Lukas Pearse Hosts Musical Improvisation at the TD Halifax Jazz Festival

In addition to its feature performance space on the Waterfront Stage, the 2018 TD Halifax Jazz Festival has venues across the city during its July 10-15 run.

The Open Company Sessions, presented by Upstream, is a curated series that feature free improvisation. The sessions are hosted by Halifax musicians Geordie Haley and Lukas Pearse.

Lukas is a bassist, media artist, and sound editor. He received a Talent Trust scholarship in 2003.

He’s an award-winning film composer and member of the Screen Composers Guild of Canada. He’s served as the Artistic Director of the Upstream Music Association since 2015. 

Lukas is also an experienced teacher, working with private students as well as through the Centre for Art Tapes and NSCAD University.

In the Open Company Sessions, local musical luminaries and visiting virtuosos meet onstage to create spontaneous music.

The sessions run from 11pm - 1am from Wednesday, July 11 through Saturday July 14 at ART BAR at 1873 Granville Street in Halifax. Admission is free.

Dance - Ballet Workshops with Hanna Mae Cruddas

Hannah Mae Cruddas will conduct Ballet Workshops on Thursday, June 28 at East Coast Dance Academy, 5665 St. Margaret's Bay Road. The sessions are open to all studios and dancers.

7-9yrs: 5-6pm $15
10-12yrs: 6-7:15pm $20
13+ yrs: 7:15pm-8:45pm $25 
Teacher Observation: $10 for any workshop

Pre-register to reserve your spot: info@ecda.ca

Born and raised in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Hannah Mae trained at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts and The Leica Hardy School of Dance, before moving to Toronto at age 16 to graduate from Canada's National Ballet School. 

Upon graduation, she joined Canada's Ballet Jörgen and is currently in her seventh season with the company. She's danced in many of Jörgen's works including Anastasia (in the title role), Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and Cinderella, and had the opportunity to create the role of the Lilac Fairy in Jörgen's Sleeping Beauty. 

During her time in Toronto, Hannah Mae has been privileged to work with many choreographers and repetiteurs including Bengt Jörgen, Svea Eklof, Robert Desrosier, Malgorzata Nowaka, Aszure Barton, Peggy Baker and Lindsay Fischer. 

She is honoured to have received various scholarships and awards, including the Janice and Brian Flemming scholarship and the NSTT Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. 

In/Visible: Recent Work by Charlotte Wilson-Hammond

Charlotte Wilson-Hammond is a longtime supporter and current board member of the Talent Trust. Her recent work, In/Visible, is at ARTsPLACE Gallery, 396 St. George Street in Annapolis Royal, until July 1.

For the past thirty years Charlotte has been an active advocate for the arts, both provincially and nationally. She was a founding member of Visual Arts Nova Scotia, Eye Level Gallery and the Coalition For Arts and Culture.  

She’s served on the Board of Governors of NSCAD University, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the Canadian Conference of the Arts, and Canadian Artists Representation (CARFAC). She’s ex officio to the Board of Visual Arts Nova Scotia, as well as serving on the Board of the Cultural Federations of Nova Scotia. 

Charlotte currently sits on the board of the Talent Trust, and is our past chair.

In 2004 Charlotte was awarded the Portia White Prize, a $25,000 award honouring a senior artist in the Province of Nova Scotia.  With part of the award she established the Charlotte Wilson-Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Scholarship administered through the Talent Trust. She's pictured here with Curtis Botham, the 2017 winner of the award.

We’re very grateful for her generosity, dedication, and her tireless work. 

Three years ago, Charlotte began a new series of conté drawings and shadow photograph/print/drawings, using herself as the subject. In this new work, she reflects on the fragility, vulnerability and yet the beauty and strength of this timeless human condition, noting that one of the most mystifying aspects of aging is that one’s presence is diminished within the general public, often to the point of invisibility. 

The final body of work, which can be seen at ARTsPLACE, consists of large (3'x 4 1/2') drawings using photographs of Charlottes’s shadow in the landscape. These are then digitally manipulated, printed on semi-transparent mylar with the resulting image then worked with coloured pencil.

For more information on the exhibition and directions to the gallery, visit the ARTsPLACE website.

See Maya Read in a Mini-concert at RBC

Maya Read will perform at the RBC main branch at 1871 Hollis Street in Halifax on Friday, June 22 at 12:15 p.m. 

Maya is representing the Talent Trust as the 2017 recipient of the NSTT Lieutenant Governor award. 

Maya is grateful to RBC and the Talent Trust for helping her in her artistic studies. Since graduating from Ecole du Carrefour in Dartmouth, she’s been studying musical theatre at Sheridan College, where she recently completed her second year. 

Maya’s involvement in her community is considerable, from singing O Canada for the Olympic Torch Relay, to performing at Christmas Daddies, and opera at Dalhousie University. She’s participated in the Kiwanis Music Festivals, performed in community theatre in Halifax, Dartmouth, and Windsor, and on Neptune Theatre's main stage. Maya has taught musical theatre to kids in Dartmouth and, most recently, has performed at many open mics in numerous locations. 

During her RBC performance, Maya will present a number of songs which are part of her recent explorations of pop music. Some songs you know, some are recent popular songs, and some are her originals. 

The RBC Foundation has supported the Talent Trust and emerging Nova Scotia artists for the past nine years. Thank you, RBC!

This story is from the Talent Trust June newsletter. Click here to have the full newsletter delivered to your in box.

Aidan Zann-Roland and Chantal Peng at Awards for Creative Excellence

Aidan Zann-Roland and Chantal Peng appeared at the celebration of the Minister's Awards for Creative Excellence in the Arts in Halifax on June 13.

Aidan Zann-Roland was one of the finalists for the Charlie A’Court Scholarship for Excellence in Music (CASEM). Charlie A'Court was on hand (pictured with Aidan above, left) for the celebration.

Aidan is also one of the Talent Trust’s newest scholarship recipients. He started playing bass guitar in the Truro Junior High jazz band, then in the Cobequid Education Centre (CEC) band, and in the Nova Scotia Honours jazz program. 

While in Grade 10 he was a member of the jazz/funk band Shelter, which disbanded when the other members went on to university. In 2016 and at the age of 16, Aidan became the youngest member of the band Carry the Lost.

Chantal Peng (above, right) was on hand to accompany two of the Minister’s Awards for Creative Excellence recipients.

She’s studied with Professor John Hansen at Acadia University, and at Orford Musique in Quebec. She was the recipient of the Talent Trust Titje Zonneveld award in 2017.

Chantal placed first in the National Canadian Music Competition, and at the Great Composers’ International Piano Concerto Competition in 2016. She played at Carnegie Hall in New York in 2015. 

If you’re in the Wolfville area on June 23, you can see Chantal perform at their farmer’s market from 9:30 am - 12:30 p.m.

In partnership with the arts community, the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development established the Minister's Awards for Creative Excellence in the Arts to recognize grade 12 students who excel in visual arts, performing arts, digital multimedia and music.

Three $1000 scholarships are granted according to overall merit. The Charlie A’Court Scholarship for Excellence in Music includes a $500 award and a mentorship with musical artist Charlie A’Court. In addition, up to 15 students are selected as finalists and each receive $100.

All of us at the Talent Trust would like to congratulate the finalists and wish them all the best as they continue their artistic studies.

Pearl Chan at Impressment Gang Celebration & Open Mic Reading

Pearl Chan, writer and editor, is one of the founders of literary magazine The Impressment Gang (IG). Tonight, June 15, will see a celebration marking the publication’s final issue after four years of publication.

Pearl studied at University of King’s College and was awarded the Talent Trust RBC Emerging Artist Award for literary arts in 2014.

The party is a free all-ages event that includes an open mic for anyone who would like to sign up to read. Back issues of IG will be available on a pay what you can basis.

The celebration takes place from 7:00 -10:00 p.m. at the Khyber Centre for the Arts at 1880 Hollis Street in Halifax. For more details, visit the IG Facebook event page.

The Challenge Continues - Help us Win $10,000 for Scholarships!

We're nearly halfway through the Great Canadian Giving Challenge. Sponsored by Giv3 and CanadaHelps, every $1 donated in June is an automatic entry for the Talent Trust (and other registered charities) to win $10,000.

If we win, that money will go directly to scholarships. Every penny.

There's a minimum $3 donation required. So if you donate $10, the Talent Trust will be entered into the draw 10 times. If you can donate $3, that still gives us three chances to win.


The Challenge ends June 30, 2018 at 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). The grand prize draw is on Canada Day, July 1, 2018.

This is important: only donations made on givingchallenge.ca or through the canadahelps.org website will be entered for the prize draw. (Complete details and regulations can be found on the Great Canadian Giving Challenge website.)

$10,000 would enable the Talent Trust to award five more scholarships of $2,000 each to emerging Nova Scotia artists. That can be a real boost to someone's studies, and a significant vote of confidence.

Want to help us make a difference? Click here to donate. Thank you!

William Kowalski and Writers Revolt Present Webinar for Self-published Authors

Like any nonprofit organization, the Talent Trust relies on the work, largely behind the scenes, of a group of dedicated volunteers.

William Kowalski has shared his expertise on our scholarship committee, and has recently announced a new project with novelist Darren Greer called Writers Revolt.

William is an award-winning author of 14 books, including the international bestseller Eddie’s Bastard. His most recent work, The Best Polish Restaurant in Buffalo, is a self-published, crowd-funded book, based on the life story of his great-grandmother.

Writers Revolt aims to erase the stigma of self-publishing, and to do it by helping authors create high-quality, professional work.

Their first webinar is on Saturday, June 24: Hiring Creative Professionals. 

“Both Darren and I have conducted successful crowdfunding campaigns to hire professional editors, copy editors, proofreaders, cover designers, and layout artists to produce our books, and we want to show you how you can do the same. We believe that with the many changes in publishing over the last several years, self-publishing is a completely viable and respectable option. . . but too many authors are putting their books out before they're ready. We want to help raise the bar!”

Registration is $25. For more information, visit the Writers Revolt website.

Heemin Choi and Ifan Williams Perform Death and the Maiden - Presented by Theatre Arts Guild

On June 17 at 2:00 p.m. Theatre Arts Guild will present a live performance of the first two movements of Schubert’s concerto Death and the Maiden by Phillippe Djokic, Heemin Choi, Margot Aldrich and Ifan Williams. The performance is approximately 35 minutes. 

Heemin Choi (violin) completed his bachelor’s degree at Dalhousie University’s Fountain School of Performing Arts under international award-winning Philippe Djokic, and is currently a master’s student at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Texas, studying under Paul Kantor, who is one of the most sought-after violin teachers in North America. 

Heemin is the Talent Trust 2018 Goodwill Ambassador.

Ifan Williams (cello) has performed with the New Philharmonia of London, London Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Chamber Ensemble, and the Classical Quartet of Montreal. 

He’s been Artist In Residence at the University of New Brunswick, Professor of Cello at Mount Allison University, and is the current Chair of Musique Royale and Opera Nova Scotia.

The play will begin shortly after the June 17 matinee performance. Death and the Maiden runs from June 7 - 23 at The Pond Playhouse in Halifax (audience note: suitable for adults only with explicit language that may be offensive to some. Gun shots will be heard.) For tickets, visit Ticket Atlantic.

Breagh MacKinnon Performs with Classified and Nova Scotian All-Star Cast for the SeaStar Child and Youth Advocacy Centre

Breagh MacKinnon, Classified, David Myles. Photo by Mo Phung

Breagh MacKinnon (pictured above left) is one of a group of Nova Scotian artists assembled by Juno award-winning Canadian rapper Classified to create awareness for the SeaStar Child and Youth Advocacy Centre. 

The group came together in late April at the Sonic Temple recording studio to produce an acoustic video for Classified’s song “Powerless”. The original version of the song has received media attention across Canada for giving a voice to children and women who have suffered abuse, as well as murdered and missing Indigenous women. 

You can watch the just-released acoustic version of "Powerless" here: https://youtu.be/5ewVvq9pkD4

The video features an all-star cast of Nova Scotian musicians including David Myles, Joel Plaskett, Rose Cousins, Elijah Will, and Neon Dreams.

The SeaStar Child and Youth Advocacy Centre is based at the IWK Health Centre and offers a coordinated response for children who have experienced violence and abuse. For more information about SeaStar visit iwkfoundation.org/seastar

Summer Soirees - Vocalist Karen Myatt in Concert at the Halifax Distilling Co.

Karen Myatt celebrates summer with a series of themed concerts at the Halifax Distilling Co. at 1668 Lower Water Street on the city's waterfront.

On Saturday, June 16, The Karen Myatt Quintet presents Acoustique, an intimate evening of classic and contemporary melodies.

"These are some of my all-time favourite songs," says the vocalist, noting that the two-set soirée will include works by Cassandra Wilson, Jeff Buckley, Imelda May, Tom Waits, and many others. "We will be taking these tunes down a notch and showcasing the sheer, simple beauty of the music."

On Saturday, July 14, Myatt's Quartet presents Just Jazz, a two-set tribute to the genre's tremendous tradition.

"We are going back to basics with this concert, performing standards by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan, and Nova Scotia's very own Holly Cole," she explains. "Purists — and those just discovering jazz — will love it."

On Friday, August 17, the Quintet returns with Calendar Girl,  showcasing the life and work of renowned American singer and actress Julie London. 

"We have been wanting to do this show for a long time," says Myatt. "The first set will overview her career, while the second set will feature her classic 1956 album Calendar Girl in its entirety."

More information on Summer Soirées, as well as ticket details, are available via Myatt's website: www.karenmyatt.net

Pianist Chantal Peng Performs at the Wolfville Farmer’s Market June 13 and 23

Pianist Chantal Peng will perform at the Wolfville Farmer’s Market on Wednesday, June 13 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. and Saturday June 23, from 9:30 am - 12:30 p.m.

A talented young artist who's dedicated to her local community, Chantal has studied with Professor John Hansen at Acadia University, and at Orford Musique in Quebec. Under John Hansen’s instruction, she’s received a number of awards and scholarships at the provincial, national and international level. 

She placed first in the National Canadian Music Competition, and at the Great Composers’ International Piano Concerto Competition in 2016. She played at Carnegie Hall in New York in 2015.

And she’s just finishing high school.

Here's a video of Chantal in 2013 at the Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBpOL31ejbY

  

For details on Chantal’s performances, visit the OurAnnapolisValley.com events page.