Our History

Our History

The "Festival" began in 1927 as the Victoria Music Festival, its purpose being "to promote, arrange and carry on competitive musical festivals, and to engage in other activities having as their object the development of musical ability and appreciation of good music and its allied arts". At that time it was a major event in the City's cultural and social life with - according to the Mayor in 1935 - one-tenth of Victoria's population represented. Two of the trophies currently awarded have their roots in those first years - the Rose Bowl (voice) and the City of Victoria Medallion (piano).

Over the years, the name has changed to reflect the addition of studio dance and speech arts and instruments have been added and deleted. Currently, there are classes in Brass, Choral, Classical Guitar, Composers, Ethnic Performance, Fiddle, Harp, Piano, School Dance, School Bands, Speech and Dramatic Arts, Strings, Studio Dance, Orchestras, Vocal and Woodwinds. Participants range in age from 4 - 70 years.

The "Festival" is a member of the Provincial Festival and provides students with the opportunity to be recommended by adjudicators for competition at the Provincial and National levels. As a result, it has been and continues to be, an important stepping-stone for many talented young Victoria musicians and performing arts students in their development as professional artists.