I was fortunate to be involved with the Pentastic Jazz Festival once again this year. I am continually impressed with the board of directors and their awareness of the young musicians in our community. Although the festival attracts an older clientele, the kids in our community benefit from their actions. On Friday afternoon a free school concert was held in the beautiful newly renovated Shatford Centre featuring the popular Cajun band Gator Beat. Student passes were available for $10 for an entire day of quality music, and the donations collected at two non-ticketed events are split between the two high school music programs. We use these funds to assist students who cannot afford to pay for some of the music trips we do throughout the year at both Penticton Secondary School and Princess Margaret Secondary School.
It is so nice to see an organization support the youth in our community the way the Pentastic Jazz Festival does. A big thanks to Michael Campbell and his board of directors for hosting such a worthwhile event.
Don Grant, music teacher
Princess Margaret Secondary