Dear Sir:
I wish to extend my sincerest thank you to the Pacific Northwest Music Festival committee for the bursary awarded to my son, Matthew McDicken, for his performances at this year’s festival.
The award was given to him to help with the cost of tuition to attend a summer music camp for his instrument.
After a bit of online searching, I enrolled him in a two-week piano academy at the University of Victoria.
This was a great experience for him in many ways.
He had the opportunity to see daily concerts from senior students and several evening concerts by some of Victoria’s best piano players.
More importantly, he received a lot of inspiration by being witness to the exceptional playing and work ethic of his classmates, some of who were younger and playing at a higher level than himself.
In fact, the level attained by some of these young musicians was simply astonishing.
My son left the camp with the motivation not only to continue to play piano, but also with the desire to reach the level he saw from some of his peers.
For him to see the dedication, the commitment to daily practice, and the results that can occur when one works hard, is worth much more than the monetary costs to attend the academy.
These are also the same attributes that will help to make him successful in anything he chooses to do in life.
This is exactly what the festival society’s philosophy states on its website, “… to encourage them (art students) to continue to strive for excellence through learning….”
If Matthew had simply received cash or a cheque from the festival instead of a voucher to attend a music camp, I’m sorry to say he would have just spent it on things, like computer games, and we would not have even thought to send him to this camp.
Thank you once again to the festival committee for your contribution and your commitment to music and arts in our community.
Daryl McDicken,
Terrace, B.C.