The Cantando Music Festivals are non-competitive festivals designed for North American school wind ensembles, concert bands, orchestras, Jazz bands, choirs, and vocal Jazz ensembles utilizing some basic tenets necessary to promote quality music education. These basic tenets include:

• Promoting REPERTOIRE OF THE HIGHEST ARTISTIC NATURE both in the selections expected for performance as well as repertoire performed by guest ensembles
• EVALUATIONS AND CLINICS are all designed to cultivate growth and a love of serious music-making utilizing a realistic, yet musical approach to assist with improved musical performance
• UTILIZING THE BEST TEACHER/PERFORMERS people that understand both kids and music and the critical combination of inspiration, knowledge, and artistic growth are the only ones that work for this festival
• EXPOSING STUDENTS TO PERFORMANCES BY SERIOUS ENSEMBLES we’ve included both university and professional groups of the highest level and specified the repertoire we want performed. Both standard repertoire of significant worth and new and substantial pieces will be performed including quality works for professional soloists
• SUFFICIENT TIME FOR PERFORMANCE AND CLINICS this varies at each festival. Edmonton and Whistler provide 50 minute clinics for concert bands and choirs, 30 minute clinics for Jazz ensembles in Edmonton and 50 minute clinics in Whistler. Instrumental clinics for both students and directors are provided at both festivals.  Mass choirs perform at both festivals as well.  All festivals provide ample performance times for all ensembles.