Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Grande Prairie and District Music Festival fonds
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- Textual record
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- Source of title proper: Title based on contents of fonds.
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Fonds
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Physical description
30 cm of textual records
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Administrative history
The concept of the Grande Prairie Music Festival originated with the "Women's Music Club" that was active in Grande Prairie in 1921. This organization promoted the idea of music festivals. Early organizers of festivals included Mrs. F. Barber-Smith, A.E. Galway, and L. B. Yule, Superintendent of Schools. The first joint festival with Peace River and Grande Prairie participants was held May 25-26, 1927. By 1932, Grande Prairie was holding its own annual festivals, and in 1945 the festival became non-competitive. This resulted in a decline of interest and there are no records of festivals held from 1948 to 1951. Attempts were made to revive the festival as a competition in 1952-1953, but it was not until 1959 that music teacher Martin Intscher led the commuinity to re-establish the music festival. With the support of the Allied Arts Council and the Grande Prairie School Board, the next festival was held in 1962 and annual festivals have been held ever since. In 1962, the festival categories included elocution, public speaking, penmanship, dancing, drama, art, and crafts as well as music entries. A number of organizational innovations were attempted in order to improve the calibre of participants. To this end, Grande Prairie planned to share the festival with Dawson Creek on a rotational basis. Only one such festival, the Peace Country Arts Festival in 1964, was held in Dawson Creek. In 1965, Grande Prairie joined the Alberta Music Festival Association and through this affiliation has opened the festival to participants from the entire Peace country. The name was later changed to Grande Prairie and District Music Festival, and is still in operation.
Custodial history
The earliest of these records were housed at the Grande Prairie Public Library and were donated by Libarian, Pam Chislett, to South Peace Regional Archives in 2008 and 2009. An accrual of Festival programs and Grand Concert programs was donated by Barbara Donkin in 2009.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of a history of music festivals in Grande Prairie, district, financial statements, Festival programs, Festival Grand Concert programs and a copy of the Alberta Music Festival Association annual report for 1985.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Grande Prairie Public Library by gift agreement, 2008.
Barbara Donkin by gift agreement, 2009.
Arrangement
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Location of originals
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Finding aids
A finding aid is available at http://southpeacearchives.org/finding-aids/grande-prairie-district-music-festival/
Associated materials
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
Alpha-numeric designations
Accession numbers: 2008.007; 2009.56; 2009.89
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Level of detail
Partial
Language of description
- English