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Performers revealed for Canada 150 Weekend in Ottawa

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Photo courtesy of Canada Heritage

On Thursday, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly revealed two major events taking place in Ottawa over Canada Day and Canada 150 weekend.

On July 1, legendary singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot will join Platinum Canadian artists Alessia Cara, Dean Brody, Ruth B, Serena Ryder, Walk Off The Earth and many more for the Canada Day In The Capital annual concert. Appearing across three official sites – Parliament Hill, the Canadian Museum of History, Major’s Hill Park, all the performances will be free for the whole family, concluding with a breathtaking fireworks display across the Ottawa-Gatineau skyline.

On July 2, Parliament Hill will host a massive WE Day rally, with Barenaked Ladies, Hedley, Alanis Morissette, Kardinal Offishall, astronaut Chris Hadfield, former first lady Margaret Trudeau, humanitarian Roméo Dallaire, YouTube comedian Lilly Singh and more scheduled to appear.

The breakdown of artists performing free for Canada Day can be viewed below.

Parliament Hill

July 1

  • Walk Off The Earth
  • Dean Brody
  • Serena Ryder
  • Alessia Cara
  • Kelly Bado
  • Kinnie Starr
  • Marie Mai
  • Louis-Jean Cormier
  • Lisa Leblanc
  • Gordon Lightfoot
  • Mike Tompkins
  • Cirque du Soleil
Major’s Hill Park

June 30

  • Moon Vs Sun featuring Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk

July 1

  • Mother Mother
  • Laurence Nerbonne
  • Jonathan Painchaud
  • Ruth B
Canadian Museum Of History

July 1

  • The Lost Fingers
  • Souljazz Orchestra

 

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City of Toronto expands support for Toronto’s music community with City Hall Live

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Hannah Shira Naiman performing at Nathan Phillips Square

Music Canada, in partnership with TD Bank Group, is proud to return as sponsor of City Hall Live, formerly known as Live From City Hall.

The program will expand this year to include new collaborations with local venues, events, presenters and musicians. This past weekend, City Hall Live presented eight artists performing at 159 Manning Ave as part of Doors Open Toronto. Today, City Hall Live is presenting performances by Toronto artists Ammoye and Charmie as part of the pre-Lulaworld 2017 festivities at Lulu Lounge following a 6:30pm panel discussion on diversity and live music in the media. More collaborations will be announced in the coming weeks.

“This series provides performance opportunities, information sessions and discussions that we hope will inform and empower Toronto’s talented music community,” said Mayor John Tory in a City release. “By bringing City Hall Live directly to artists and their communities, the series is now more accessible and can have greater impact.”

Lunchtime concerts under the City Hall Live banner will return to Nathan Phillips Square this summer, happening every Wednesday from 12:30-1:30pm (July 19 – August 30).

City Hall Live will also bring a larger focus this year on panel discussions and other learning opportunities for the music community.

“City Hall Live provides new opportunities for Toronto musicians and is one of many City initiatives aimed at making Toronto a more music and musician friendly city,” said Councillor Josh Colle, Chair of the Toronto Music Advisory Council.

Artists can submit applications to perform at City Hall Live and other events, as well as submit music for the City’s Music 311 playlist at toronto.ca/music.

More information on 2017 performances and panels will be announced soon at toronto.ca/music.

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Graham Henderson gives keynote address on the Value Gap at CMW’s Global Creators Summit

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On April 21, 2017, Music Canada President and CEO Graham Henderson delivered the opening keynote at Canadian Music Week‘s Global Creators Summit, highlighting the growing issue of the Value Gap for music creators. In “The Broken Promise of a Golden Age,” Graham urges artists and creators to stand up for what’s theirs, and use the power of democracy to generate positive change for the creative community.

Following CMW, the speech was featured on FYI Music News, and the full recording, initially live-streamed on Music Canada’s Facebook page, can be viewed below.

Canadian creators are encouraged to join the Focus On Creators initiative and sign the letter to The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, urging government to put creators at the heart of future policy.

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Photos: Scott Helman and Vincent Vallières shine at Capital Beat

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Parliament Hill was alive with the sound of music last week, as the inaugural Capital Beat event brought together parliamentarians, Hill staff, and media for a non-partisan celebration of Canadian music. Presented by Music Canada and Quebecor, Capital Beat featured performances by Scott Helman and Vincent Vallières, as well as remarks by special guest speaker The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Also sponsored by TD Bank Group and Stingray Digital, Capital Beat took place at the National Arts Centre, where invited guests enjoyed the performances in an intimate setting. DJ del Pilar provided music before the event as well as at the afterparty.

“Tonight we are here to acknowledge the importance of music – music unites us – it inspires us – it makes us smarter and allows us to tell our stories,” said Amy Terrill, Executive Vice President of Music Canada in her opening remarks. “It builds our communities and heals our wounds.”

“It is both a pleasure and an honour for Québecor to help foster an exchange between artists, politicians and industry people but, most of all, we are happy to bring these remarkable musical talents to the attention of our nation’s parliamentarians,” said J.Serge Sasseville, Québecor’s Senior Vice President, Corporate and Institutional Affairs, in a release the day of the event.

Prior to the show, both Scott Helman and Vincent Vallières, as well as their label and management teams, were treated to a tour of Parliament by Julie Dabrusin, MP for Toronto-Danforth and member of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

 

A selection of attendee reactions to the show are embedded below. For additional photos, see our album on Facebook.

https://twitter.com/KWSasseville/status/864653603323219970

https://twitter.com/KWSasseville/status/864666866819661824

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Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame reveals 2017 Inductees

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After a five year hiatus, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will return for 2017 at Toronto’s iconic Massey Hall on September 23. This year’s inductees include influential Canadian artists Beau Dommage, Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young, and Stéphane Venne.

“We are thrilled to be back to celebrate the extraordinary careers of Beau Dommage, Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young and Stéphane Venne at this year’s ceremony at Massey Hall,” said Stan Meissner, Chair, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. “These inductees truly highlight the depth and incredible legacy of the songwriting talent we have here in Canada.”

The ceremony will feature tribute performances by Canadian artists including Arkells, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Damien Robitaille, Daniel Lavoie, Don Ross, Élage Diouf, France D’amour, Florence K, Julie Payette, k.d. lang, Randy Bachman, William Prince and Whitehorse.

Tickets for the ceremony will be available to the public beginning on Friday, May 19 at 10am via Massey Hall’s website.

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Music is back on Parliament Hill as Scott Helman, Vincent Vallières take the stage at Capital Beat with special guest speaker The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

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OTTAWA, May 16, 2017:  Music Canada and Quebecor, as presenting sponsors, are excited to bring an intimate celebration of some of Canada’s best music and artists back to Parliament Hill on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. Also sponsored by TD Bank Group and Stingray Digital, Capital Beat will bring together parliamentarians, Hill staff and media for a non-partisan evening designed to celebrate Canadian music among Ottawa’s most important decision-makers. Capital Beat’s previous incarnation, Minister’s Music Night, was named by Maclean’s Magazine as one of the five events that matter most to Ottawa’s power brokers.

The event will take place in The Studio at the National Arts Centre (1 Elgin Street) and will include performances by Scott Helman and Vincent Vallières, as well as special guest speaker The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Following the breakout success of his debut Augusta EP in 2014, which includes the Platinum Single “Bungalow,” Scott Helman has just released his first full-length album Hôtel de Ville on Warner Music Canada and is currently on tour supporting his first single “Kinda Complicated.”

Sherbrooke’s own Vincent Vallières is a staple of the Quebec music scene. His 2009 album Le Monde tourne fort earned a Platinum certification, on the strength of his hit single On va s’aimer encore, which became an instant classic. Three years after Fabriquer l’aube, which earned a Gold certification, Vincent Vallières came out with his seventh album in March of this year, Le temps des vivants, whose first single “Bad Luck” is currently sitting atop the radio charts.

The two headliners will perform 45 minute sets followed by an afterparty at the National Arts Centre with music curated by DJ del Pilar.

“I’m so pleased that we are able to bring this intimate celebration of music back to Parliament Hill with a brand-new look,” said Amy Terrill, Executive Vice President of Music Canada. “Music is an essential part of Canada’s national identity and a significant economic contributor. Capital Beat is an incredible way to emphasize the value of music and the importance of Canada’s music creators.”

“It is both a pleasure and an honour for Québecor to help foster an exchange between artists, politicians and industry people but, most of all, we are happy to bring these remarkable musical talents to the attention of our nation’s parliamentarians,” said J.Serge Sasseville, Québecor’s Senior Vice President, Corporate and Institutional Affairs.

Capital Beat is an invitation only event. For more information or to RSVP, visit www.capitalbeat.ca.

̶   Ends  ̶

For more information:

Corey Poole, Music Canada
cpoole@musiccanada.com
+1 (647) 808-7359

Hugo Delaney, Québecor
hugo.delaney@quebecor.com
+1 (514) 463-5880

 

About Music Canada

Music Canada is a non-profit trade organization that represents the major record companies in Canada, namely Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada.  Music Canada also works with some of the leading independent record labels and distributors, recording studios, live music venues, concert promoters, managers and artists in the promotion and development of the music cluster.

About Quebecor

Quebecor, a Canadian leader in telecommunications, entertainment, news media and culture, is one of the best-performing integrated communications companies in the industry. Driven by their determination to deliver the best possible customer experience, all of Quebecor’s subsidiaries and brands are differentiated by their high-quality, multiplatform, convergent products and services.

Quebecor (TSX: QBR.A, QBR.B) is headquartered in Québec. It holds an 81.07% interest in Quebecor Media, which employs more than 10,000 people in Canada.

A family business founded in 1950, Quebecor is strongly committed to the community. Every year, it actively supports more than 400 organizations working in the vital fields of culture, health, education, the environment and entrepreneurship.

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Music Canada Newsletter: May 11, 2017

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The first May edition of our bi-weekly newsletter is now in your inbox!

This week’s update begins with the launch of “Striking A New A-Chord,” our new Atlantic Canada music report, released at the 2017 ECMAs. We’ll also preview artist Miranda Mulholland’s upcoming speech at the Economic Club of Canada, and include information on Ottawa’s meet & greet with the new OMIC General Manager. As always, we will provide a list of music job opportunities, and a run down the latest Gold/Platinum certifications. The update will conclude with a recommended reading from Canadian Musician Magazine on the Value Gap, which features an interview with Music Canada President & CEO Graham Henderson.

Click here to access the May 11, 2017 edition of our newsletter. Not subscribed? Sign up to get Music Canada’s industry updates straight to your inbox every second Thursday.

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Recommended Reading: Canadian Musician – “YouTube: Friend or Foe of the Music Industry?”

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In the May/June 2017 issue of Canadian Musician magazine, journalist Michael Raine spoke with leaders in the Canadian music industry, including Music Canada’s President and CEO Graham Henderson, about the Value Gap and the industry’s complex relationship with the streaming giant.

Regarding YouTube’s assertion that the music community should be satisfied with the payments it receives from the service, Henderson said “it’s ludicrous because if they were on the same footing [as other streaming services], it wouldn’t be $2 billion, it would be $20 billion or $30 billion that they would be paying out and I can tell you we would live in a very, very different world. They would restore the old balance where there was enough money in the hands of independent and major labels so that they could actually invest in artists.”

Stuart Johnston, President of the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), expressed similar concerns. “If YouTube were to pay rights holders even what Spotify pays for their free tier, it would be a significant and positive step forward for the independent community, but they don’t,” said Johnston. “So that business model – and I am going to say it over and over again – it devalues music. It is an unfortunate situation.”

Safwan Javed, an entertainment lawyer, songwriter and drummer, and VP of the Songwriters Association of Canada, spoke to the problems resulting from the safe harbour provisions. “Imagine the labels’ move with YouTube is to say, ‘We need to renegotiate our agreement,’ and YouTube says ‘no.’ So what’s the labels’ next move? If they want to go to a contentious and aggressive posture and say, ‘OK, we’re going to pull our catalog,’ well that’s all fine and the videos they’re making are not uploading, but other people are probably going to still be uploading stuff,” said Javed. “The general public will still be able to upload stuff, and sure you can try to police that, but policing that is exceedingly difficult and you’re spending a lot of resources on something that is essentially like a whack-a-mole that doesn’t stop.”

Raine highlights the growing chorus of artists that are speaking out and calling for reforms, specifically the artists petitioning the US Copyright Office to reform the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and the Focus On Creators initiative in Canada, which has sent a letter to to Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly, which urges her to put creators at the heart of future policy.

The article is available online at http://canadianmusician.com/features/archives/214.

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Miranda Mulholland to address the Economic Club of Canada on ‘Redefining Success in a Digital Marketplace’

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On Wednesday, May 24, singer, songwriter, violinist, label owner and music festival organizer Miranda Mulholland will address the Economic Club of Canada on the reality for music entrepreneurs in the digital age.

Below is the event description:

Music unites us, bridges linguistic, cultural and income divides. Music heals. It connects. It provides a soundtrack to our greatest struggles and our highest triumphs.

Since the arrival of the digital age, music is more readily created, released and shared. It is available at our fingertips and it’s reaching more people than ever before.

With music’s intrinsic value in our lives and this new accessibility, one would expect that the people who create this unifying force would be thriving.

There is a widely held perception that the advent of the digital revolution has enhanced how music is created, money is made and creators’ lives are lived. There is a perception of a level playing field.

But it’s time for a reality check.

Join Artist and Entrepreneur, Miranda Mulholland as she talks about the creative process, reveals actual numbers, discusses how creators are faring in this new landscape and suggests a way forward.

The event runs from 11:30am – 1:30pm at the Toronto Marriott Eaton Centre (525 Bay Street). Lunch will be served. Tickets are available for purchase on the Economic Club of Canada’s website.

Miranda’s speech will be followed by a question and answer discussion with Kate Taylor, author, film critic and arts columnist at The Globe and Mail.

On November 1, 2016, Miranda shared her incredibly pertinent experiences as an artist entrepreneur operating in the digital age during her closing remarks at a speech delivered by Music Canada’s President and CEO, Graham Henderson, titled The Broken Promise of a Golden Age: How creators underwrote a tech revolution and were betrayed. Miranda’s remarks were so powerful they inspired the Economic Club of Canada to invite her back to headline her own event.

Be sure to get your tickets early, as this is sure to be a timely and impactful event!

VIDEO: Miranda Mulholland’s closing remarks at Graham Henderson’s speech to the Economic Club of Canada on Nov. 1, 2016

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New report calls for development of an Atlantic Canada Music Strategy

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A new report unveiled during the 2017 East Coast Music Awards: Festival and Conference today calls for the need to develop an Atlantic Canadian Music Strategy in an effort to strengthen the future of the region’s music sector.

Striking A New A-Chord, a report spearheaded by the East Coast Music Association (ECMA), Music Canada, and Music Canada Live, emphasizes that concentrated investment in the music industry is beneficial not only for those who work in the sector, but ultimately for the region as a whole.

“Music is fundamentally linked to Atlantic Canadian culture,” says Andy McLean, Executive Director of the ECMA. “This report clearly shows that – in addition to bolstering that identity – supporting this sector means helping small businesses, creating opportunities to attract and retain youth employment, and developing our artists to compete at an international level. The first step to harnessing these opportunities is creating a pan-Atlantic strategy.”

Delivered during a presentation at the Saint John Trade & Convention Centre this afternoon titled Stronger Together, the report also marks a landmark partnership between all five music industry associations – Musique/Music NB, Music Nova Scotia, Music NL, Music PEI, and the Cape Breton Music Industry Cooperative – who have committed to working with the ECMA, Music Canada, and Music Canada Live to establish this regional strategy.

“Atlantic Canada has one of the richest, most important – but fragile – music scenes in the country. Creating and executing a region-wide strategy will ensure the true economic, social and cultural potential of the industry, and its countless benefits for cities and towns, can be realized,” says Erin Benjamin, Executive Director of Music Canada Live. “This is an historic moment in the timeline of East Coast music, and huge milestone for all of the associations involved. Congratulations, Music Canada Live looks forward to supporting the hard work ahead.”

The report, which was officially commissioned at last year’s ECMAs in Sydney, NS, underscores a number of challenges facing musicians and industry professionals in Atlantic Canada including stringent liquor laws, changing business models in the industry, restrictions on live venues, and lack of industry infrastructure. The latter is a key focus for the proposed strategy, calling the shortage of music publishing companies, agents, publicists, bookers, and artist managers in the region “alarming.”

Among other recommendations, Striking A New A-Chord also calls for the development of an Atlantic Canadian Music Fund that would seek to provide resources to complement existing programs, attract investment, and develop and incentivize musicians and music related businesses to reinvest in Atlantic Canada.

“Targeted investments in other parts of Canada have strengthened those music communities and stimulated additional private spending as well, leading to increased activity in the sector,” says Amy Terrill, Executive Vice President of Music Canada. “We look forward to working with government and industry stakeholders to find ways to complement the existing programs available to the music community in Atlantic Canada in order to create a stronger, more sustainable Atlantic music sector.”

The entire Striking A New A-Chord report is available to read HERE.

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