ZOOM | Spring 2016

ROBERT COLASANTO
A newly carved totem pole stood bathed in a red spotlight at the
corner of the Great Hall stage for International Choral Kathaumixw
2014, placed there in a special ceremony at the opening gala
concert. The totem pole had created a buzz around the community
of Powell River for months after Mayor Dave Formosa came up with
the idea of presenting one as top prize to the Choir of the World
at Kathaumixw. Where would the totem pole end up? All week at
performances, both competitions and concerts, audiences listened
to various choirs, wondering which would be declared the best.
St. Stanislav Youth Choir from Ljubljana, Slovenia, a country of two
million people, was announced the winner of the totem pole amid
thunderous cheers at the Gala Closing Concert. The size of Victoria,
Ljubljana is situated in a little corner of the Alps. A delegation from
Powell River travelled to that European country in May 2015 to
present the totem pole to the city. A documentary of the journey by
filmmaker Claudia Medina-Culos can be viewed at kathaumixw.org.
Tla’amin First Nation carver Craig Galligos is working on a second
totem pole for Kathaumixw 2016. Again there is a buzz in the
community about where the new one will end up. This year’s list
of choirs includes those from Hong Kong, Hungary, New Zealand,
Austria, and South Africa, as well as from across the United States
and Canada. Whether from near or far, one of those choirs will
earn a unique prize for its community as a tribute to its choral
performances. Having such an award provides incentive for choirs
to come to Kathaumixw instead of another festival, according to
Artistic Director Paul Cummings.
INTERNATIONAL CHORAL KATHAUMIXW 2016 TAKES PLACE JULY 5–9. SEE WWW.KATHAUMIXW.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS.
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