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- Entertainment
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Gerrard's grand finale: Passion for music, connection to audience fuels emotional farewell to Regina
Gordon Gerrard found himself moved to tears. The source of his emotional experience was Jeremy Dutcher, a tenor from the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick and a special guest of the Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO) at the 2018 Forward Currents arts festival. Dutcher rehearsed and performed alongside a 110-year-old wax cylinder recording that featured the voices of his ancestors. The traditional songs are in Wolastoq, an endangered Indigenous language with less than 100 fluent speakers. 'When (Dutcher) first started singing the first song in rehearsal, I really started to …. I'm being a little bit emotional right now thinking about it (because) it was so incredibly powerful,' recalls Gerrard, RSO's outgoing conductor and music director. 'It's really hard to talk about how impactful music is because the words just don't really fit, but that was an incredibly moving moment.' Gerrard helped create the moment by guiding an orchestral accompaniment to those sacred voices. It was the first time anyone, even Dutcher himself, had heard the music on such a grand scale. To bring it all together meant extending the RSO's resources and the spotlight to an up-and-coming musician. Gerrard's willingness to do so was no surprise to long-time friend and mezzo-soprano Marion Newman, who says it's his nature to be inventive but also generous. Explaining Gerrard's rationale, Newman says he felt the effort was worth it because of the joy Dutcher's music would bring. It was a 'totally unselfish move,' she continues. 'Instead of just putting on a great big glorious piece of orchestral music that would make his resume look better, he gave that space to Jeremy.' It also meant a great deal to Newman, who watched the rehearsal through tears of her own. As a member of the Kwakiutl and Stó:lō First Nations on Vancouver Island and B.C.'s Lower Mainland, it was an emotional experience to see Indigenous music elevated in such a way. 'That,' says Newman, 'was one of the most meaningful musical and cultural experiences that I have ever had.' Having wrapped up the RSO's latest slate of shows, Gerrard looks forward to helping create more memorable experiences in the upcoming season, which begins this fall. It'll also be his farewell season after a decade in Regina. Gerrard's decision to move on from the RSO is not to be taken lightly. He provided continuity after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and also saw value in making room for new ideas to help re-energize the organization. 'It's quite healthy to have turnover in artistic leadership,' says Gerrard. 'I think after a while it's great for the musicians, it's great for the audience, it's great for everybody to have someone else come in. 'I just felt that 10 years was the right time, and I feel also that the RSO is in a strong position now to go through this transition of leadership.' Gerrard, 47, plans on living in Vancouver to focus on his other role as artistic director for City Opera Vancouver, a position he's held since 2013. Gerrard started his career in the opera world and aims to make it his primary focus while also continuing to travel across Canada as a guest conductor. 'It would be nice to sort of embrace a new set of challenges,' Gerrard says of his shift to opera chamber music. 'It's still music, but it's a very different world in terms of how it operates (and) the people who are operating in it.' Those who know him best say Gerrard's passion shines through regardless of the genre. Concertmaster Christian Robinson, who started with RSO around the same time as Gerrard, describes him as a 'musician's musician' with a genuine love for the work. His guidance as a conductor has pushed others as well, says Robinson, noting that Gerrard would bring challenging new music to engage the group. During their busiest months, members of the orchestra might spend up to 40 hours with Gerrard to refine pieces of music. But given the limited time for rehearsal, he's considerate in planning those sessions, which signalled to the musicians that he respected them as well as their time. 'Gordon is a wonderful example of someone who brings tremendous thoughtfulness married with a wonderful sense that music is a language of emotion,' says Robinson, RSO's principal first-violinist. 'Gordon (as a conductor) really represents a wonderful middle ground — and not to be cliché — of heart and brain.' Gerrard has dedicated his life to music. He was raised on a farm outside Brandon and started learning piano at around seven years old. His parents wanted him and his siblings to have a balanced education that included music, which 'captured my imagination.' Growing up in rural Manitoba, his introduction to the world of orchestra music included a performance by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Brandon while he was in elementary school. The distance to Winnipeg made it difficult to access, so he didn't attend shows regularly until he was much older. After several years of working to master the piano, Gerrard became increasingly struck by the power of music, noting how a live performance can bring a room of strangers together. While each individual is affected differently, the experience can forge a cathartic connection — even in an auditorium filled with 2,000 listeners like the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina. Some in the audience might be moved by a gut-wrenching and powerful feeling when the brass section bellows and builds to a moment of tension. Or there's the mesmerizingly beautiful flutes and violins that float above, dancing from one note to the next. People can be moved by very different elements of a performance. 'That's really what's been driving my work at the RSO,' Gerrard explains. 'Trying to make sure that we are there to help people who want to connect through music, to give them the music that they want and sometimes to show them the music that they don't know they love yet, which happens all the time actually.' Gerrard has spent his career seeking perfect execution of various pieces, where even a familiar melody from Ludwig van Beethoven can resonate deeply with listeners who hear it live for the first time. But he also knows that each audience member brings their own experiences that shape how the music washes over them, noting how a particular piece can take people back to a special moment in life or remind them of a loved one they lost. 'There are times when people will talk to me after a concert and they're visibly moved, sometimes to tears,' he says. 'You never know when you're going to program a piece what relationship somebody has to it. 'It always is moving to me to see how much people are touched (and) transported by the music. It just means a lot to people.' For someone with such musical passion, the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most challenging periods of Gerrard's career. It was also a difficult time for the century-old RSO, which is recognized as the longest continuously performing orchestra in the country. As with many other live arts organizations, the RSO had to cancel several shows and was at risk of shuttering completely due to subsequent crowd-size restrictions and general hesitation about going back into public spaces. Even now, RSO concerts are estimated to draw at least 100 fewer patrons than before the pandemic. But continuing to rebuild the community connection is a priority for the organization. One of the first concerts the RSO held after reopening from lockdowns in 2022 was Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 4. Gerrard was proud of the program he prepared for the November concert, featuring guest soprano Mariya Krywaniuk. Although the piece is 'thematically dark,' the final movement with the soprano solo tries 'presenting a child's view of what heaven is like,' according to the RSO's 2022 program notes. Sadly, the orchestra performed in front of mostly deserted sea of theatre seats. 'The hall was devastatingly empty,' Gerrard recalls. 'It's just hard to put your heart and soul into this product and to be very proud of it and to play to an almost empty hall. It breaks your heart as a musician.' Although that moment felt demoralizing for Gerrard, he didn't show it. Robinson praises Gerrard's calm, thoughtful presence and calls him the 'right person at the right time' to lead the organization's artistic direction. Under his guidance, a group of 60 seasoned RSO musicians managed to persevere through a difficult time by letting themselves become absorbed in the music. Their conductor describes an orchestra as being attuned to one another. The shared sense of accomplishment when they play 'feeds your soul, if you will,' says Gerrard, 'and lifts you out of some pretty dark places at times.' In almost a decade of work, Gerrard has aimed to 'deepen the connection' and reach new listeners in southern Saskatchewan. A large part of that is playing music that goes beyond the staples of classical repertoire. 'The experience that I have when I listen to music, that means a lot to me,' he says. 'I want everybody to have that, and I think it's possible.' A free outdoor concert series called Symphony Under The Sky was one of the RSO's accessible offerings, complemented by a free concert series in Regina's public libraries. Like some other Canadian orchestras, the RSO has adapted its performances to showcase a wide variety of music. For example, Regina has featured ABBA-themed shows and presented soundtracks alongside screened showings of Disney movies. 'The challenge, of course, when you're programming for a symphony is to try to play as much of these different kinds of music so that everybody can see themselves in it,' Gerrard says. Looking back, he's especially proud of showcasing Indigenous musicians. For a 2019 premier of Riel: Heart of the North, the RSO put together a choir of Métis singers and featured young Métis fiddler Jordan Daniels. It was an opportunity to bring new performers on stage who might not otherwise have the chance to share their culture with a wider audience. 'Often we're reaching out to people who haven't traditionally been part of that sort of classical music world,' Gerrard says. 'We're putting programming on stage that could help some Indigenous folks see their story being told.' Gerrard strived to leave an impact on Regina by rethinking the role of an orchestra and how music can shape a community. That included bringing to life the Forward Currents festival, which sought to open up conversations on social change. The festival's first year, which featured Dutcher, focused on the role everyone can play in truth and reconciliation. LGBTQ2S+ issues provided another theme of Forward Currents — and a deeply important topic for Gerrard as a gay man. To him, music can serve as an avenue to understand another's perspective, which then leads to 'deepening our community empathy.' In that way, Gerrard was also visionary in how he transformed the RSO. While musicians have always placed their trust in the long-time artistic director, it was difficult to reimagine how the orchestra could serve Regina in a new way. About halfway through that initial Forward Currents festival, Robinson had a moment where he saw for himself the impact they could have. '(Gerrard) made the organization think about itself differently,' says Robinson. 'Thinking about what does a modern symphony orchestra mean to its city, and what can it do? Is it just there for entertainment or can it also service a deeper exploratory purpose for a city?' Gerrard will conduct 11 of 21 shows during the 2025-26 season, which lands between September and May. He puts a lot of consideration into selecting music for the orchestra each year — and the upcoming schedule is certainly no exception. For his final season, Gerrard has hand-picked a program that 'celebrates the relationship between (him) and the musicians' to commemorate their decade together. Those plans include music by the world's most iconic composer: Ludwig van Beethoven. It's a logical and sentimental conclusion to play the final outstanding piece from Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 after the RSO has made its way through other parts of the composition in previous years. When he first joined the RSO in 2016, Gerrard collaborated with the Regina Leader-Post on a column, which evolved into a regular series titled Between the Notes. In his columns, Gerrard would reflect on a human experience and then relate it to music. After three weeks of living in the Queen City, he wrote about the pains of moving. It was his eighth move, but he remarked that Beethoven did it over 70 times. Gerrard's published musings were a way to reach out to a new city and show why the venerable organization's work is still important after more than 100 years of existence. 'The experiences that we have in the concert hall are direct reflections of what we bring with us when we sit down at a concert,' he says, whether it's conversations with friends or a recent movie you've watched. 'It's all connected, and the notion that a Beethoven Symphony is disconnected from our lives even in 2025 I think is false, and so that was really my goal when I sat down to write those columns.' Prior to his first concert as the RSO's 15th conductor, Gerrard wrote: 'My greatest hope is that everyone who joins us this season will experience something that transforms in one way or another.' It's a goal he's kept front and centre over the past decade. Before coming to Regina, Gerrard had worked across Canada but this was his first chance to take full rein of an orchestra. Now, as the RSO looks for its next music director, Gerrard's 'best piece of advice' for his eventual successor is simple: to listen. 'Get to know the people in the orchestra, the musicians, get to know the people who come to the RSO all the time,' he says. 'Those stories, the things that they tell you, I think will inform where the orchestra needs to go next.' While Gerrard says he will miss Regina, he's always looked at his role as being a temporary one in service to the community. He views it as a natural thing in the music world to move around, just as Beethoven did. 'I'm there for a brief time; brief compared to some musicians that I think are now approaching well over 50 years in the orchestra,' he says. 'So my time, while it feels long, is actually quite short. I'm really a caretaker, a steward. The people of the community really own the orchestra, and they get to decide what they want to do.' As Gerrard looks back on his decade in Regina, he'll treasure sharing the stage with RSO musicians and special guests. He'll also remember the music that evoked raw emotion for Regina audiences, like when the group played alongside Dutcher seven years ago. Gerrard hopes the shows he's done during his tenure in southern Saskatchewan impacted audiences the same way Dutcher's performance moved him. 'After the first song, people leapt to their feet,' he recalls. 'It was an incredible moment that I'll never forget.' State of the arts: Why are so many of Regina's performing arts groups struggling to survive? RSO hires new executive director, RFF looks to fill vacant leadership position nyking@ Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances. The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
CBC
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
2025 Polaris Music Prize long list: Mustafa, Destroyer, Nemahsis and more
Social Sharing The 2025 Polaris Music Prize long list, presented by Canada Council for the Arts, has been announced, with 40 albums from Canadian artists vying to be named the best album of the year. This edition marks the 20th anniversary of the Polaris Music Prize, which has been awarded each year since 2006 to musicians including Feist, Kaytranada and two-time winner Jeremy Dutcher. The past winners on this year's list include alt-rapper Backxwash, who won the prize in 2020, and producer/composer Caribou, who won in 2008. Rick White, as part of Eric's Trip, was also a Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize winner in 2017. Several artists on the list have been previously shortlisted, such as Mustafa, Cold Specks, Destroyer, Basia Bulat, Kelly McMichael and Snotty Nose Rez Kids. Sixteen first-timers made their debut on the list, among them Juno-winning pop singer Nemahsis, post-punk band Ribbon Skirt, alt-singer-songwriter Saya Gray, rapper Mike Shabb and more. WATCH | Jeremy Dutcher performs live at the 2024 Polaris Music Prize gala: To be eligible for the prize, the albums must have been released between April 1, 2024, and May 1, 2025. A jury of 205 members of the media (including CBC Music producers) assessed 189 albums for the long list, judging works based solely on artistic merit, with no consideration for genre, record sales or popularity. The short list of 10 albums will be announced on July 10. The winner, who will receive a $30,000 grand prize, will be selected by a grand jury and announced during a live gala in Toronto on Sept. 16 at Massey Hall. Check out this year's long list below: Art d'Ecco, Serene Demon Backxwash, Only Dust Remains Quinton Barnes, Code Noir Bibi Club, Feu de garde Basia Bulat, Basia's Palace Caribou, Honey Lou-Adriane Cassidy, Journal d'un Loup-Garou Choses Sauvages, Choses Sauvages III Cold Specks, Light For the Midnight Antoine Corriveau, Oiseau de Nuit Marie Davidson, City of Clowns Destroyer, Dan's Boogie Myriam Gendron, Mayday Gloin, All of your anger is actually shame (and I bet that makes you angry) Saya Gray, Saya Hildegard, Jour 1596 Yves Jarvis, All Cylinders Kaia Kater, Strange Medicine Bells Larsen, Blurring Time Richard Laviolette, All Wild Things Are Shy Wyatt C. Louis, Chandler Kelly McMichael, After the Sting of It Men I Trust, Equus Asinus Mustafa, Dunya N NAO, Nouveau langage Nemahsis, Verbathim Eliza Niemi, Progress Bakery The OBGMs, Sorry, It's Over Dorothea Paas, Think of Mist Klô Pelgag, Abracadabra Population II, Maintenant Jamais Ribbon Skirt, Bite Down Ariane Roy, Dogue Mike Shabb, Sewaside III Sister Ray, Believer Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Red Future The Weather Station, Humanhood Rick White and the Sadies, Rick White and the Sadies Donovan Woods, Things Were Never Good if They're Not Good Now Yoo Doo Right, From the Heights of Our Pastureland
CBC
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Classified, Vishtèn, Maggie Andrew lead 2025 East Coast Music Award winners
Social Sharing The 2025 East Coast Music Awards took place in St. John's last weekend, after months of protest and calls to action within the local music community. Nova Scotia rapper Classified led the winners by taking home five of the eight awards he was nominated for, while P.E.I. folk group Vishtèn nabbed three awards, and Newfoundland's own Kellie Loder tied with Nova Scotia's Maggie Andrew for two apiece. The field of nominees was missing some of the names originally announced in late February, when musicians started boycotting the awards after the East Coast Music Association, the organization that puts on the ECMAs, fired former CEO Blanche Israël. "I do not agree with the lack of transparency around the sudden firing of former CEO @blancheis, and what I would call essentially online bullying leading up to the firing," said Mo Kenney via Instagram, after withdrawing their nomination for rock/alternative release of the year. Jeremy Dutcher, who originally led the nominees alongside Classified with eight to his name, also withdrew from the nominations, as did Wolf Castle, Sam Wilson, Les Moontunes, Stephen Hero and Aquakultre. Many of the awards were handed out at the May 8 award ceremony, which began with an emotional tribute to Mark Hiscock, the beloved accordionist from Newfoundland and Labrador who died earlier in the week at 53 years old. Folk band Shanneyganock, of which Hiscock was a founding member, performed its song Music and Friends in tribute, as Hiscock's accordion rested on a stool onstage. The remaining awards were given out at the East Coast Music and Industry Awards on May 11. Read below to find out who won, with the winners marked in bold. African Canadian artist of the year Baraka, Galaxy Jah'Mila, Never Fail Kayo, Get Me Right featuring JRDN Maggie Andrew, About Us Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, Zombie Album of the year Luke's View, Classified Woman of the Sun, Jah'Mila Day Job, Maggie Andrew Map the Dark, Quote the Raven An Irish Descendants Christmas, the Irish Descendants Expansions, Vishtèn Connexions Acadian or francophone artist of the year Jacques Surette, Conséquences Joey Robin Haché, Jerrycan Les Hay Babies, Soyez fiers Sirène et Matelot, Coeur chaviré Suzie LeBlanc, Nous partirons WATCH | The official video for Les Hay Babies' Soyez fiers: Blues release of the year The Phoenix, 11th & Duke Find Your Way, Campbell & Johnston Ain't No Time, Connor Fox Dust Jackets, Lookout Tower Just Don't Know it Yet, Stompbox Breakthrough artist of the year Brett Matthews, If I Die Today featuring Classified Callum Gaudet, Ghosts Clare Siobhan, Flare Jacques Surette, Conséquences Loviet, Broken Lips Rachel Cousins, Hell & High Water Children's artist of the year Art Richard, Bonjour Canada Heather Feather, Ants in My Pants Micaela Comeau, I'm Made From Stardust Miss Kris, The Day Has Just Begun Mr. Super Dude and KinderChartin', Sticker on My Toe Classical composer of the year Classical release of the year Benedicite, Blackwood with India Gailey Problematica, India Gailey Blizzard, Measha Brueggergosman-Lee Causes, 1.1 Negative Energy, SHHH!! Ensemble Pour une Amérique engloutie, Suzie LeBlanc Country release of the year If I Die Today, Brett Matthews feat. Classified I'm Not Scared, Carolina East I Found Mine, Julie Aubé She Just Is, Justin Fancy Suitcase, Mallory Johnson Dance release of the year When We Dance, Alex Byrne Mmam, Bad Friends Believe in the Music, Cloverdale Chrome, Pineo & Loeb Just a Phase (Dave Aude remix), Summer Bennett Lights Out, the Volta Electronic release of the year Something Sawed, Ben Diamond Ghost Gear, DenMother Sonica, Rich Aucoin In Perfect Time, Rozalind MacPhail Causes, 1.1 Negative Energy, SHHH!! Ensemble Folk release of the year Cereal, Noah Malcolm My Status Is the Baddest, Old Man Luedecke featuring Bahamas The Road to Lushes Bight (Island Stock), Rum Ragged Real Love, Terra Spencer featuring Ian Sherwood Kouma, Vishtèn Connexions Fusion release of the year The Dream Canoe, Alan Syliboy & the Thundermakers Not My One, Capital 6 Gossamer, Ian foster Problematica, India Gailey Kouma, Vishtèn Connexions Global music release of the year Clouds, Ana Luísa Ramos Just Friends, Dee Hernandez Lightning in a Bottle, Kayo CareBear Forever, Richard Wood Keep Your Head Above the Water, Zay Nova Group of the year Moira & Claire, no hesitation Neon Dreams, The Art of Letting Go Rum Ragged, The Road to Lushes Bight (Island Stock) The Once, Oh You The Town Heroes, Hockey Fights Indigenous artist of the year Deantha Edmunds, Angmalukisaa: IV. Rings 4 DeeDee Austin, Tell Me ( Why Am I So Different) Summer Bennett, Just a Phase Instrumental release of the year Passages, Blackwood with India Gailey Bird Island Suite, Iris Trio The Simple Life, Mark Fewer Sound Mind, Shaun Ferguson Piano Concerto in One Movement, Symphony Nova Scotia Jazz release of the year St-Antoine's March, Amirault Brothers Not My One, Capital 6 Zombie, Measha Brueggergosman-Lee Good Machines, Natasha Blackwood Loud release of the year Ascension, Blevk Famine, Elevate the Virus Cosmic Convergence, Omnivide Suffer & Die, the Order of the Precious Blood Pop release of the year Is this as good as it gets?, chasing luma Unrequited Love Blues, Logan Richard with Moira & Claire About Us, Maggie Andrew Church Street, Mat Elliott January, Noah Malcolm Producer of the year AA Wallace, Archiviste Ben B. Creelman, Bad Habit Classified, Luke's View Cloverdale, Believe in the Music Jeremy VanSlyke, Alikeness R&B/soul release of the year City on Fire, aRenye and Nulo featuring Kayo and Basyl Lesson #1, Bakers Duz'n Blessed, Dee Hernandez Never Fail, Jah'Mila Church Street, Mat Elliott Hip-hop release of the year Sure Enough, Classified Family Highs, Harmz Better Half, Michael J. Foxx Same Old Feeling, Mischief Burn the House, Todd. Release of the year The Dream Canoe, Alan Syliboy & the Thundermakers Amnesia, Classified Never Fail, Jah'Mila When it Comes to You, Kellie Loder The Bend, the Once Rock/alternative release of the year By Fright, Absolute Losers Day Job, Maggie Andrew Agis comme du monde, Sluice In Your Head, the Town Heroes Roots release of the year Rocky Hills, Bill Preeper, Jessica Rhaye, and Sandy MacKay Already Gone, Quote the Raven East to West, Terra Spencer Gaillard, Vishtèn Connexions featuring De temps antan Solo artist of the year Amnesia, Classified Gossamer, Ian Foster When it Comes to You, Kellie Loder Alberta, Kylie Fox Sonica, Rich Aucoin Songwriter of the year Classified, Wonder featuring Ian janes Kellie Loder, When it Comes to You Natasha Blackwood, Pleading Guilty Old Man Luedecke, The Raven and the Dove Terra Spencer, Real Love featuring Ian Sherwood Fans' choice entertainer of the year Alan Syliboy & the Thundermakers Andrew Rodgers Daniel James McFadyen Dylan Menzie Ian Foster Justin Fancy Kellie Loder Lennie Gallant Mallory Johnson Rum Ragged The Once Fans' choice video of the year Amnesia (Classified), directed by Classified Devil Talking (David Myles), directed by Griffin O'Toole East Coast Family (Jah'Mila), directed by Jeff Miller Can't Go Back (Kellie Loder), directed by Ashlea Wessel About Us (Maggie Andrew), directed by MooseCanFly The Art of Letting Go (Neon Dreams), directed by Dan Lewis Cole & Frank Kadillac She Told Me Where to Go (Old Man Luedecke), directed by Pangalactic Pictures Inc. Already Gone (Quote the Raven), directed by Cody Westman Hockey Fights (the Town Heroes), directed by Matt Corkum Traditional release of the year Whale Hunting Song, Alan Syliboy & the Thundermakers Radio Sweethearts, Lucy MacNeil The Quartermaster, Rachel Davis and Darren McMullen Paddy Hyde, Rum Ragged Gaillard, Vishtèn Connexions featuring De temps antan Vocal release of the year L'appel, Chœur Louisbourg Yôtin (The Wind), Halifax Camerata Singers Maybe, Halifax Gay Men's Chorus Lucy, Laura Roy Pur ti miro, Measha Brueggergosman-Lee
CBC
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
N.L. artists weigh in on the controversy surrounding this year's ECMA's
The East Coast Music Awards are coming to St. John's for the first time in 10 years. But some of the biggest names this year, including Jeremy Dutcher, won't be there. That's because of a controversy that started when the East Coast Music Association's CEO, Blanche Israel, was fired in January. Now, local artists are weighing in on how the controversy has impacted them.
CBC
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Jeremy Dutcher and Classified lead East Coast Music Award nominees
Social Sharing The contenders for this year's East Coast Music Awards have been announced after a period of turmoil for the organization. Hip-hop artist Classified and Wolastoqiyik tenor and composer Jeremy Dutcher lead the nominees with eight nominations each, followed by Kellie Loder, Jah'Mila, Maggie Andrew and Vishtèn, who each earned five nominations. The East Coast Music Association (ECMA) said in a news release that the awards festivities are set for St. John's from May 7 to 11. It will be the first time in a decade that St. John's will host. The association's chief executive, Blanche Israël, was fired by the board of directors in January after a clash over the future of the awards and with the organization that administers them. An online petition launched late last year by the ECMA's founding director, Sheri Jones, called for "transparency and stability" amid an array of changes that affected the awards and its associated festival. Jones told CBC Nova Scotia's Information Morning in November 2024 that many of the changes were made without consulting board members: "There were major changes happening and no one was aware of how those had been made or even that they had been made." Israël told Information Morning in January that she defended her decisions, saying that all changes had been approved by the board and aimed at fostering diversity, equity and inclusion within the East Coast music community. "I don't think that in the end the board and I were aligned in how we felt that we should respond and they made the decision that they felt was in the best interest of the association," Israël told Information Morning. WATCH | Jeremy Dutcher performs a medley of his songs at the 2024 Polaris Music Prize gala: Classified's 2024 album, Luke's View, nabbed him nominations for album of the year, producer of the year, rap/hip-hop release of the year, single of the year and more. Dutcher is nominated for classical composer of the year, roots release of the year, solo artist of the year, songwriter of the year and more, all for his 2023 album, Motewolonuwok, which won the 2024 Polaris Music Prize.
