🎶 Don't Miss the Dec 12 Deadline
Dear Directors,
We're thrilled to be well into into the 2026 Large Ensembles Festival registration period, and we're so grateful to have you with us. Your dedication to your students and to music education across our region is the heart of this festival, and we cannot wait to welcome your ensembles to the stage this year.
Registration Reminders
A quick reminder that the registration deadline for the 2026 Large Ensembles Festival is December 12, 2025.
Registrations received after December 12 will be accepted during our Late Registration Period (until January 25, 2026) with a $50 late fee per ensemble.
Scheduling requests close December 12.
No scheduling requests will be accepted after that date — even for late registrations.Ensembles registering during the late period will be scheduled into remaining available time slots.
If you haven't registered yet, we encourage you to do so soon to give your students the widest range of scheduling options.
Solo & Small Ensembles Registration Now Open
Registration for the 2026 Solo & Small Ensembles Festival (April 7–May 3, 2026)is now open!
All details can be found here:
👉 https://www.vkmfestivals.org/new-to-2026
Please feel free to share the link with your school community, private teachers, or any students who might want to participate.
Festival Team Updates
We also want to share a meaningful change within our VKMF team.
After six years of remarkable service, Vicki Cummings has stepped down as Executive Director. Her steady hand carried VKMF through the challenges of the pandemic and helped guide our recovery to over 6,000 participants last year. We are deeply grateful for her leadership and wish her the very best in her next chapter.
We are delighted to introduce our 2025–26 VKMF team:
Krista Pederson – Executive Director / Solo & Small Ensembles Coordinator
Sara Ramsay – Large Ensembles Coordinator / Development Coordinator
Franki Katz – Volunteer Coordinator / Development Coordinator
We are excited about the energy and ideas that this expanded team brings to VKMF.
Starting next week, you'll begin receiving our new Festival Faces emails—short features highlighting the adjudicators, volunteers, participants, and community members who help make the festival what it is.
These will be separate from our Festival Backstage newsletters, like the one you're reading now.
Festival Backstage is where you'll find important updates about registration, scheduling, logistics, and anything you need to know for festival planning.
Festival Faces will focus on the people and stories behind the music—and won't include any essential festival details you might miss.
If you have any questions as you complete your registrations or navigate the new platform, please reach out anytime. We're here to make this process as straightforward and supportive as possible — and we're truly excited for the music ahead.
Warmly,
Sara Ramsay
Large Ensembles Coordinator / Development Coordinator
Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festivals
sara.ramsay@vkmfestivals.org
www.vkmfestivals.org
JAZZ: FEBRUARY 25-27, 2026 (W-F)
CBO: MARCH 2-7, 2026 (M-S)
CHORAL: MARCH 9-12, 2026 (M-TH)
REGISTRATION: OCT 15-DEC 12
LATE FEES: DEC 13 - JAN 25
BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH
22680 WESTMINSTER HWY., RICHMOND, BC V6V 1B7