Annual Festival award winners

Here are the award winners from the 77th Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts, which were presented during the annual “Highlights Concert” held May 9 at the Townshend Theatre:
Drama
•Joan Miller Award (best stage presence, Grade 4 and under)–Zoey Bruyere
•Board of Education Award, Elementary (most promising student, Grade 6 or under)–Jenna Bailey
•Board of Education Award, Intermediate (most promising student, Grades 7 or 8)–Christian Wiedenhoeft and Maya Davis
•Board of Education Award, Senior (most promising student, Grades 9-12)–Callahan Wiedenhoeft
•Jean Boileau Award (best individual performance in Drama division)–Mira Donaldson
•Little Theatre Award (best newcomer)–Parker Sisco
•Woods’ Award (choral speaking, Early Years)–J.W. Walker School, Early Years (N. Thomson and A. Pierce)
•St. Mary’s Catholic Women’s League Award (choral speaking, Grades 1, 2, or 3)–Robert Moore School, Grade 3 (A. Norris)
•Joan Allison Award (choral speaking, Grades 4, 5, or 6)–St. Francis School, Grade 5 (A. Gurski)
•Business and Professional Women’s Club Award (choral speaking, Grades 7 or 8)–Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program (Y. Veldhuisen)
•Elaine Jardine Award (best choral speaking performance, elementary)–St. Michael’s School, Grade 2 (R. Wood)
•Elks Lodge Award( best drama, play or skit, elementary)–Robert Moore Drama Club (C. Richards)
•CJD Readers Theatre Award (best readers theatre, elementary)–Olivia Handberg, Alexis Latter, Gemma Perreault, and Rachel St. Croix
•Kiwanis Club French Award (most promising student in French poetry, Grades 1-3)–Aubrey Johnson
•Canadian Parents for French Award (most promising student in French poetry, Grades 4-8)–Christian Wiedenhoeft
Piano
•Saulteaux Consulting and Engineering (most promising piano student, examination courses, primary or introductory level)–Addison Chown
•Barbara and Bruce Murray Award (most promising piano student, examination courses, beginner to Grade 2)–Mikka Slack
•Middle C Music Award (most promising piano student, examination courses, Grades 3 or 4)–Presley McQuaker
•Fort Frances Lions Club Award (outstanding achievement, examination courses, Grades 5 or 6)–Grace Kooistra
•Emily Louise Austin Award (best piano student, examination courses, Grades 7 or 8)–Mira Donaldson
•Kinsmen Club of Fort Frances Award (most promising piano student, examination courses, Grades 9 or 10)–Jacob Erickson
•Dallman Award (to encourage young, promising piano students, awarded to the piano Rose Bowl recipient)–Mika Kooistra
•RoseMarie DeGagne Memorial Award (outstanding achievement, method courses, Level I)–Piper Lidkea
•Clarence and Gertrude Bujold Family Award (outstanding achievement, method courses, Level II)–Alexis Latter
•McIrvine Women’s Institute Award (outstanding achievement, method courses, Level III)–Laura Dykstra
•Clarence and Gertrude Bujold Family Award (outstanding achievement, method courses, Level IV, V, or VI)–Jackson Marchant
•Garton Music Award (outstanding musicality and performance, any level)–Brianna Eldridge
Vocal
•Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario Award (best choir in the Festival)–Robert Moore School Choir (N. von Niebelschutz and M. Cain)
•Knights of Columbus Trophy (primary choir, Grades K-3)–Robert Moore Grade 1 class (J. Burns and M. Cain)
•Lillian Thomas Memorial Award (most promising vocalist, 10 years and under)–Piper Lidkea and Cassandra Armstrong
•Vocal Teachers’ Award (most promising vocalist, 12 years and under)–Christian Wiedenhoeft
•June Clink Memorial Award (most promising vocalist, 14 years and under)–Carmen Hebert
•Elfé Forsberg Trophy (most promising vocalist, 16 years and under)–Callahan Wiedenhoeft
•BDO Canada Award (best vocal duet)–Anna Schwartz and Emma Dykstra
•Rainy River District Festival Award (outstanding achievement)–Fort Frances Youth Ensemble comprised of Anna Schwartz, Katelyn and Joelle Bruyere, Adrianna McCoy, Piper Lidkea, and Callahan and Christian Wiedenhoeft (C. Schwartz).
Instrumental
•Harper Simmons Award (best brass soloist)–Mira Donaldson
•Fort Frances Rotary Club Award (best woodwind soloist)–Mira Donaldson
•Loyal Orange Lodge #990 Award (best string soloist, including guitar)–Scott Jolicoeur
•Helen Parris Memorial Award (outstanding musicality for strings, including guitar, solo or ensemble)–Mika Kooistra
•Ralph Whetstone Trophy (best band)–FFHS Grade 7-8 Band (J. Bonner-Vickers)
Rose Bowls
•Katelyn Bruyere (vocal)
•Scott Jolicoeur (instrumental)
•Mika Kooistra (piano)
Highlights
Concert Awards
•Adrianna McCoy and Brianna Eldridge (vocal)
•Reese Jolicoeur, Grace Kooistra, and Alexa Veldhuisen (instrumental)
•Morgan Beckett, Alexis Latter, and Cassandra Armstrong (drama)
•Naomi Dunn, Reese Jolicoeur, and Joelle Bruyere (piano)
Scholarships
and bursaries
•Anna Schwartz–Festival Arts Bursary (vocal)
•Mira Donaldson–Festival Arts Bursary (instrumental)
•Mira Donaldson–Festival Arts Bursary (drama)
•Katelyn Bruyere–Debussy Piano Bursary
•Mira Donaldson–Muriel Ross Memorial Scholarship (piano)
•Joelle Bruyere–Festival Arts Bursary (piano)
The following were recommended to compete at the Manitoba provincials:
•Katelyn Bruyere, Brianna Eldridge, Carmen Hebert, Callahan Wiedenhoeft, and Anna Schwartz (vocal)
•Mira Donaldson, Scott Jolicoeur, Mika Kooistra, and Alexa Veldhuisen (instrumental)
•Morgan Beckett, Maya Davis, Mira Donaldson, Callahan Wiedenhoeft, and Christian Wiedenhoeft (drama)
•Joelle Bruyere, Katelyn Bruyere, Mira Donaldson, Naomi Dunn, Brianna Eldridge, Reese Jolicoeur, Mika Kooistra, Grace Kooistra, and Presley McQuaker (piano).