Educational Corner

In addition to our annual summer concert series, The Festival at Sandpoint is passionate about its year-round educational mission in the community.  The Festival works cooperatively with other organizations and schools in the region to present a variety of educational programs to inspire, educate and assist area youth: 

 

Summer Youth Music Camp

July 9-12, 2018, Dr. Jason Moody and an amazing faculty of professional musicians will lead four fun-filled days of music instruction in Sandpoint, Idaho! Classes include symphony orchestra, choir, chamber music, jazz band, classical guitar, ukulele, flute ensemble, master classes and more. This camp is designed for musicians of all abilities (ages 8-18) and will be held at Sandpoint High School. There will be an All-Star Faculty Concert at the historic Panida Theater to help inspire students for their own concert at the Panida on the last night of camp! For more information click here!

 

5th Grade Outreach

A community-based educational program with school performances throughout Bonner and Boundary County and free tickets for over 800 kids and their families to attend either the Festival’s Family or Grand Finale symphonic concerts.  This program is designed to inspire students before they have the opportunity to play in their 6th grade bands.

 

 

Youth Strings Orchestra

Sponsoring beginning, intermediate and advanced string ensembles.  This program also provides cellos, instruction and a summer cello camp.  This program was founded with the assistance of local music instructors Karen Dignan and Beth Weber and is especially supported by the Confidence Foundation with additional help from the Holly Eve Foundation. If you are interested in becoming a part of the beginning intermediate or advanced ensemble contact Karen Dignan at (208) 597-6717 or sandpointfiddle@gmail.com.

 

Instrument Assistance Program

Our goal is to assist elementary students with rental instruments so they can participate in 6th grade band at their schools.  Children receive full scholarships for the rental of their instruments for the entire school year.  We have also repaired and provided new instruments throughout the school district at all grade levels: An oboe for the Sandpoint Middle School, new pianos for the Sandpoint Charter School, Washington Elementary, and Southside Elementary, a trombone to Southside Elementary, two marimbas for the Sandpoint Middle School and Sandpoint High School, bass drums and cymbals for every Lake Pend Oreille District elementary school, and repair kits to assist music teachers with the upkeep of existing instruments.  This program also provided a matching grant that enabled the Bulldog Band Boosters to raise funds for a new tuba for the Sandpoint High School Band.  The Festival has also purchased much needed teaching and study materials to supplement the curriculum for elementary music teachers and students.

 

Scholarships

The annual Festival Music Scholarship is awarded to top Bonner County student instrumentalist who is planning to pursue a future in music.  The Festival also presents a scholarship in conjunction with the Angels Over Sandpoint, rotating its focus annually to encourage various aspects of the arts: Visual Arts, Theater/Dance, Vocal Performance and Writing.

 

Family Concert: An affordable opportunity for kids and their families to share a musical afternoon.  The Spokane Youth Orchestra performs with local dancers and soloists.  Per-concert activities include games, face painting, and the ever-popular “Instrument Petting Zoo” where children can try various instruments on for size assisted by student mentors from the Sandpoint High School and Sandpoint Charter School Bands.

 

You can help! 

Do you have an old instrument gathering dust in your closet?  We’ll recondition it and put it in the hands of a local band student who needs your help…and you get a tax deduction!  To help out, call us at 888-265-4554.

 

WORKING COOPERATIVELY TO BENEFIT KIDS IN THE ARTS