Reeny Smith in Nova Scotia Talent Trust Scholarship Campaign Video

Reeny Smith took time out of her busy performance schedule to help us with our 75th anniversary scholarship campaign video. 

Filet Production Services, who produced our video, were able to catch Reeny in performance at the 2018 East Coast Music Awards in May, where she was nominated for the for the ECMA Bucky Adams Memorial Award. That footage became part of our video, along with some lovely shots in a more relaxed setting.

A scene from the Talent Trust video. Thanks to Reeny Smith and
family for being part of our scholarship campaign promotion.

Reeny is part of a big, musical family. Her father and grandfather, Wallace Smith Sr. and Wally Smith Jr. are both former members of the iconic Nova Scotia gospel group the Gospel Heirs, and her uncles Carson and Murray Downey are members of the "three-piece blues band, with a hint of funk" Carson Downey Band. 

Reeny began singing and playing piano at the age of five. She received a Talent Trust scholarship to support her studies in voice, and won the Talent Trust Portia White Award in 2010.

She studied piano at the Conservatory Of Music, and worked with Halifax based pianist and teacher Paul Simons before enrolling in the music program at St. Francis Xavier University, where she was a jazz major.

Behind the scenes at the ECMAs. Photo by Filet Production Services.

Since completing her studies, Reeny has worked tirelessly to build her career. 

Her talent and dedication has been recognized along the way, with African Nova Scotia and Music Nova Scotia awards, and a Galaxie Rising Star Award at the Halifax Jazz Festival.

She’s performed at the Halifax Jazz festival, at Nova Scotia’s iconic Stanfest in Canso, and was Casino Nova Scotia’s Artist in Residence in 2015. She appeared with Symphony Nova Scotia in a community concert series in 2017. 

In 2018 Reeny released her first single, Good Girl Swag, and her album W W I I I: Strength Courage Love. 

You can catch Reeny in multiple showcases at this year’s Nova Scotia Music Week in Truro (November 1 - 4), where she’s nominated for four awards.

Update: Congratulations to Reeny on her win of Music Nova Scotia African Nova Scotian Artist of the Year!

Not to be outdone by Reeny’s more official accolades, her fans just voted to give her Gold for Best R&B Artist/Band, and Bronze for Best Solo Artist as part of The Coast magazine’s Best of Halifax Reader’s Choice Awards.

We’d like to thank Reeny and her family for being so generous with their time, and welcoming our crew into their home to help create our scholarship campaign video. 



Want to be part of the campaign to double Talent Trust scholarship funds? Click here to donate. And thank you!

Port Cities Nominated for Digital Artist of the Year at the 2018 Nova Scotia Music Awards

Port Cities: Dylan Guthro, Breagh MacKinnon, Carleton Stone
nominated for Music Nova Scotia Digital Artist of the Year

Breagh MacKinnon and her Port Cities bandmates Dylan Guthro and Carleton Stone are nominated for Music Nova Scotia's Digital Artist of the Year award.

The awards will be handed out at this year’s Nova Scotia Music Week, which will take place in Truro.

Breagh received the Talent Trust Chico Berardi Special Award for Excellence in 2013. She was a nominee for the Nova Scotia Music Best New Artist Award as well as an East Coast Music Association (ECMA) Rising Star award that same year. 

In addition to their busy tour schedule, Port Cities made their Symphony Nova Scotia debut in a concert during this year’s Halifax Pop Explosion. Their latest single “Montreal” dropped on October 19. 

The band has received five Nova Scotia Music Awards, a SOCAN #1 Award (for their song “Back to the Bottom”), and hit #1 on CBC and Spotify music charts. They’re multiple ECMA award nominees.

Nova Scotia Music Week is a professional training and networking opportunity with workshops, receptions, over 100 showcases of emerging and established artists. The four-day conference celebrates Nova Scotia artists and industry professionals.

Founded in 1997, Nova Scotia Music Week attracts over 1,100 music industry professionals and 7,000 members of the general public.

The Music Nova Scotia Awards celebration takes place on Sunday, November 4 at the Holiday Inn in Truro. The celebration begins at 7:00 p.m.

All of us at the Talent Trust send our congratulations to the Music Nova Scotia Awards nominees. 

To learn more about Port Cities and sample their music, visit portcities.ca.

Reeny Smith Nominated for Four Music Nova Scotia Awards

Reeny Smith nominated for four 2018
Music Nova Scotia Awards

Reeny Smith is nominated for an impressive four Music Nova Scotia Awards. 

She’s also on the roster of performers for Nova Scotia Music Week, the annual industry conference which takes place November 1 - 4 in Truro, Nova Scotia.

Her nominations:

• African Nova Scotian Artist of the Year
• Music Video of the Year — Good Girl Swag 
• (Directed by Loggo Lionel)
• SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – Good Girl Swag
• Entertainer of the Year

Reeny received Talent Trust scholarships to support her studies in voice. She won the Portia White Award, which recognizes a Talent Trust scholarship recipient who demonstrates excellence in voice.

Since then she’s received three African Nova Scotia Music Awards for Up and Coming Artist (2011), Rising Star (2012), and Artist of the Year (2015). 

2015 also saw Reeny chosen as Casino Nova Scotia's Artist in Residence, the same year she attended the Gordie Sampson Songcamp.

In 2017 and 2016, she won Music Nova Scotia’s African Canadian Artist of the Year award.

2018 has been another jam-packed year for Reeny. She released her first single, Good Girl Swag and her album W W I I I: Strength Courage Love, and was nominated for the Bucky Adams Memorial East Coast Music Award.

Nova Scotia Music Week is a professional training and networking opportunity with workshops, receptions, over 100 showcases of emerging and established artists. The four-day conference celebrates Nova Scotia artists and industry professionals.

Founded in 1997, Nova Scotia Music Week attracts over 1,100 music industry professionals and 7,000 members of the general public.

The Music Nova Scotia Awards celebration takes place on Sunday, November 4 at the Holiday Inn. The celebration begins at 7:00 p.m.

Reeny Smith wins African Nova Scotian Artist of the Year

Reeny Smith (iamreeny.com)

Congratulations Reeny for winning 2016 African Nova Scotian Artist of the Year!

Reeny Smith is a talented, emerging artist from North Preston, Nova Scotia and has been singing and playing the piano since the age of five. 

Reeny was selected for the Portia White Award for Excellence in Vocal Performance in 2011, along with a scholarship from the Nova Scotia Talent Trust recognizing her 
outstanding musical attributes.

She has recently opened..... 

Find more information about Reeny on her website at http://www.iamreeny.com

Jeff Joudrey with the Halifax Camerata Singers win Best Classical CD of 2016

Jeff Joudry (l) & David McKillop

Congratulations Jeff and the Halifax Camerata Singers for winning Best Classical CD of 2016 at the Nova Scotia Music week. 

The winning CD is called A Time for all Things.

The Halifax Camerata Singers is Atlantic Canada’s premier chamber choir. Founded in 1986 by Artistic Director Jeff Joudrey, the Nova Scotia ensemble has distinguished itself by performing exciting choral repertoire that covers all periods and styles, with special attention to Canadian music.

You can find more information on their website at halifaxcamerata.org

Portia White one of the inductee to the Music Hall of Fame at Casino Nova Scotia

Portia White, contralto and Nova Scotia Talent Trust's first scholarship recipient in 1944 will be one of the five inductee into the Music Hall of Fame at Casino Nova Scotia.

Reeny Smith who won the NSTT Portia White Award in 2010 will be on stage at the Inductee Gala to pay tribute to Portia White as well as the other inductee which are Rita MacNeil, Anne Murray, John Allan Cameron, and Brookes Diamond Productions (Brookes and Fiona Diamond).
 
Inductee Gala at Casino Nova Scotia in Halifax
November 1, 2015 at 8:00 p.m.
Schooner Showroom

Tickets:Casino Nova Scotia Price:$50 (plus tax & service charge)

From Casino NS website:
The Music Hall of Fame will celebrate Atlantic Canadian musicians and industry leaders who have attained commercial success and continue to have a positive impact on the Atlantic Canadian music scene locally, nationally and internationally. The Music Hall of Fame will be a place where Nova Scotians, tourists, fans and history buffs can learn about the history of music from Atlantic Canada and the significance of our music and artists (past and present) on the world stage.

Credit to Casino Nova Scotia at http://www.casinonovascotia.com/event/music-hall-of-fame-inductee-gala/

http://www.casinonovascotia.com/event/music-hall-of-fame-inductee-gala/

Reeny Smith - one of Casino Nova Scotia Artist in Residence Program Finalists

Congratulations Reeny Smith!

Reeny Smith

Information from Music Nova Scotia's newsletter:


The Casino Nova Scotia Artist in Residence program will provide the selected musician or group with $20,000 in funding to assist with developing their career through recording, marketing, and live performance opportunities.  Music Nova Scotia is working with Casino Nova Scotia to administer the program.

Music lovers and fans will have their chance to vote from June 1 – June 5 during the online voting, which counts towards the selection of the finalist.  Go to www.musicnovascotia.ca to vote. The public is welcome to come to the Showcase on June 12 at Casino Nova Scotia. Free admission. Must be 19+.

Finalists Showcase:
Friday, June 12 at 8pm
Schooner Showroom, Casino Nova Scotia
Free admission must be 19+
#CasinoNSAiR

For more information on Casino Nova Scotia’s Artist in Residence Program go to:
www.casinonovascotia.com/air/ or www.musicnovascotia.ca


Reeny Smith (Hometown: North Preston, Nova Scotia)
Reeny has been singing and playing the piano since the age of five. She credits her inspiration for music from time spent with family and friends at her local church, Saint Thomas Baptist, where she plays piano and is a member of three choirs. Her roots in music stem from an incredible gene pool of family musicians. Both Reeny's father and grandfather, Wallace Smith Sr. and Jr., are former members of one of Canada’s Premier Gospel bands, The Gospel Heirs. Her uncles Carson and Murray Downey of the Carson Downey Band are also testaments of the great music legacy that she has to inspire her. Reeny was selected for the Portia White Award for Excellence in Vocal Performance in 2011, along with a scholarship from the Nova Scotia Talent Trust recognizing her outstanding musical attributes.
Website: http://www.iamreeny.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Iamreeny/236723473056697
Twitter: @iamREENY