By Bailey Finlay Bachelor of Music, University of Victoria My name is Bailey and I recently graduated from the University of Victoria with my Bachelor of Music. I grew up in Kamloops and started my musical journey studying with Cathy Dochstader and Kathleen Bogas, and attending KISSM. I was able to attend KISSM because I got a scholarship. I am extremely grateful for organizations like this. In February 2018 I am playing two recitals in Kamloops and all of the proceeds are going to the Kamloops Music Collective's Whole Note program. I was so lucky to begin my career in Kamloops, a community that provides so much support for blossoming musicians. I am beyond thrilled to be able to give back to the community with this amazing program.

Three of us were on a Canada Works Grant to work in the schools and play in the Symphony for most of 1979. For the summer we had the music camp. We had it at Cariboo College with about 40-60 students. I do remember the chef training program was going and every day we got a gourmet feast for lunch! Our grant ending made it difficult for us to stay full time. Juliet Proudman did and she became the administrator for the camp. I believe Steve Powie took over afterward Juliet also conducted the Kamloops Symphony for a number of years. I ended up coming back to Kamloops after getting my teaching degree and taught band at Chase Secondary. I played in the Symphony and Juliet was still conducting it and we were all involved in KISSM. That is where I met my husband. We have been married 32 years! Sandy King, Kamloops Left to right from top: Paul, Sheri, Ruth, Sandy King (nee Stewart), Sue, Catherine, Juliet, Randy, Pat.

By Dr. Michelle Cheramy, Flutist Professor of Music, Memorial University, St. John’s, NFLD I remember well my first experience of the Kamloops Interior Summer School of Music: it was about 1984, the camp that year was being held on the campus of what was then Cariboo College (now Thompson Rivers University), I was a young teenager, and I was excited to be spending two weeks in an environment dedicated entirely to making music. Little did I know then what a seminal experience the Kamloops Interior Summer School of Music would be in my life! Attending KISSM as a high school student (which I did more than once) opened my eyes to a big, big musical world: jazz combos, African drumming, musical theatre...there were so many rich musical opportunities to be had. The faculty were first class musicians and educators who embodied creativity, passion, and excellence. The energy of the faculty was inspirational, and it was immeasurable fun to connect with kids from all over the region who shared my love of music. After high school I decided to try to convert my love of music into a career in music, and KISSM was an important part of that journey. While a university student I returned several summers to work for the camp, and those summers taught me everything from the joy of working in a team driven by a shared vision to the difficulty of maintaining order in a junior saxophone ensemble (whew!). They also afforded me the opportunity to perform with established professional musicians, something keenly important for an emerging professional. As I finished school, landed my first orchestra job and then a full-time university teaching position, I returned to Kamloops for a couple of additional summers to teach as regular faculty at KISSM. It was an honour to contribute to the continued legacy of the camp that had nurtured me as a student, but distance and other commitments eventually ended my affiliation with it. Or so I thought! Fast forward twenty-plus years and here I am at KISSM again! This time I am here as a parent, having travelled 7500 kilometres to hand my own children over to the dedicated staff of the summer school. My heart is full of excitement for my kids because I know what great fun, great music and great memories await them. Since my time as a student at KISSM I have been lucky enough to perform as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician in venues across Canada and the US, and in Europe. The Kamloops Interior Summer School of Music nurtured and inspired me on my path to becoming the musician I am today, but even if I had not become a professional musician I would still consider my time at KISSM essential in my development as a person. I was and always will be proud to have been part of an organization that seeks to create an open, welcoming environment for all, and seeks to foster the best in each individual person (no matter how small)—goals that are universally relevant to all fields of endeavour.

By Lucas O’Fee Masters Student, UBC Overall, I can’t say enough about the service that KISSM provides to the music education community in BC. The summers I spent at Kamloops Interior Summer School of Music (KISSM) were incredibly valuable to my development as a young musician. I am currently completing my Master's Degree in trombone performance and the skills I developed as a KISSM student are still with me today. KISSM gave me the opportunity to explore music beyond my school’s band program. I had the pleasure of learning from some of British Columbia's best music educators which brought up my level of musicianship. For example, at KISSM I was encouraged to learn how to play the euphonium as a secondary instrument. Recently, I had the opportunity to use this skill as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. This is just one example of the countless ways that KISSM influenced my educational path and success as a performing musician. Overall, I can’t say enough about the service that KISSM provides to the music education community in BC. Many of the students I attended KISSM with have gone on to careers in music and music education. I consider some of the people I met at KISSM to be my longest and most treasured friendships. I am still in touch with many of the students I attended with throughout the years and I’m grateful to have had the chance to meet them.

By Jordan Baker Music Teacher, SD73 I realized working with students at KISSM was one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done in my life. I returned each year, not only because it was fun, but because I could see just how much impact I had on the kids. KISSM changed my life. At the time I was 13 and, of course, didn't want to go. It was school. In the summer. Luckily, my parents forced me to go, and I attended almost every year, after. Often, in high school, you try to blend in; you find your niche, and you stay there. I found that with my school's music program, but it wasn't until I went to the Kamloops Interior Summer School of Music when I was comfortable just being me all the time. The students all wanted to be there, the teachers were musicians and cared about your learning, and it was just a fun place to be. I had four glorious Julys as a student at music camp. I made new friends, played all kinds of neat music in Senior Band thanks to the instruction of the wonderful Keith Woodward, and I learned how to pronounce Malagueña properly. I reluctantly starred in a music video in Digital Audio class, and played Gimli on our radio play of The Lord of the Rings (Abridged). I even still have a partial copy of the recording somewhere. Alas, Grade 12 came around and I needed to focus on my future. I didn't go to camp after graduating that year; instead I got a job at a local pizzeria, and I thought I was past the KISSM stage of my life. Instead, I believed I would focus on getting a degree in journalism. KISSM wasn't done with me, however. Dick Dickens, who sadly passed away in 2009, was one of the directors for camp, and he knew me through my involvement in the Kamloops Community Band. He suggested I apply to be one of the university student employees; it would be a good job for the summer. And again, it was a wonderful experience. Oh sure, it was hard work some days – once we started at 8 am and didn't get home until midnight (thank goodness we gave Musical Theatre its own night to perform after that!) – but I got to see another side of camp. As a student, I didnn’t understand the organization, the long hours, and the dedication from the amazing staff that work there every year. I kept coming back to camp after that: a couple more years as an employee, and I even spent time volunteering on the board. It came to the point where camp was the one thing I looked forward to each year. I had people asking me, “so when are you going to be a music teacher?” I realized working with the students at camp was one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done in my life. I returned each year, not only because it was fun, but because I could see just how much impact I had on the kids. So I got my teaching degree, and thanks to my work at KISSM, the local school district hired me, and I get to teach music year round. KISSM has changed a lot over the years. Students I first saw there in Kindergarten are almost ready to graduate, dozens of staff members have come and gone, and it's used four different locations since I started. But it's still the same camp. It's still where I can't wait to go teach every summer. I wouldn't be where I am today – who I am today – if KISSM weren't part of my life. So thank you, KISSM. July can't come soon enough.