SOCAN composer Alexina Louie awarded $50,000 Molson Prize for 2019

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday July 31st, 2019

SOCAN composer Alexina Louie has been awarded the $50,000 Molson Prize for 2019, to help her continue her contributions to Canada’s cultural heritage.

Funded from a $1 million endowment given to the Canada Council by the Molson Family Foundation, The Molson Prize, of $50,000 to each recipient, is awarded annually to two distinguished Canadians, one in the arts and the other in the social sciences or humanities. The Canada Council administers the awards in conjunction with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Alexina Louie is one of Canadaʼs most highly regarded contemporary composers. Her explorations of Asian art and philosophy, and her desire for self-expression, have contributed to the development of her unique musical voice. Her commissioned works have been performed and broadcast internationally, and range across all musical genres, including ballet and opera. She’s been commissioned by The National Ballet of Canada, The Canadian Opera Company, The Montreal Symphony, The Toronto Symphony, and The National Arts Centre Orchestra. Louie has twice won the JUNO Award for Best Classical Composition. She’s also received the National Arts Centre Composers Award, the Jules Léger Prize (chamber music), the Chalmers Award (musical composition), and the Lou Applebaum Award for Excellence in Film Music Composition. In 2002, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2003, she earned the Jan V. Matejcek New Classical Music honour at the SOCAN Awards.

The winner of the other Molson Prize for 2019 is John Borrows, the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria Law School in British Columbia. Burrows is Anishinaabe/Ojibway, and a member of the Chippewa of the Nawash First Nation in Ontario.

SOCAN congratulates Alexina Louie and John Borrows on these awards!

Apply now for Musicworks 2019 Electronic Music Composition Contest

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday August 7th, 2019

SOCAN member composers are invited to submit an experimental piece in any electronic music genre (acousmatic, electroacoustic, glitch, soundscape, intelligent dance music, turntable art, or video music) to the Musicworks 2019 Electronic Music Composition Contest. The juried contest spotlights new musical talent, offers a cash prize and an opportunity to be heard.

The contest entry fee is $25 (with each additional entry only $5, unlimited), and includes a one-year subscription to Musicworks magazine. First prize is $500 cash, a composer profile in Musicworks, Issue 136 (Spring 2020 issue, both in print and online), and your composition released on the Musicworks 136 CD. Second prize is $200 cash and composer coverage on musicworks.ca in 2019, and third prize is $100 cash and composer coverage on musicworks.ca in 2019. The contest closes October 25, 2019.

For further 2019 Contest prize details, eligibility and assessment criteria, rules and restrictions, and entry forms, click here.

Register now for The Art of Managing Your Career – Indigenous Perspectives

Story by Howard Druckman | Tuesday July 23rd, 2019

Creative Manitoba is presenting The Art of Managing Your Career – Indigenous Perspectives, a course offering an overview of practical skills required to grow your career as an artist and creator. The eight-session program takes place in October and November 2019, and the instructor is Yvette Hawkes (Métis), a Winnipeg-based freelance visual artist.

For Indigenous artists working in any artistic discipline, the course covers both business and cultural subjects, including:

  • Envisioning and developing a career strategy
  • Effective business and communication skills
  • Marketing and promoting your work
  • Managing projects, financial affairs, and legal matters
  • Cultural mapping and resources
  • Explorations of protocols
  • A history of Indigenous art in Canada
  • Indigenous art in public, commercial, and/or community realms

The course is open to anyone with an existing or emerging arts practice including traditional craftspeople, dancers, filmmakers, musicians, hand drummers, new media content creators, visual artists, writers and knowledge keepers. If you’re a self-employed artist, or looking to increase the portion of your employment derived from your art, then this course is for you.

The course will run for eight consecutive Wednesday evenings in October and November 2019, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. each night, at the Creative Manitoba offices in Winnipeg. There are only 10 spots available. The cost is $120 CDN for members of Creative Manitoba, $170 CDN for non-members, and subsidies and assistance are available. Register here.