Rosetown Music Festival president honoured with Provincial Volunteer Award

Claire Seibold, president of the Rosetown & District Music Festival Association, has been recognized for her decades of dedication to music education and festival work with the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association’s District Music Festival Volunteer Award.

Seibold received the award at the SMFA and Saskatchewan Registered Music Teachers’ Association joint conference, held at the University of Saskatchewan on Oct. 24 and 25.

Claire was also presented with an Adjudicator Excellence Award by SMFA.  She is pictured with Laurel Teichroeb from Yorkton who adjudicated piano classes in Rosetown in 2018.

A native of a farm near Brock, Seibold grew up surrounded by music and horses. She began piano lessons in Kindersley with Lela Bourne and later earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Saskatchewan, studying piano with Robin Harrison and organ with Harry Abley. She also completed an ARCT Teachers’ Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music and is a Certified Advanced Teacher of piano, theory, and history.

Seibold has been teaching piano and theory in Rosetown for more than 40 years. She has served on the Rosetown Music Festival Committee since 1982, holding every executive position except treasurer, and currently serves as president. Under her leadership, the festival has maintained high standards and professionalism, with Seibold actively encouraging students, engaging community sponsors, and welcoming volunteers.

“She brings an intangible enthusiasm for music and the festival to the entire Rosetown community,” said Debbie McCulloch, who nominated Seibold for the award. “There is no job, large or small, that Claire won’t do to promote, organize, and oversee this most successful festival.”

Seibold has also contributed her expertise to the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association at the provincial level and adjudicates at numerous district festivals across Saskatchewan. Her own early experiences in music festivals continue to inspire her work, ensuring that local youth have similar opportunities to perform and grow.

Outside of teaching and festival duties, Seibold serves as organist at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, enjoys gardening, golfing, and cheering on hockey games with her grandchildren. She and her husband, Richard, are proud to have all seven grandchildren living nearby.

The Rosetown Music Festival, under Seibold’s leadership, is on track to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2029, a milestone she is committed to reaching with the same dedication and care that has defined her career.