REGINA — As the thunder of Niagara Falls echoes through the city streets, the powerful sound of Canada’s most accomplished young performers filled the air.
This spring, three outstanding University of Regina students took the stage at the 54th MusicFest Canada: The Nationals, joining more than 7,000 student musicians and educators from across Canada to celebrate excellence in band, choir, jazz, and orchestral performance.
In the words of my Ellison choir director Scott Leithead, if everyone was in a choir, the world would be a better place — Ralph Reyes, Bachelor of Music Education, University of Regina
Selected through a highly competitive national audition process were Ari Wang and Ralph Reyes, both in their fourth year of the Bachelor of Music Education program jointly offered by the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Media, Art, and Performance (MAP), and Addisen Nelson, a second-year Bachelor of Music student in MAP.
Wang, on clarinet, and Nelson, on baritone saxophone, performed with the 2026 Jack Long National Honour Band. Reyes sang tenor one with the Ellison Canadian Honour Choir.
From Saskatchewan to the national spotlight
Applicants for the MusicFest ensembles submitted video auditions featuring scales, selected repertoire, and personal selections. After being accepted in March, participants spent weeks preparing independently before gathering in Niagara Falls to meet fellow ensemble members and begin rehearsals.
“It was really exciting,” says Nelson. “We rehearsed basically all day from Monday through Thursday. It was intensive, but also an amazing opportunity to learn and grow as a player.”
This festival also offered the students an opportunity to step outside their familiar environment and work with musicians from across the country.
“The conductors we worked with are really high-quality conductors. They're Canada famous,” says Wang. “I was really excited to work with them for a whole week and see how they interpreted the music."
For Reyes, this was his fourth time returning to the festival, having first performed in the choir in 2023. Despite a busy academic schedule, he didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation.
“I love the choir so much. The atmosphere, the people, the music — it’s just the best week. Some of the friends I made through the choir are now lifelong friends,” he says.
Early notes
Music has long played an important role in each student’s life, shaped by early experiences at home, in school, and in their communities.
Nelson’s connection to music began through dance. Growing up, her favourite style was tap, a form deeply influenced by jazz music. So, when the opportunity came to join band, saying yes felt natural, and so did choosing the saxophone.
“It was easy for me to pick my instrument because it was the same one my dad played when he was my age,” she says. “I was like, ‘This is what I want to do.'”
Wang first took childhood piano lessons before discovering band in school. “I thought it was fun. I kept doing it through high school and eventually decided, ‘Why not continue with music in university?’,” says Wang.
Reyes started out by learning guitar and piano before joining band in Grade 6 and choir later in high school. He jokes that his seven-year-old self, first wanted to play an instrument because it seemed cool and, admittedly, like a good way to show off. Although, underneath that classic kid's bravado, music was a big part of his home life, quietly shaping his interest all along.
“We have always been a very musical family. My mom loves music, and my dad plays a couple of instruments,” he says.
Composing the future
All three students credit faculty mentors and a supportive learning environment for helping shape their musical journeys.
“Studying music at the University of Regina has been a great experience for me,” says Nelson. “If I hadn’t come here, I wouldn’t be studying music.”
Alongside her music degree, Nelson is also completing a certificate in the foundations of science with plans to pursue medicine. This is a path she believes has been strengthened by her musical training. Through music, she has developed skills such as discipline, teamwork, collaboration, and the ability to receive and apply feedback, all of which she can transfer to a variety of professions.
She also credits the close-knit culture within the department and mentorship from faculty members, including recently retired professor Brent Ghiglione and saxophone instructor Jennifer Tenford. “They made the transition into university really easy,” she adds.
That mentorship has also been important for Reyes, who says Ghiglione brought in guest artists and created opportunities for students to connect with conductors and musicians beyond the university.
“The faculty here are all incredible,” he says.
For Wang, learning from faculty has helped not only their musicianship, but also the kind of educator they hope to become. In particular, Wang points to Denise Morstad, Chair of Music Education, as a major influence.
“Seeing how different professors teach and connect with students has really shaped how I want to teach in the future,” says Wang.
What's next?
Looking ahead, each student is charting their own path, with music as the score supporting their future aspirations.
Wang hopes to pursue a master’s degree in multiple woodwind performance. Reyes plans to continue in choral conducting with the goal of leading a choir of his own, and Nelson intends to pursue medicine with hopes of specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. For each of them, music has been a powerful foundation for their lives that extends far beyond performance.
“In the words of my Ellison choir director Scott Leithead, if everyone was in a choir, the world would be a better place,” says Reyes.
