In February 1998, two people met and discovered that they shared a dream: Robert Elstone and Sandra Brewer both wanted to make Burlington aware of the musical talent in the city and to acknowledge the high calibre of professional teaching here. Robert was a member of Rotary Central Club; Sandra was a member of The Ontario Registered Music Teachers’
Association (ORMTA/Hamilton/Halton Branch) - an auspicious combination!

Robert and Sandra presented their ideas to their colleagues later that month, and The Rotary Burlington Fall Music Festival was formed. Robert was tasked with finding representatives from the four Rotary clubs: Rotary Burlington, Rotary Central, Rotary North, and Rotary Lakeshore. Sandra had to organize a music committee from ORMTA members.

In May 1999, Mike Taylor became the festival’s inaugural benefactor with his donation of $5,000, making the first Rotary Burlington Fall Music Festival a reality. Mike continues to
generously support the Festival to this day. Festival week was scheduled to start November 15, 1999, with the Grand Festival Concert on Friday, November 19. Under Joan Myers, the music committee mailed syllabi to music teachers within a 50-mile radius of Burlington. Registrations poured in during the last week of September — double the anticipated number, presenting the board with a new challenge: how to
schedule 800 performances in just four days!

Success! The Grand Festival Concert was spectacular. Speeches were made by Robert and by Heather Laliberte, ORMTA President. The performers awed the audience. It was an exhilarating time for all involved and a sleepless 24 hours for the music committee.

The Festival grew to 1,200 entries the next year thanks to its friendly reputation, earned in large from the diligent work of the volunteer board, the music committee and the hundreds of volunteers. The Festival also has tremendous support from people such as inaugural board member Reg Irish and his family, who established the Mark Irish Memorial Fund that awards more than $1,500 in scholarships annually. We hope that the Burlington community will attend the 10th Rotary Burlington Music Festival in November 2008. Sadly, Robert Elstone passed away April 12, 2007, before this story could be told. But his name and commitment to the Festival will live on in the music that is shared.

Burlington Footnotes present a Cool Cabaret

Swing and tap, comedy and quartets—a full range of performing talent will be on display at the 3rd annual Come to the Cabaret. Burlington Footnotes artists over the age of 50 will be performing at the Dofasco Centre for the Arts in Hamilton on Wednesday, August 27 at 2 pm and 7 pm.

Talent from around the Golden Horseshoe will team up under the Artistic Direction of Rosemarie Maurice for two performances of cool fun. After each show, audience members are invited to dance their troubles away with the popular senior’s band Side by Side providing the sounds of classic pop music. Tickets are $20 ($17.50 for groups of 20 or more) and are on sale at boxoffice@theatreaaquarius.org or by calling 905-522-7815. Drinks and snacks will be available. Come help celebrate the talents of the 50+ generation.