ECMA 2016 Awards Nominees and More News Announced!

ECMA 2016 Awards Nominees and More News Announced!

Hey Rosetta!, Jenn Grant, Amelia Curran, and Fortunate Ones Lead East Coast Music Award nominations

Initial performers announced for 2016 Eastlink East Coast Music Week

GO HERE FOR EAST COAST MUSIC WEEK 2016 NEED-TO-KNOW INFO

TICKETS ON SALE HERE

The East Coast Music Association (ECMA) is excited to return to Sydney for2016 Eastlink East Coast Music Week (ECMW) and is thrilled to announce the2016 East Coast Music Award nominees. Hey Rosetta! leads the pack with seven nominations, while Jenn Grant follows closely with six. Amelia Curran andFortunate Ones earn five nominations, and Mo Kenney and Ryan Hemswortheach garner four. The 2016 East Coast Music Award nominees are as follows:

2016 MUSIC AWARD NOMINEES

Aboriginal Artist of the Year

City Natives - Voltron
Kam Speech - EST1996
Pillorikput Inuit - Inuktitut Arias for All Seasons
Tristan Grant - TG-17

Album of the Year

Ben Caplan - Birds With Broken Wings (Producer: Josh “Socalled” Dolgin)
Fortunate Ones - The Bliss (Producer: Daniel Ledwell)
Hey Rosetta! - Second Sight (Producer: Marcus Paquin)
Jenn Grant - Compostela (Producer: Daniel Ledwell)
Mo Kenney - In My Dreams (Producer: Joel Plaskett)

Blues Recording of the Year

The Carson Downey Band - Catch Me If You Can
Ced Marty & Dave - To Our 3%
Dan Doiron - Stand Back I Don't Know How Loud This Thing Gets
John Campbelljohn - Chin Up
The Matt Landry Band - Are You Ever Gonna Go?

The Bucky Adams Memorial Award (formerly African-Canadian Recording of the Year)

Ced Marty & Dave - To Our 3%
Chelsea Amber - Introducing Chelsea Amber
Marcell Symonds - Just A Closer Walk
Samm Splash - The Breakup EP

Classical Composition of the Year

Anthony Genge - "Eastern Passage"
Derek Charke - "Wired and Wound"
Dinuk Wijeratne - "Two Pop Songs on Antique Poems"
Jérôme Blais - "(Un)forgotten Voices"
Martin Kutnowski - "Peter Emberley's Dream"

Classical Recording of the Year

Duo Concertante - Mendelssohn and MacDonald Double Concertos
The Sanctuary Trio - Estuary
Saint John String Quartet - Montage
Symphony Nova Scotia - The How and Why of Memory
Xara Choral Theatre Ensemble - Here On These Branches

Country Recording of the Year

The BackYard Devils - Honky Tonk Heartbreaker
Pretty Archie - North End Sky
Quentin Reddy - Diamond In the Rough
Tim Chaisson - Lost In Light
Whitney Rose - Heartbreaker of the Year

Dance Recording of the Year

Ben Rama - Intuition
FWLR - Killer Lady
Lonely Kid - For My Friends
Neon Dreams - The Last of Us
PINEO & LOEB - Soul Clap

Electronic Recording of the Year

Aqua Alta - Dreamsphere
ChessClub - ChessClub
Elephant Skeletons - Vol III
Ryan Hemsworth - Alone For the First Time
Scientists of Sound - Electric Is The Night

Francophone Recording of the Year

Joannie Benoit - Pot Mason
Joey Robin Haché - Repaver l'âme
Maxime McGraw - Changer d'air
Raphaël Butler - J'feel comme une machine
Ronald Bourgeois - Viens avec moi

Folk Recording of the Year

Amelia Curran - They Promised You Mercy
Ben Caplan - Birds With Broken Wings
Jenn Grant - Compostela
Gabrielle Papillon - The Tempest of Old
Old Man Luedecke - Domestic Eccentric

Gospel Recording of the Year

Glenn Vincent Breen - Waiting
Informants - Ezekiel
Josh Lake - 40cm of Funk
Kelley Mooney - Still
Marcell Symonds - Just A Closer Walk

Group Recording of the Year

Coyote - Proof of Life
Fortunate Ones - The Bliss
Gypsophilia - Night Swimming
Hey Rosetta! - Second Sight
Rain Over St. Ambrose - Still Waking Up

Jazz Recording of the Year

Gypsophilia - Night Swimming
Jerry Granelli - What I Hear Now
Kirk MacDonald - Vista Obscura
Matt MacDougall - Boy Goes to City
Ouroboros - Ouroboros

Loud Recording of the Year

Cabbages & Kings - Cabbages & Kings
Chaos Theory - We Are Disaster
Dumpster Mummy - TRENCHFOOT
Kilmore - City Lights
Shades of Sorrow - Ascension

Pop Recording of the Year

Alana Yorke - Dream Magic
Brianna Gosse - AERA
Christina Martin - It'll Be Alright
Coyote - Proof of Life
SORREY - Thick As Thieves

Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year

City Natives - Voltron
Fortunato - Unseen Armada
Ghettosocks - We're Going to Drink A Lot of Wine This Year, Boys. 2
Quake Matthews - Rap Music
Wordburglar - Rapplicable Skills

Rising Star Recording of the Year

Alana Yorke - Dream Magic
Brianna Gosse - AERA
Coyote - Proof of Life
Fortunate Ones - The Bliss
Kat McLevey - Evergrown

Rock Recording of the Year

Hey Rosetta! - Second Sight
Jerry Stamp - Rogue Doubt
Racoon Bandit - Close Your Eyes
Rain Over St. Ambrose - Still Waking Up
The Stanfields - Modem Operandi

Roots/Traditional Group Recording of the Year

Ben Miller & Anita MacDonald - A Day at the Lake
Danny Boudreau - DANNY PARTY
The East Pointers - Secret Victory
The Ennis Sisters - Stages
Vishtèn - Terre Rouge

Solo Recording of the Year

Amelia Curran - They Promised You Mercy
Gabrielle Papillon - The Tempest of Old
Jenn Grant - Compostela
Mo Kenney - In My Dreams
Ryan Hemsworth - Alone For the First Time

Song of the Year

Amelia Curran - "Somebody Somewhere" (Producer: Michael Philip Wojewoda)
Ben Caplan - "Birds With Broken Wings" (Producer: Josh “Socalled” Dolgin)
Christina Martin - "It'll Be Alright" (Producer: Dale Murray)
Fortunate Ones - "The Bliss" (Producer: Daniel Ledwell)
Hey Rosetta! - "Soft Offering (For the Oft Suffering)" (Producer: Marcus Paquin)

Songwriter of the Year

Andrew James O'Brien/Catherine Allan (Fortunate Ones)
Amelia Curran
Chris Luedecke (Old Man Luedecke)
Jenn Grant
Tim Baker (Hey Rosetta!)

Traditional Instrumental Recording of the Year

Aaron Collis & Duane Andrews - The Mallard Cottage Sessions
DOC - DesRoches Ouellette Chaisson
Jeff Jodrey - Carnival
Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy - One
Nuallan - The EP

2016 FANS' CHOICE AWARDS



Fans' Choice Entertainer of the Year

Amelia Curran
Christina Martin
Hey Rosetta!
In-Flight Safety
Jenn Grant
Joel Plaskett
Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy
The Once
Ryan Hemsworth
Tim Chaisson

Fans' Choice Video of the Year

David Myles - "Santa Never Brings Me A Banjo" (Director: Murray Bain)
Everglow - "Feel Your Heart" (Director: Devin Sooley)
Hey Rosetta! - "Soft Offering (For The Oft Suffering)" (Director: Mark Bennett)
In-Flight Safety - "Animals" (Director: Drew Lightfoot)
Jenn Grant - "Bring Me A Rose" (Director: Jason Levangie)
Mo Kenney - "Telephones" (Director: Nathan Boey)
Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy - "The Chase" (Director: Keith Holding)
The Once - "We Are All Running" (Director: Green Couch Productions)
Raphaël Butler - "Harley 1970" (Directors: Patrick Gauvin & Mathieu Laprise)
Ria Mae - "Clothes Off" (Director: Jason Levangie)
Tomato/Tomato - "Toss It All Away" (Director: Jordan Mattie)

2016 INDUSTRY AWARDS

Company of the Year

Forward Music Group
Rocking Horse Road Productions
Sonic Concerts
Sound of Pop
Spincount

Event of the Year

Cavendish Beach Music Festival
Celtic Colours International Festival
Halifax Jazz Festival
New Glasgow Jubilee
PEI Mutual Festival of Small Halls

Graphic/Media Artist of the Year

Abracazebra Productions
Deep Hollow Print
Glen Leck
MANCHU - Mark Young Design
Richard Lann

Live Sound Engineer of the Year

Devin Farrell
Georgia Richards
John Ellingbo
Kyle McDonald

Management/Manager of the Year

Andree Gracie
Bruce Morel/Music Marketing International Inc.
Kilbride Music
Forward Music Group
Sonic Entertainment Group

Media Outlet of the Year

CKDU 88.1FM
The Coast: Halifax's Weekly
Down East Country with George Canyon
East Coast Countdown
The Overcast: Newfoundland's Alternative Newspaper

Media Person of the Year

Adria Young
James Bennett
Paul-Émile Comeau
Ryan McNutt
Tom Bedell

Producer of the Year

Dale Murray
Jamie Foulds
Joel Plaskett
Mike "Sheppy" Shepherd
Scott Ferguson

Studio Engineer of the Year

Daniel Ledwell
Jamie Foulds
Jon Matthews
Mike "Sheppy" Shepherd
Scott Hammond

Studio of the Year

The Blue Room
Lakewind Sound Studios
New Scotland Yard Studio
The Sonic Temple
Soundpark Studios

Venue of the Year

The Carleton Music Bar & Grill
Glasgow Square Theatre
Harmony House Theatre
The Mack (Confederation Centre)
Plan b Lounge

Video of the Year

Christina Martin - "Take Me Back In A Dream" (Director: Jason Levangie)
David Myles - "Santa Never Brings Me A Banjo" (Director: Murray Bain)
Mo Kenney - "Telephones" (Director: Nathan Boey)
Ria Mae - "Clothes Off" (Director: Jason Levangie)
Ryan Hemsworth - "Snow In Newark" (Director: Martin C. Pariseau)

"We are thrilled to announce this year's East Coast Music Awards nominees, which once again demonstrates the incredible musical talent coming out of our region right now," says Andy McLean, ECMA Executive Director. "Adding to the excitement is the first round of East Coast Music Week (ECMW) showcasing acts, which features both upcoming and established musicians, as well as the diverse styles and sounds that the East Coast is known for. With a wide array of events happening at iconic venues throughout Sydney, and our Industry Conference taking place at the Membertou Trade & Convention Centre, the 28th edition of ECMW will truly be a memorable event!"

INITIAL SHOWCASING ARTISTS

In addition to its award nominations, ECMA also unveiled an initial list of showcasing artists who will perform in Sydney during Eastlink East Coast Music Week 2016. The first round of artists includes:

RBC Breakout Stage

Andrew Waite & The Firm
Arsoniste
Cy
Décota McNamara
Joey Robin Haché
Kill Chicago
Lady Brett Ashley
Laurenn Marchand
Ouroboros
Reeny Smith
SORREY
Tyler Hache

Rising Star Stage

Alana Yorke
BITS (formerly Jonah Haché)
Brianna Gosse
Dylan Menzie
Everglow
Glory Glory
Kat McLevey
Pretty Archie
Quiet Parade
Raphaël Butler
Steve Maloney & The Wandering Kind
Tomato/Tomato

Bluebird North

Dave Sampson
Dylan Menzie
Ian Sherwood (Host)
Kat McLevey
Keith Mullins
Kim Harris
Norma MacDonald
Steve Maloney
Tomato/Tomato (Host)
Tristan Horncastle

Songwriters’ Circle

Andy Brown
Charlie A’Court
Christina Martin
Heather Rankin (Host)
Jenn Grant
Ken Tizzard
Old Man Luedecke
Tim Chaisson

Export Buyers Stage

Andy Brown
Ben Caplan
Ben Miller & Anita MacDonald
Coyote
Christina Martin
Fortunate Ones
Gabrielle Papillon
Jenn Grant
Nuallan
Old Man Luedecke
The BackYard Devils
The Ennis Sisters

Other performing artists include:

Adam Baldwin, Amelia Curran, Black & Grey, Brian Baker and the Memphis Knights, Cabbages & Kings, Ced Marty and Dave, Chaos Theory, Chelsea Amber, City Natives, Danny Boudreau, Dan Doiron, Devarrow, DOC, Dumpster Mummy, ELEPHANT SKELETONS, Fortunato, Hillsburn, John Campbelljohn, Kam Speech, Kilmore, Like A Motorcycle, Lonely Kid, Makayla Lynn, Mardeen, Matt Macdougall, Neon Dreams, PINEO & LOEB, Port Cities, Quentin Reddy, Racoon Bandit, Rain Over St. Ambrose, Shades of Sorrow, The East Pointers, The Kendra Gale Band, The Matt Landry Band, The Monday Nights, The Motorleague, The Town Heroes, TJ King, Tristan Grant, and Wordburglar.

"We are very excited to be bringing ECMW back to Cape Breton, a region that has always been such a strong pillar of the East Coast music scene," says Dean Stairs, Chair of the ECMA Board of Directors. "As the host city, Sydney has been nothing but warm and inviting to our organization, and we look forward to once again holding a world class musical event in this community."

2016 JURYING PROCESS

ECMA has decided to move towards a more transparent and industry-driven voting process. While they have used the knowledge of jury members in the past to determine nominees, the winners for several of the music categories were determined by a second round of member-only voting. This year, ECMA moved to an entirely juried voting process. Over 225 qualified jurors spanning all genres and all Atlantic regions, as well as industry professionals throughout Canada and the world, juried all award categories to determine the winners. Jurors were chosen for their expertise and knowledge in specific genres and industry fields.

This change means that there will be no member-voting on awards.

The Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year and Fans’ Choice Video of the Year awards will continue to be voted on by the public.

FANS' CHOICE VOTING OPEN NOW VIA CAPE BRETON POST

Public voting for the East Coast Music Awards Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year and Fans’ Choice Video of the Year is now open. Fans can visit the Cape Breton Post website to vote once a day for their favourite artists and videos. Voting closes on March 16, 2016 at 5pm AST.

2016 EAST COAST MUSIC AWARDS SHOW AT CENTRE 200 IN SYDNEY

The 2016 East Coast Music Awards Show, hosted by Ashley MacIsaac andHeather Rankin, takes place on Thursday, April 14 at Centre 200 in Sydney, NS. The show will once again be broadcast live on Eastlink TV. In addition to performances from Hey Rosetta!, Jenn Grant, Fortunate Ones, Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, and City Natives, ECMA announced today that Heather Rankin, Ben Caplan, Christina Martin, The East Pointers, and Raphaël Butler will also take the stage. The evening will also feature a special tribute to the late Ron Hynes.

WELCOME TO ECMW OPENING CEREMONY

This year, ECMA will be presenting a welcoming ceremony in partnership with the Membertou Trade & Convention Centre and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, April 13 at 7:00pm at the Membertou Trade & Convention Centre.

"The history and living culture of the Mi'kmaw people of Membertou will be featured in the Opening Ceremony and Reception as we kick off 2016 Eastlink East Coast Music Week at the Membertou Trade & Convention Centre," says Stephen Antle, co-chair of the ECMW local engagement committee.

ECMW INDUSTRY CONFERENCE AND EXPORT BUYERS PROGRAM: OUR MUSIC MEANS BUSINESS

The 2016 ECMW Industry Conference is the place to make important industry connections, build business opportunities, and develop industry knowledge, skills, and tools. This year's conference will continue to offer unparalleled opportunities for delegates to connect with key members of the music industry through a multitude of meetings, conference sessions, and networking opportunities.

Over 50 music industry delegates from the US, Canada, Australia, France, and the UK will attend ECMW 2016 to participate in the Export Buyers Program and international marketplace. These international and Canadian guests include booking agents, talent buyers, festival, event, and venue programmers, promoters, presenters, digital experts, and media from the music industry around the world.

This year's conference will feature a Celebrity Spotlight interview with Natalie MacMaster. More news about the Industry Conference, including a full schedule, will be announced soon.

THE EAST COAST MUSIC AFICIONADO PROGRAM

The ECMA recently announced the creation of The East Coast Music Aficionado Program, an initiative that will support the music industry and musicians of Atlantic Canada. This new program welcomes patrons of the arts community to contribute to the ECMA to ensure the association can continue to foster, develop and grow the music industry in Atlantic Canada.

East Coast Music Aficionados will each donate $10,000 to this initiative. To date, City Printers Ltd. (JONELJIM GROUP), Gary Chant: MECO Construction - DKI, Northern Contracting Limited, and Newcap Radio have all joined as Aficionados.

If you are interested in becoming the next East Coast Music Aficionado, please contact Andree Gracie at [email protected].

TICKETS & PASSES ON SALE NOW

Tickets and passes for ECMW 2016 are now on sale. Awards Show tickets are $40, wristbands are $80, festival passes are $175, and VIP Passes are $350. All prices include tax and fees. CAA Atlantic is also offering to its members a CAA VIP Experience Package and a CAA Festival Pass Discount. Tickets, passes, and details are available here: http://www.ecma.com/festival/tickets

Special Awards Gala tables will also be available for sale. If you are interested please contact Andree Gracie at [email protected].

TD MUSIC MOVES ME CONTEST

As part of Eastlink East Coast Music Week 2016, TD and the East Coast Music Association present Music Moves Me. Nova Scotia high school students are encouraged to show their musical talent by recording a video of themselves performing an original or cover song and posting it on YouTube. Use the #TDMusic and #ECMW2016 hashtags to promote your video! The winner receives $1,000 for their school's music program, two passes to the East Coast Music Week Awards Show along with return travel to the Show and overnight accommodations. The winner is also invited to perform their song as part of the TD Pop-Up Concert at the Mayflower Mall in Sydney on Saturday, April 16, 2016.

For program details and more information, visit: https://marcatoapp.com/forms/ecma/musicmoves/

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

Want to get involved at ECMW 2016? Volunteer applications are now open! Click here to apply: https://marcatoapp.com/forms/ecma/volunteers/new

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

Media accreditation for Eastlink East Coast Music Week 2016 is now open. To apply, visit: https://marcatoapp.com/website_integration/ecma/medias/new

AWARDS BREAKDOWN BY REGION

Music & Fans' Choice Awards
Cape Breton: 11
New Brunswick: 20
Newfoundland & Labrador: 33
Nova Scotia: 62
Prince Edward Island: 13

Industry Awards
Cape Breton: 10
New Brunswick: 4
Newfoundland & Labrador: 4
Nova Scotia: 36
Prince Edward Island: 5

All Awards

Cape Breton: 21
New Brunswick: 24
Newfoundland & Labrador: 37
Nova Scotia: 98
Prince Edward Island: 18

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

All delegate passes will be available for pickup between April 13-17, 2016 at the ECMA registration desk at the Membertou Trade & Convention Centre, 50 Maillard St., Membertou, NS.

Registration hours are:
- Wednesday, April 13 - 12:00pm-9:00pm
- Thursday, April 14 to Saturday, April 16 - 9:00am-9:00pm
- Sunday, April 17 - 9:00am-4:00pm
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The East Coast Music Association (ECMA) is a regional collaboration of people in the music industry of Atlantic Canada that fosters, develops and celebrates East Coast music and its artists locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. The ECMA annually produces one of the top music industry events in Canada, Eastlink East Coast Music Week, which includes Awards, a Festival, an Industry Conference and the International Export Buyers Program. ECMA and its programs are generously funded by the Government of Canada through the International Business Development Agreement (represented by Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and Industry Canada), the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund), the four provincial governments in Atlantic Canada, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and MUSICACTION. ECMA recognizes the support of the province of Nova Scotia, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, ECMW Title Sponsor Eastlink, Nova Scotia Provincial Lotteries and Casino Corporation, The Membertou Trade and Convention Centre, Gold Partners Molson Canadian, Newcap Radio, TD Bank Group, and The Cape Breton Post.

This project is funded in part by FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada and the Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018.

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