by Eva Li, Grade 10 Student
The Canadian International Music Festival (CIM) provides a platform for young musicians across the country to connect and showcase their skills in a competitive yet encouraging environment. As a Grade 10 student at Elmwood School, co-founding the Canadian International Music Festival allowed me to transform this simple idea into a vibrant platform to host a community of young musicians from across the country. This festival features a variety of performances and competitions in instruments like the piano, violin, guzheng and many more.
My passion for music has always been a significant part of who I am since childhood. As someone who plays two instruments, the piano and guzheng, it has not only been a personal joy and hobby but also a way to connect with others, something I’ve only come to realize in recent years. However, I wanted more opportunities for these young Canadian musicians to showcase their skills and gain stage experience and presence, whether it was by performing or competing with others. Having participated in many music festivals and other music competitions abroad, I realized the potential for creating a similar platform in Canada. The idea for the CIM festival started by creating a space where young musicians can compete, collaborate, and connect with like-minded individuals. By using the universal language of music to build bridges between young musicians, helping them grow as musicians while also connecting people of diverse backgrounds. Featuring a diverse range of instruments, allowing the opportunities to listen and explore different cultures through music.
The festival brings together musicians to share their passion for music and receive invaluable guidance and feedback from very accomplished professional musicians.
This festival provides a unique learning experience, allowing participants to refine their skills and receive feedback to help them grow as performers.
One of our highlight adjudicators is Marc Djokic, one of Canada’s most accomplished violinists, who has performed with various renowned Orchestras such as the Orchestre Classique de Montréal. Another of our fantastic adjudicators was Dr. Park, a distinguished graduate of the Juilliard School as a soloist with various orchestras like the UBC Orchestra.
On November 30, at the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Kanata, we hosted the first year of this annual festival, with a total of 300 attendees and 100 participants. This event brought together a community of young musicians, and organizing this festival has been an incredibly educational and enriching experience for me. It has also allowed me to explore outside of my comfort zone and experiment with a lot of new things like website design, registration platforms, and schedule development, as well as backstage support. Looking forward, I am excited to see how the festival will continue to expand and create even more opportunities for young aspiring musicians like myself.