Five talented Lakeland performing arts students are off to compete in the national and provincial categories of the Saskatchewan Music Festival Provincials (SMFP) from May 30-June 2.

Following the wrap-up of this year's Kiwanis Lloydminster and District Music Festival, James Griffith and Corie Groome will participate in national categories. The national designation is the provincial competition level of nationals that students must first win to get to the national competition.

Griffith, who takes saxophone lessons under the instruction of Kimberly Drury, will compete in the National Woodwind Solo class. Last year, Griffith won both his provincial and national classes at the SMFP and earned third place in the Woodwinds category of the 2018 National Music Festival and National Conference​. Groome, who takes voice lessons with instructor Kathryn Edwards,will compete in the National Musical Theatre Solo class.

Both of these students also received recommendations to participate in the Intermediate Woodwind Scholarship provincial class and the Intermediate Folksong/Ballad Voice Scholarship class.

“Getting to compete in the national category again at provincials is an awesome opportunity,” says Groome, who competed at the level last year.

“With the feedback I received from the district festival adjudicator, I'm excited to compete in the national category, sing my three songs and leave it all on the stage,” says Groome. Groome is wrapping up her sixth and final year with Lakeland. She's waitlisted for Sheridan College's bachelor of musical theatre performance program in Ontario.

Two other vocal students with Kathryn Edwards will also participate at provincials. Raygen Moore will compete in a Junior Voice Scholarship class and Layla Scott will compete in the Junior Musical Theatre Scholarship class.

Brass student Denae Bottorff, who takes trumpet lessons with Andrian Antinero, will compete in the Senior Brass Recital Scholarship class. 

“I'm excited and I'm nervous. This is my first time competing at the provincial level, but it'll be a cool experience. Learning at Lakeland has opened me up more to music and it helped me a lot. I don't think I'd be here without the lessons I've been taking,” says Bottorff. The Grade 10 student has been learning the trumpet for approximately five years and enrolled in Lakeland music lessons three years ago.

Along with these outstanding awards, nine other Lakeland students received awards and scholarships at the local festival.

“We're so proud of the accomplishments of our students. This recognition exemplifies the quality instruction our students receive from their instructors and the commitment of our students to practice and study to obtain these achievements,” says Mona Smith, Lakeland's performing arts facilitator.

Photos: Top - Denae Bottorff playing trumpet. Bottom - Corie Groome will sing three times at the national event.