​2025 Concert Performances

Our second concert of the year is a joint concert with the Calgary Classical Guitar Society that is scheduled for Saturday, May 31st.  This will be held at Christ Moravian Church 2-4 pm. We will be selling tickets at the nominal price of $10 so we can recoup venue costs. (All minors under the age of 18 will be allowed to attend for free.  However, a parent or guardian must accompany minors at all times during the concert and the intermission.  We will require acknolwedgement of this stipulation on the ticket form.  Any monies received in excess of the venue rental will be deemed donations to be split evenly between our two non-profit groups  All tickets and/or donations (if you are so inclined) are now available for purchase and for booking for this event!  The purchase and booking of tickets is a two step process.  You will first have to submit a ticket form (which includes a separate section for the free tickets for minors) and then e-transfer the ticket amount to pianojazzlover@gmail.com.  More details are on our Events page.

 

ALMSG had its inaugural concert fundraiser on Saturday, February 1st at a recital hall at Ambrose University.  We received many cash donations at the venue and significant e-transfer donations such that we totally surpassed our fundraising goal!  Thank you to everyone who supported us with your presence on that cold blizzardy concert day.  We are so grateful to you! 

​

Members' Orchestra/Band Concert Nights

Kaylene started up her Ambrose Arts Orchestra rehearsals on Thursday evenings in September 2024 and her orchestra had two spring concerts. The first was the Edwin Gnandt Concerto Concert which took place on Friday, March 21st at Calgary First Church of the Nazarene (65 Richard Way SW).  The second was the Ambrose Arts Fusion Event on April 11th at Ambrose University. Tickets$20 adults, $15 seniors and students, children under 12 free

 

Edel also resumed her Westwinds Blue Band rehearsals on Thursday nights.  She had a spring concert with her Blue Concert Band on March 8th at 3 pm Knox United Church in DT.

The year end Concert in the Park for her band was on May 10 12 - 5 pm at Park 96 located at 14660 Parkland Blvd SE, free admission.  

 

Sandra joined Westwinds Green Strings Band in Sept, 2024,to learn cello, which is a totally new experience for her.  Her band rehearsal nights are on Monday evenings.  She had a spring concert at Knox United Church in DT @ 7 pm on March 8th. Her Green Strings band played at the year end Concert in the Park on May 10, 12 - 5 pm at Park 96

​

Kim D. is a member of Westwinds Blue Strings which has their rehearsals on Wednesday nights.  Her Blue Strings band had their Spring concert at the same time as Edel's Blue Band, on March 8th at 3 pm at Knox United. Kim's Blue Strings band also played at the year end Concert in the Park on May 10, 12 - 5 pm at Park 96 

​

​

​Members' Completed Music Exams​​

​​​​

• Joanne, north of Saskatoon SK, Completed Level 9 Piano Exam Jun'23

       Congratulations, Joanne!

• Edel, Calgary AB, Completed Level 9 Piano Exam Jun'23

       Congratulations, Edel!​​

• ​Kathleen, Calgary AB, Completed Level 2 Piano Exam Nov'23

         Congratulations, Kathleen!​

• Sandra, Calgary AB, Completed Level 6 Piano Exam June 21st, 2024

           Congratulations, Sandra​!​

• Kim Y, Calgary AB, Completed LRCM Piano Exam June 2024                Congratulations, Kim!

• Frank, Calgary AB, Completed Level 1 Piano Exam April 2025                     Congratulations, Frank!​​

• Kaylene, Calgary AB, Completed Level 8 ABRSM Performance Exam for Violin in April 2025 Congratulations, Kaylene

​

Members' Participation in Music Festivals and Camps 

​​​

In terms of summer camps, some pianist members have already registered for CASSA, July 15-17 or Lethbridge Piano Intensive, July 4-6, or both. The following members are taking part in a piano summer camp - Sandra, Graham, Dorothy, Kathleen, Claude and there are more members that are thinking of signing up.  Kaylene has registered for a strings camp for viola in Edmonton called the Rusty Musicians Summer Camp running July 2-6. 

 

The APTA Festival 2025 ran Mar 1-15, 2024

• The following members took part and the dates and times of their recital classes are listed below:

• Alan & Kaylene, Intermediate Combo, Mar 3 1:30 pm

• Alan, Adult Recital Advanced, Mar 4 6:30 pm

• Kathleen, Adult Solo Junior, Mar 5 3:30 pm

• Claude, Adult Recital Senior, Mar 10 1:30 pm

• Claude, Adult Solo Senior. Mar 11 10:30 am

​

The ARMTA Adult Recital 2025 was held on February 9th 4:30 - 6:00 pm at Cornerstone Music and Cafe.  It was packed as it is a very small venue. 

• Alan on piano and Kaylene on violin, will be playing a duo

• Graham on piano​​

• ​

The Contemporary Showcase Festival ran November 21-23, 2024

• Graham and Alan, Piano, had entered this festival.  Their performance class was Nov 21st 7:45 pm.

 

This year, the Adult LPI (Lethbridge Piano Intensive) had a different format from the previous four years.  Instead of the first two Saturdays in June, it took place on 3 consecutive days on July 5 - 7, 2024 and the following members and family members took part in person unless otherwise noted:

• Graham and Alan, Alan's daughter, Sandra's daughter (senior level)

• Dorothy, Linda, Sandra (intermediate level)

• Kathleen (beginner level) via Zoom on Friday, in person on Saturday and via Zoom on Sunday

As you can see, many different levels of pianists participated and most importantly felt welcome at this summer camp.  The LPI clinicians, of which there are five, met each pianist at their level and taught each participant utilizing their own unique teacher training specialties.   This was done with warmth and kindness as these clinicians are deeply invested in our learning growth and in us as individual people and not just what we do on the piano.   Please read the July newsletter as I essentially wrote a detailed summary of the smorgasboard of learning that we were offered.

​

The North York Music Festival runs April 5-28, 2024.  The registration for virtual entries opens Mar 1 and ends April 1st.  Video entries must be submitted by April 1st to be considered.

• Kaylene entered this virtual festival for Adult Level 9/10 Violin and submitted three video performances -two on violin and one on viola.  Update:  Kaylene achieved gold for all three of her submissions.  Congratulations, Kaylene!

• Ann entered this virtual festival for Adult Level 3 Piano and submitted five performance videos.  She achieved gold on four and she will be attending the Presentation Gala in June as she lives in Toronto.  Congratulations, Ann!

​

​​​​​

Community Service/Volunteering

​

Our group will be performing a community service by performing at Edgemont Retirement Home sometime in June.  Please look for more details here and on "Our Events" page.

​

​Sandra currently volunteers:​

• for MountainView Festival, JazzYYC and ProArts Society as a casino volunteer: the most recent in June'24, Oct'24 and March'25 respectively as a casino volunteer - 

Edel volunteered in 2025 :​

• for the APTA festival as secretary for the adjudicator

Claude currently volunteers:

• for Alberta Health Services as a patient support musician volunteer.  He plays the piano weekly at the South Health Campus weekly on Mondays 6:30 - 7:30 pm ​

​

updated May 12, 2025