NSTT Artist Spotlight Repeats Interview With Violinist Marc Djokic In Light Of His Concert With Symphony NS January 16, 2020

On January 2, at 1 p.m. tune in to a repeat of the Talent Trust Artist Spotlight from July 4, 2019 with virtuosic internationally renowned violinist Marc Djokic, winner of the 2017-2018 Prix Goyer as well as actor/producer, and film producer and actor Gharrett Paon.

97.5 CIOE Community Radio

Marc Djokic will perform with Symphony Nova Scotia on 
Thursday, January 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Marc Djokic (photo Symphony NS)

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Announcing the Talent Trust's 2019 Special Award Recipients

Today, we were able to grant 15 special awards at our annual Special Awards Ceremony. We recognized our 2019 scholarship and Special Award recipients at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 at the Halifax Central Library in a ceremony attended by His Honour The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, QC, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. Created to support the career of contralto Portia White 75 years ago, the Talent Trust has continued to support talented Nova Scotian artists as they pursue their studies toward establishing professional careers in the arts. The Special Awards Ceremony was the culmination of our 75th anniversary year.  Have a look below and celebrate with these wonderful artists!

Halifax pianist Lala Lee received the $1,500 Talent Trust Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Artistic Achievement, the NSTT’s highest honour for a student in any discipline. Lee studies at the Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto, Ontario.

Presented for the first time in 2013, the two 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Awards, valued at $10,000 each, will be awarded to any recipient, regardless of age, from any artistic discipline, who best exemplifies the qualities embraced by the Nova Scotia Talent Trust, that of the utmost commitment, promise, exceptional technique, talent and the highest achievement of excellence, someone who demonstrates the passion and drive to become a professional Nova Scotia artist in their field of discipline. These two awards will be granted every December until 2022 and are the legacy of the 2011 Canada Games Young Artists of Excellence Program. In 2019, the two $10,000 awards were received by Halifax dancer Gabrielle Kachan and visual artist Gillian Baldwin from Port Williams.

Gabrielle Kachan (Halifax), 2019 recipient of a 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award, is currently studying contemporary dance at École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal in Montréal, Québec.

Visual artist Gillian Baldwin (Port Williams), 2019 recipient of a 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Award, is currently studying visual arts (digital image/3D) at the Piet Zwart Institute in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Today, we had the pleasure to present two new awards in honour of two exceptional women; philanthropist Peggy Corkum and visual artist, teacher and mentor Susan Wood. Both touched many lives and hearts. We're thankful to Musique Royale and Barbara Butler for the new Peggy Corkum/Musique Royale Legacy Award for a piano student. And we thank the family of Susan Wood and Visual Arts Nova Scotia for creating The Susan Wood Award for visual arts students in the field of painting, drawing, print making.

Pianist Devin Huang (Bedford) is the recipient of the $1,000 Peggy Corkum/Musique Royale Legacy Award. Huang studies privately with Lynn Stodola. (Award supported by Barbara Butler and friends of Peggy Corkum.)

Visual artist Ada Denil (Halifax) is the recipient of the $1500 The Susan Wood Award in visual arts. Denil is currently studying sculpting and drawing at NSCAD University in Halifax. (Award supported by family and friends of Susan Wood and Visual Arts Nova Scotia.)

There are ten more Special Award recipients, each of whom demonstrates exceptional potential to become a professional artist. We're pleased to introduce them here.

Musical theatre actor Ryan MacDougall (Hammonds Plains) is the recipient of the $1,500 RBC Emerging Artist Award for theatre. MacDougall studies musical theatre at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. (Award supported by RBC Emerging Artist Project.)

French horn player Mimisu Lee (Halifax) is the recipient of the $1000 Yue Lih “Lee” and Marion Kuo Award for exceptional commitment and potential in music as an instrumentalist. Lee is currently studying French horn at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto, Ontario. (Award supported by Marion Kuo and Earl Wadden.)

Visual artist Jessie McLaughlin (Bedford) is the recipient of the $1,000 Charlotte Wilson-Hammond/Visual Arts Nova Scotia Award. McLaughlin currently studies fashion and textile art at NSCAD University in Halifax. (Award supported by Charlotte Wilson-Hammond and Visual Arts Nova Scotia.)

Baritone Nicholas Higgs (New Glasglow) is the recipient of the $1,500 Talent Trust Portia White Award for voice. Higgs studies at the University of Toronto. (Award supported by the Music-in-Medicine and Humanities-HEALS Program, Dalhousie University and the family of Portia White.)

Ballet and contemporary dancer Sahara Nyathi (Halifax) is the recipient of the $2,000 Robert George Jackson Award for dance. Nyathi spent the Summer 2019 studying at the National Ballet School in Toronto, Ontario (Award supported by the Jackson family.)

Filmmaker Rose-Marie Daniels (Port Williams) is the recipient of the $1000 Shelagh Mackenzie Award in filmmaking. Daniels is currently studying film production and post-production at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. (Award supported by Shelagh Mackenzie's friends).

Musical theatre actor Brooke Mitchell (Beaverbank) is the recipient of the $500 Theatre Nova Scotia Award for theatre. Mitchell is studying musical theatre at the Neptune Theatre School in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Award supported by Theatre Nova Scotia.)

Composer Jessica MacIsaac (Halifax) is the recipient of the $1000 Kenneth Elloway Award for composition. MacIsaac attended Valencia International Performance Academy in Valencia, Spain in the summer of 2019. (Award supported by the Elloway family.)

Ballet dancer Julia Barkhouse (Dartmouth) is the recipient of the $1000 Janice Merritt Flemming Award and is currently studying at Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto, Ontario. (Award supported by the Flemming family.)

Flutist Amelia Bruce (Dartmouth) is the recipient of the $1,000 Raymond Simpson Award for music. Bruce is studying at Schulich School of Music, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. (Award supported by the Simpson family.)

In addition to the Special Awards announced today, the Nova Scotia Talent Trust gave out scholarships to 58 recipients earlier this year. You can find a list of the 2019 Nova Scotia Talent Trust scholarship recipients below. The NSTT’s scholarship application deadline date for Spring/Summer study is March 1, 2020 and for Fall/Winter study it is May 1, 2020. The NSTT is supported by individual donors like Margaret and David Fountain and the 2011 Canada Games Legacy Fund, RBC Foundation, The Craig Foundation, Canadian Federation of Musicians, Musique Royale, Visual Arts Nova Scotia, Theatre Nova Scotia, Debut Atlantic, immediaC, the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, MSVU Art Gallery, CBU Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Basil AV, BoyneClarke, Code+Mortar, NSTT Foundation, Dalhousie Music in Medicine HEALS Program, Support4Culture, Halifax Central Library, Halifax Regional Municipality, Cecilia Concerts, FIN Atlantic International Film Festival, Craft Nova Scotia, Black Cultural Centre for NS, CIOE 97.5 Community Radio, Symphony Nova Scotia, Neptune Theatre, and Arts Nova Scotia. NSTT is pleased to work in partnership with the province to develop and promote our cultural resources for all Nova Scotians. Contact: Jacqueline Steudler, Executive Director, Nova Scotia Talent Trust P. O. Box 575 Halifax  NS  B3J 2R7 (902) 492 6801 director@nstalenttrust.ns.ca nstalenttrust.ns.ca

Congratulations to the Talent Trust and Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship Recipients CIRCUS ARTS RECIPIENT Acrobatics/Tumbling Morganne Hartlen, Mineville DANCE RECIPIENTS Ballet Julia Barkhouse, Dartmouth  Chloe Bruce, Dartmouth Brooklyn Law, Bedford Mollie Oates-Johnson, Dartmouth Maggie Oates-Johnson, Dartmouth Aidan Vaudreuil, Lower Sackville Carrigan MacDonald, Bedford, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship Sahara Nyathi, Halifax, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship Ballet/Contemporary Niamh Draper, Bedford Stan Tonin, Windsor Junction Modern/Contemporary Gabrielle Kachan, Halifax Lucie Schmidt, Lakeview/Dartmouth Denver Scott, Halifax FILM Production and Post Production Rose-Marie Daniels, Port Williams Documentary Film Meagan Brown, Hammonds Plains Stop Motion and Digital Animation Katelyn Hawley, Hammonds Plains Directing and Producing Kassidy Mattera, Bedford Expanded Cinema Yalitsa Riden, Hammonds Plains LITERARY ARTS Creative Nonfiction Sara Leslie, Halifax Sidney Robichaud, Halifax, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship MUSIC RECIPIENTS Keyboard - Piano Devin Huang, Bedford Lala Lee, Halifax Andrew Son, Halifax Cindy Thong, Halifax Alex (Zixuan) Yang, Bedford Strings - Cello India Gailey, Wolfville Strings - Violin Rose Hanada, Halifax Lilith Richter-Stephenson, Dartmouth Indi Tisoy, Dartmouth Strings - Viola Ellis Yuen-Rapati, Dartmouth Strings - Double Bass Sean Sneddon, Halifax Voice - Opera Ruusu-Maaria Brousseau, Halifax Anisa Sobhani, Dartmouth Laura Johnston, Prospect Bay Morgan Reid, Sydney Nicholas Higgs, New Glasgow Nick Veltmeyer, Halifax Shanice Skinner, New Glasgow Composition Jessica MacIsaac, Halifax Cassie Mann, Halifax, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship Brass - Tuba Bryenton Innes, Lakelands Brass - French Horn Mimisu Lee, Halifax Brass - Trumpet Shaw Nicholson, Halifax Woodwind - Flute Amelia Bruce, Dartmouth THEATRE RECIPIENTS Music Theatre Brooke Mitchell, Beaverbank Brent Raddall, Wolfville Ryan MacDougall, Hammonds Plains, NS Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship VISUAL/FINE ARTS RECIPIENTS Interdisciplinary Madeleine West, Halifax Gillian Baldwin, Port Williams Caterina Slamovits, Halifax Design/Applied Craft Andrew Gilmour, Halifax Charles Bourne, Halifax Painting/Drawing Caitlin McGuire, Halifax Robin Lauzon, Kentville Textiles/Fashion Sienna Maeba, Halifax Jessie McLaughlin, Bedford Sculpture/Drawing Ada Denil, Halifax Want to hear more? Please sign up for our newsletter Want to support the next generation of Nova Scotia artists? Donate today!

Conversation with George Elliott Clarke on Portia White: A Portrait in Words

Past scholarship recipient George Elliott Clarke honours his great aunt, Portia White's life and legacy with his art. Join him in conversation about his new book: 

Portia White: A Portrait in Words

Tuesday, December 10

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

1055 Marginal Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Free and open to the public. 

Register online: https://portiawhite.eventbrite.ca

Mr. Clarke will read from this new book, illuminate his writing process and tell more of his family’s story. Books will be for sale prior to the event with reception and signing to follow. Presented with the support of Nimbus Publishing.

About George Elliott Clarke 

"The 4th Poet Laureate of Toronto (2012-15) and the 7th Parliamentary/Canadian Poet Laureate (2016-17), George Elliott Clarke is a revered artist in song, drama, fiction, screenplay, essays, and poetry. Born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, in 1960, Clarke was educated at the University of Waterloo, Dalhousie University, and Queen’s University. Clarke is also a pioneering scholar of African-Canadian literature. A professor of English at the University of Toronto, Clarke has taught at Duke, McGill, the University of British Columbia, and Harvard. He holds eight honorary doctorates, plus appointments to the Order of Nova Scotia and the Order of Canada at the rank of Officer. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. His recognitions include the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Fellows Prize, the Governor-General’s Award for Poetry, the National Magazine Gold Award for Poetry, the Premiul Poesis (Romania), the Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction, the Eric Hoffer Book Award for Poetry (US), and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award. Clarke’s work is the subject of Africadian Atlantic: Essays on George Elliott Clarke (2012), edited by Joseph Pivato. Finally, though Clarke is racialized “Black” and was socialized as an Africadian, he is a card-carrying member of the Eastland Woodland Métis Nation Nova Scotia, registered under Section 35 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He is, at last, a proud Afro-Métis Africadian." Biographical information from Sage Hill Writing 

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Talent Trust Artist Spotlight Radio with Ada Denil and Rebecca Wolfe

Tune in for the 8th edition of the Talent Trust Artist Spotlight.

Every first Thursday of the month with your host, past scholarship recipient and current board member Breagh MacKinnon.

December 5 at 1 p.m. 

97.5 CIOE Community Radio

Gain insights into the world of theatre and visual art with two young and promising artists.

About Ada Denil: 

Ada Denil is a 2019 scholarship recipient for visual arts and drawing. Ada works in a wide variety of mediums in her practice of sculpture and printmaking, which both inherently include drawing. In addition to being a recent guest artist and facilitator at the Lunenburg Documentary Film Festival, Ada has shown her work at the Corridor Gallery, Argyle Fine Art and the Company House, along with participating in several student showcases at NSCAD University.

About Rebecca Wolfe: 

Rebecca Wolfe is an actor, dancer and theatre director whose past performances include principal roles in CBC’s television series Mr. D, Taylor Olson’s Know What I’m Sayin’, Don’t Forget To Step, and Jonny Thompson’s Guys. She has performed with Dalhousie University, Symphony Nova Scotia, The Stratford Festival-Theatre Performance Intensive and the Toronto Dance Theatre. Rebecca graduated with a degree in Theatre Performance from Humber College and has recently been named associate producer at Villains Theatre. Wolfe received the Talent Trust's Lieutenant Governor Award in 2018 and the Talent Trust's 2017 Theatre NS Award. 

Invitation to the Special Awards Ceremony on December 11 at Halifax Central Library

l-r: Curtis Botham, Julia Rivard, Claire Campbell

In 2018, visual artist Curtis Botham and Claire Campbell won the 2011 Canada Games Young Artist of Excellence Awards.

Who will it be this year?

Join us to find out!

Wednesday, December 11, 2019 at 2 p.m.
at the Halifax Central Library

In a Special Awards Ceremony attended by The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, QC, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and Honorary Chair of the NSTT.

We are proud to present two new awards that honour the legacies of Susan Wood, visual artist, teacher and mentor, and Peggy Corkum, avid arts patron and supporter. Community efforts to raise money in their name reinforce our shared cultural impact.

The fifteen Special Award winners were chosen from a field of 59 scholarship recipients from across the province representing the artistic disciplines of music, literary arts, visual arts, film, dance, circus arts, and theatre.

The Special Awards Ceremony will be held at the Paul O'Regan Hall at the Halifax Central Library. The event is free and open to the public.

“We are pleased to partner again with the Halifax Central Library to host the ceremony in a space that is open to the public and to celebrate the achievements of our scholarship and award recipients with all Nova Scotians. It will be a wonderful culmination of our 75th anniversary year”, says Jacqueline Steudler, NSTT Executive Director.

For the last 75 years, we've continued to support emerging Nova Scotian artists as they pursue their studies towards the ultimate goal of establishing professional careers in the arts.

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Devin Huang Performs Piano Recital Through The Cecilia Concert Series - Free Event

Presented in partnership with the Nova Scotia Registered Music Teachers' Association, and the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, and the Nova Scotia Talent Trust, Devin Huang promises a perfect musical afternoon hosted by the Cecilia Concert Series.

photo and bio from Cecilia Concerts

Sunday Dec 8, 2 p.m.

Lillian Piercey Concert Hall

Maritime Conservatory 
6199 Chebucto Rd, Halifax

Free and open to the public. Register in advance. 

Devin will perform works by Frédéric Chopin, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Robert Schumann.

About Devin Huang:

Twelve-year-old Devin Huang began studying piano at the age of seven. He’s since gone on to win a bevy of top awards and prizes, at both the provincial and national levels, for his skill and the beauty of his performances. In fact, he’s well on his way to becoming a consummate Canadian performer on international concert stages.

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Katherina Bakolias and Julia Topple in Neptune's Peter Pan

Sister organization Neptune Theatre casts NSTT alumni Katerina Bakolias and Julia Topple in their comedic and musical adaptation of the classic Peter Pan. 

Nov, 27, 2019 - Jan 5, 2020
7:30 p.m. & weekend 

2 p.m. matinees 

Neptune Theatre
Fountain Hall
1593 Argyle St, Halifax

About Peter Pan:

When Wendy, Michael and John find themselves whisked away to Never-you-mind-land by a mysterious flying boy, they have no idea what awaits them: peculiar pirates, a posse of Underdog Kids, a giant ticking crocodile and a very wicked, show-tune loving Captain Hook. This play is full of pop songs, hilarious jokes and encourages you to play along.

Like Cinderella, Peter Pan continues Neptune’s new tradition of bringing classic stories to life in a family musical format for the holiday season.

Artist Bios:

Katerina Bakolias who plays, the lost boy Eric, is a Halifax based actor, playwright, and screenwriter who graduated from The Fountain School of Performing Arts in 2015. She's been highly involved in various roles in theatre and writing. She was one of five selected participants in FIN Atlantic International Film Festival's Script Development Program, nominated for a Merritt Award, and won Best Performer in the Halifax Fringe Festival.

Julia Topple is an actress, known for work in Haven, Trailer Park Boys and Everyone's Famous. Read about her stage work this year in Pleasureville, on TWISI.

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Alex Yang Featured Soloist with Chebucto Symphony Concert

Scholarship recipient Alex Yang, is celebrated for winning the Chebucto Symphony's 2019/2020 Concerto Competition with a solo performance with the orchestra. 

Photo from Chebucto Symphony 

Thur, Nov 21, 7:30 p.m.

Faith Tabernacle Church,
6225 Summit Street 

Halifax 

Alex Yang Bio:



11-year-old Alex Yang is a grade six student at Halifax Grammar School, and has been a student of Professor Lynn Stodola since 2015. In the 2019 Halifax Kiwanis Music Festival, Alex won First Place in each of his six senior level piano classes, and was invited to perform at the Festival’s Gala, where he received the Gordon Murray Rising Star Award for the second consecutive year. As a result of his outstanding performance in the Festival, he was awarded the Halifax Ladies’ Music Club Junior Award at their annual post-festival recital.

In June, 2019, he won First Place in both piano and violin in the Canadian Music Competition (CMC) National Final in Calgary, Alberta, and he was awarded the Grand Prize for an exceptional mark of 97 in piano.

Alex has been an RCM Gold Medalist (Atlantic Region) in both Piano and Violin, and winner of numerous Nova Scotia Registered Music Teachers Association (NSRMTA) trophies and Scholarship Competitions in piano and violin. As one of the youngest Nova Scotia Talent Trust Scholarship recipients in 2017, 2018 and 2019, he was invited to perform in recital at Government House on their Music on Tuesday Series.

Alex loves music composition as well and he won First Prize in the 2019 NSRMTA Composition Competition.

Alex enjoys musicals, such as “West Side Story” and “The Lion King”, etc. In addition to music, He likes playing tennis and computer coding.

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