habits.

This alternative section is different from the rest of the festival format not only because it won鈥檛 be formally adjudicated, but because of its planned series of music workshops.

鈥淲e鈥檇 like to study some songs with them, practice the music, and then have a public performance at the end of a two-day workshop,鈥� Zechendorf said.

Zechendorf and Oxendale hope that the re-introduction of band instruments into the festival will be the beginning of a renewed interest in the potential for a community band in the Lakes District.

Before the end of band practise within the school system, the instrumental section of the festival was very full.

鈥淲hen I was doing band in elementary school,鈥� said Oxendale, 鈥淚 averaged 50 to 55 entries into the festival per year.鈥�

Oxendale retired from teaching band in the school system after 23 years of service at all levels of instruction all over the Lakes District. He continues to teach music, mostly through house calls.

鈥淚 teach just about anything in the way of a band instrument,鈥� he said. 鈥淩ight now I have a clarinetist, a cellist, two pianists, a drummer, and a few guitarists. It鈥檚 enough to keep me happily involved.鈥�

Zechendorf, a member of the British Columbia Registered Music Teachers Association, teaches music out of her home-studio in 亚洲天堂 Lake. Her studio is certified as an examination place for Canada鈥檚 Royal Conservatory of Music. She teaches piano, music theory, trombone, and voice. She has been teaching in 亚洲天堂 Lake since 1999.  Before that, she was a university preparation music and math teacher in Berlin, Germany.

They both recognize that there will be challenges to getting a community band from concept to practice, but they are optimistic about the musical potential in the Lakes District.

鈥淲e have a very, very, fine and supportive musical town here,鈥� said

Oxendale. 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled with that, but practically nobody knows about it.鈥�

With both music teachers busy teaching students throughout the district, a community band should be something that could get off the ground. But both teachers know that public performances can be intimidating. But they don鈥檛 have to be that way.

That鈥檚 the idea behind having informal music workshops in the context of a larger, more formal, music festival.

鈥淲e want a welcoming atmosphere without the stress that is often associated with festivals,鈥� said Zechendorf. 鈥淲e want to lead people to the point where they want to perform in public.鈥�

Oxendale shares Zechendorf鈥檚 feeling that performance as a band is an uplifting and fulfilling opportunity for any musician.

鈥淭here are perceptions that festivals are these deep, dark, dank things,鈥� Oxendale said. 鈥淭hese days they are anything but that. They are friendly and encouraging.鈥�

Zechendorf said that the weekend workshops can accommodate a maximum of 20 participants in total. In all, there will be five 90-minute workshops sessions and a final group performance. Registration for the workshops has been extended beyond the festival鈥檚 general Feb. 15 deadline.

Musicians of all levels are invited to contact either Zechendorf or Oxendale for more information.

Full details and contact information can be found at: http://www.ldfestival.com/instrumental.html