Assistant conductor Rei Hotoda, sporting a Bomber jersey ([Rene Hering] wouldn't divulge what number she'll have on) will conduct O Canada and the music for the half-time show. The jumbotron will feature a video of football highlights, including "bone-crunching tackles, fingertip receptions and more," while the WSO plays a medley of music by movie theme king John Williams, American composer Aaron Copland and Richard Wagner. This was debuted to great acclaim at the 2006 Grey Cup game.

"When I first came to Brandon, people told me how beautiful it was in Clear Lake," said [Alexander Tselyakov]. "I was fascinated with this place and thought it would be perfect for a music festival. The hall holds about 200 people and the ceilings are high enough to make the acoustics good."

The festival features a good variety of familiar and new works, including Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata, Schubert's glorious Trout Quintet (worth the drive in itself), Rachmaninoff's Sonata for Cello and Piano and Debussy's String Quartet, Op. 10 in G minor. Two Manitoba composers will also be represented -- Randolph Peters and T. Patrick Carrabré. An afternoon outdoor jazz concert is being held at board member Jay Winburn's house.