Performance facilities in Steinbach are alive with the sound of music as the 2018 Southeastern Manitoba Festival is underway. Vocal classes started Monday. Candace Georgijevic is the vice-president and acting president of the festival committee. She says about two thousand entrants will take part in the festival over the next month.

"Every day, young people are performing and showing what they've been working on for the last three months. It's a joy It's wonderful to see the talent that's coming out of southeastern Manitoba."

Vocal classes continue until Thursday. Senior piano starts Friday and then strings next Wednesday, to be followed in the coming weeks by musical theatre, junior piano, dance, choral, guitar and speech arts. Sessions are open to the public for a small fee.