Musical Martens: family’s music festival history spans generations

It’s been a thrill for her to see them on stage.

“It was really exciting. I love music, it’s why I made a career out of it. I see so much value in it,” she said this week.

The music festival lineage almost ended with Amy though, who has doesn’t have the best memories of her festival experience. She says when she performed in her early teens the focus was on perfection.

“Consideration wasn’t really taken for building up the person playing, right,” she recalled. “So I remember getting up there playing. I’d worked so hard but was nervous, new place, had some slips and the adjudicator just kind of tore it apart.”

That soured her on the festival, but not music on general. She continued to play and went on to get a bachelor’s degree in piano performance with a focus on teaching. She later moved back to Medicine Hat with her husband and opened a music studio.

She says she vowed not to put her kids or students into the festival.

Enter current festival director Delynne Lorentzen, who had a more positive vision for the festival. Amy decided to give it a chance.

“I brought my own kids first and it was a positive so that’s eight years now and every year I bring my own piano students as well as my four kids,” she said. “Not once in eight years has anybody had a bad experience. The kids leave feeling encouraged, uplifted.”

Amy’s daughter Callie performed in the junior piano section on Wednesday. In her sixth festival, she’s enjoyed it and her experiences have been positive.

“I usually get some pretty good feedback on my songs and I usually enjoy playing it, my songs,” she said.

Younger brother William is in his second year at the festival and the adjudication last year made him want to come back

“He was very funny and like, encouraging,” said William.

Their grandmother Sylvia Klassen has many proud grandmother moments at this festival. She has seven grandchildren in total at the festival.

“It just warms my heart. It’s great to see them learn each year from the things that they do and the whole atmosphere here is such a heartwarming atmosphere,” she said.

Amy is also filled with pride for her kids and the many others who perform in the festival.

“There’s so much value in it for our students and our kids and we’re just really thankful for all the work that they’ve put into it and providing this opportunity for our kids to have a chance share and learn and grow together,” she said.

So the music can go on for another few generations.

The Rotary Music Festival runs this week and next, wrapping up with the Rose Bowl on March 17 and the Stars of the Festival concert on March 19. Find more information at rotarymusicfestival.com.

by Chris Brown

Musical Martens: family’s music festival history spans generations

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