Noel Wentworth has touched the lives of so many families through his un-ending passion for music and improving the community. As one of the owners and operators of Wentworth Music, he and his teaching team has regularly put on the city’s largest student rock concerts twice a year, selling out the 850-seat Kelowna Community Theatre, with all proceeds going to kids health care at the Kelowna General Hospital. Much more thrilling than the traditional recital format, 200+ kids get to perform with full costumes, lighting and staging making them feel like they are out on tour.

Noel puts in countless hours coordinating these shows, teaching students, and promoting the concerts. Since its inception in 2007, this concert series has contributed over $167,000 to the Kelowna General and Vernon Jubilee Hospitals.

Noel has not only made great strides in bringing music into the lives of youth in his home town of Kelowna but also the Province of British Columbia. He brought the program Rockschool from the UK into Canada and it is now accredited with the BC Ministry of Education for external high school credit. This means for the first time all musical styles such as pop, Latin, blues, rock, country and metal are recognized as educational. He has also helped children at risk through his local Boys and Girls club and puts on several musical “petting zoos” throughout the year to provide children who normally don’t have access to musical instruments an opportunity to try out drums, guitar, and piano for free.

“I feel very blessed to have been recognized by Shaw for Canada 150,” says Noel. “Truthfully though, I feel that this recognition is to be shared with everyone who has helped do what we do, including our students. Bottom line, these concerts are all about kids helping kids!”

SHAW will be donating $1500 to Noel’s charity of choice, The Kelowna General Hospital Foundation to help children.

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