As the Greater Moncton Music Festival nears its eighty-fifth year since the first music festival was held here in 1935, never has there been such a profusion of music genres and musical creation.
The world of music is rapidly changing. Yet, our goals remain the same: to offer a unique learning experience in classical music with renowned adjudicators, to provide an opportunity to perform in public and to offer a preparatory step for those who may wish to pursue a musical career. To celebrate the beauty of music in all its forms we, too, are changing. We continue to add new classes based on the preferences of our young people. Our goal is to keep the festival instructive and fun.
To provide a unique learning experience with renowned adjudicators, an opportunity to perform and be heard in public, a preparatory step toward a musical career, a chance to win prizes and honours and a chance to represent our area at provincial and national levels. The festival will continue to promote, encourage and celebrate musical accomplishments of the youth in the Greater Moncton area to enhance a vibrant cultural community.
Donations:
If you would like to contribute to the Greater Moncton Music Festival, we accept donations so that we can continue to hold and expand the Festival each year. Donations can be placed here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-greater-moncton-music-festival-inc/
History:
The competitive music festival, complete with classes, adjudicators, certificates or other signs of recognition, had its beginnings in New Brunswick in the 1930’s. For long enough before that, there had been a variety of musical “happenings”, “get togethers”, “festivals” in both English-speaking and French-speaking communities of the province. These took the form of celebrations, some religious, some secular, variety shows, amateur hours, home or community entertainment, but without the element of formal competition.
In April 1935, the Junior Piano Festival, organized by the Women’s Musical Club of Moncton, was held in the Brunswick Hotel (Moncton) adjudicated by Professor J. Noel Brunton of Mount Allison Conservatory.
This first festival had 45 competitors in grades two, three, and four piano. The Festival Committee consisted of Miss Marion Murray, Mrs. Thomas Walsh, Mrs. W.F. Wheeler and Miss Alice Harrison. Alice Harrison had graduated from Mount Allison in 1897. She was a piano teacher, organist, and supervisor of school music in Moncton for 20 years (1924-46). She “worked with the Women’s Musical Club to organize the Junior Festival (1935-37) and the Moncton Music Festival (begun in 1937), and in 1950 was co-founder of the New Brunswick Music Teacher’s Assn (later the NBRMTA)” By the time of the fifth annual festival, now called Moncton Music Festival, in May, 1939, there were about 1000 entries in all classes (piano, violin, hymn-playing, school choirs and “interpretive readings”) adjudicated by Mr. J.F. Brown, Mus.Bac., A.R.C.O. of Saint John. The highlight of the 1941 Festival was Sir Ernest MacMillan of Toronto, as adjudicator.
In 1942, there were entries from outside the city and classes for small orchestras, wind instruments and rhythm bands. During the war years 1943-1946, there was no Moncton Festival. After the war, Alice Harrison, Ernest W. Freeborn, Corey Smith and others, all piano and voice teachers, formed the Moncton Music Teachers Association, the first of its kind in New Brunswick. The MMTA prepared the syllabus for the 1947 Moncton Music Festival which was sponsored by Radio Station CKCW and supported by the Women’s Music Club. Apparently there was strong impetus for this move from the CKCW station manager, Hubert Button, who continued the radio station sponsorship for the Festival for 10 years, even after the Women’s Musical Club had ceased to function. In the early’ 60’s, the Festival again floundered. It would be Centennial year, 1967, before the Moncton Music Festival made its reappearance. In the meantime, Moncton musicians would continue to participate and distinguish themselves in the New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music which had come into being in Saint John.
