The Prince Albert Music Festival is back for their 78th year in March.
The registration closed for the festival on Jan. 17 but after a year without a Festival Coordinator they are back with a new coordinator.
Fran Atkinson is the new Festival Coordinator for the Prince Albert Music Festival. Atkinson was on the board until 2019 when she moved to Saskatoon.
“They had advertised last year that they weren’t going to have it anymore if there wasn’t a coordinator. And I’m newly retired, so I thought I can handle it,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson explained that as a newly retired person she has the capacity to work as a coordinator.
“I knew a lot of the people that are on the board because they had been on the board when I was previously,” Atkinson said.
She said that consistency in the board is always a great thing.
“It’s been interesting though to get up on the digital registration and music programs as opposed to the paper,” she explained.
Atkinson said that she is learning a lot from the transition from paper to electronic registration.
“So it keeps me busy,” she said.
Atkinson said that registration followed the typical patterns before it closed on Jan. 17.
“It was slow to start because we opened in December, it’s before Christmas, but right after Christmas, the first week, everybody’s getting back to their music lessons,” Atkinson said.
She explained that the week ahead of registrations closing was busy.
“We suddenly got tons of registrations on the website. We’re at about 200 right now,” Atkinson said.
She explained that for 2020 there was about 382 registrations and they were on par with normal.
“Like a lot of activities, they have their peaks and valleys and music festivals tend to be almost a dying art,” she said.
In the area there is the Prince Albert Music Festival, Melfort Musica Festival and Nipawin Music Festival as a few examples..
“And there’s one in Meadow Lake where I was before. And it’s a small one. It only lasts a week. Ours is three weeks, there’s Saskatoon. Like there’s the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association has a list of all of them. But they’re getting smaller and less registrants,” Atkinson explained.
She said that the Prince Albert Music Festival remains consistent despite some changes.
“We have different music teachers out there now because a lot are, from years ago have now retired. And so now we have newer kids and newer teachers,” she said.
She explained that the music programs in schools have also changed.
“There’s no more strings programs. We used to get a lot of entrants from Rivier when there was a vibrant music strings program in town,” Atkinson said.
She explained that there is still quality music programs in schools but they have changed.
“It’s more band stuff. So the strings music isn’t in the schools anymore, from my understanding here in Prince Albert, but they used to be.
She was also intrigued by the introduction of the Prince Albert Youth Jazz Band as another outlet for talented musicians.
“That’s something that I found was new when I was talking to one of the music teachers just last week is that there’s now a school jazz band whereas before you waited till you got to the university or was a member of the city concert band that would do jazz.
The 2026 Prince Albert Music Festival kicks off with the Instrumentals at Messiah Lutheran Church from March 2 to 4, Piano is at Messiah Lutheran from March 5 to 7, Band is at Ecole St. Mary High School from March 9 to 12. After a break they return with Voice and Choral at Messiah Lutheran from March 25 to 28.
“However, on, I believe it’s the evening of the 10th, the jazz band will be at Vincent Massey,” she said.
Atkinson explained that the awards are scheduled for March 13 and March 14 at Messiah Lutheran and the vocal awards are on March 29 at Messiah Lutheran. She said that times for the awards have not been confirmed definitely as of yet.
“But if they keep checking our Facebook page or our website, we’ll try and keep those up to date so they know the exact time.
Atkinson encouraged everyone to come out and support the young musicians in the Music Festival.
“For all those that want to listen to the youth and music, they’re welcome to attend any of the sessions. Our program will be on our website once it’s finalized, so they can look that up if they have friends, grandkids, that kind of thing they want to listen to,” Atkinson said.
