Not too young to rock

July 20, 2009 · Filed Under Blog, Community, Festivals and Events

One story that is often overlooked about festivals is the great community work that many of them do throughout the year. This particular story is about Bluesfest’s ‘Be in the Band’ program that matches young musicians with mentors.

Ottawa musicians as young as 11 give Bluesfest their best shot on Sunday

Patrick Langston, The Ottawa Citizen

Imagine you’re 11 years old again. You’re in a band with people you didn’t even know last Christmas. You’ve worked hard, survived a squabble or two, polished a couple of classic rock songs to a rich sheen. Your reward? Something that’s the stuff of dreams: a performance spot at Bluesfest.

“I’m excited. I’ve never done anything that crazy before,” says Gwynneth Magnan. Eleven years old, she’s the vocalist for Full Tip Sleeve, an Ottawa sextet that’s part of Bluesfest’s Be in the Band initiative. The band, along with nine others, performs on Bluesfest’s Blacksheep stage Sunday afternoon.

A showcase on the last day of the festival, dressing rooms, a write-up on the festival’s official website: Bluesfest organizers are clearly keen on Be in the Band. Launched early this year, the program offered young musicians the chance to form a band under the mentorship of a professional musician. Six bands were born, with Bluesfest providing three months of rehearsal space along with a sound system at Ottawa Tennis Club facilities in the Glebe. In April, the bands joined forces for a jam-packed concert (“We were better than I expected, way better than in rehearsals,” says Gwynneth).

Originally, only the best band was to perform at Bluesfest. But during the April concert, Bluesfest’s executive/artistic director Mark Monahan announced that all six groups would get a spot on stage. “The kids were polished and enthusiastic,” says Monahan, himself once a young musician wanting to join a rock band (his instrument of choice, a French horn, nixed that fantasy). “Be in the Band is about the process (of band work), and I realized they were all good enough to play here.”

Full Story on the Ottawa Citizen website: Not too young to rock

Tags: Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, Community, concerts, live music, Ottawa Festivals, outdoor concert, performance, youth