Announcing the Nova Scotia Talent Trust 2019 Scholarship Application Deadlines

We’re pleased to announce that we are ready to receive new scholarship applications for 2019.  

The deadlines are fast approaching!

The scholarship application process will again happen online, thanks to the generous support by Code & Mortar, a Halifax-based web design and development firm, and the Support4Culture program.

We advise applicants to read the submission guidelines carefully and to submit their applications early since there are a number of changes to the submission procedures this year.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINES

Spring/Summer study: 
5:00 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST)
March 1, 2019

Fall/Winter study: 
5:00 p.m. Atlantic Daylight Saving Time (ADT)
May 1, 2019

For more information, go to nstalenttrust.ca or call the Talent Trust at (902) 492-6801.

Please help us spread the word: If you know a Nova Scotian student that is studying in the arts, let them know about this opportunity and our March 1 and May 1 deadlines.

Karen Myatt in holiday cabaret All I Really Want December 20 in Halifax

Karen Myatt. Photo by Michèle
Parent of Chèle Foto Couture.

Karen Myatt and Stuart Hiseler are featured the Wild Abandon Productions annual holiday cabaret All I Really Want on Thursday, December 20, at Sniggly Wiggily’s in Halifax. 

Karen received voice scholarships from the Talent Trust to assist with her studies. She attended the Randolph Academy in Toronto, and is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.

Earlier this year she made her debut with Symphony Nova Scotia in the summer show Thorgy and the Thorchestra! and was the featured performer during Atlantic Fashion Week.

Karen and Stuart are joined onstage by musicians Scott Taylor (piano), Kyle Tully (bass), and Serkan Süer (drums.)

“This has become an annual Yuletide tradition for Stuart and I,” says Karen. “The show is a sweet and saucy mix of music and comedy, and it can certainly be a little risqué — and even downright raunchy — at times. It might be best to leave the kiddies at home that night.”

The show usually sells out, so get your tickets now from karenmyatt.net.

All I Really Want — A Holiday Cabaret!
Thursday, December 20, 2018, 8:00 p.m.
Sniggly Wiggily’s
1665 Argyle St. Halifax

If you can't catch the show, here's a glimpse of Karen in performance.

Karen Myatt Presents Women of the World at the Halifax Distilling Co. on November 30

Karen Myatt caps off a busy year in grand style with her performance Women of the World at the Halifax Distilling Co. on Friday, November 30.

The two-set soirée will showcase some of the finest female vocalists from around the world, including Edith Piaf (France), Lotte Lenya (Germany), Nikka Costa (Italy), Lhasa de Sela (Mexico, Montreal), Shirley Bassey (Wales), and more.

“These are some of my all-time favourite songs by some of my all-time favourite singers,” says Karen. “The cultures may be diverse, but the music is united by the passion of the performances.”

Karen received Talent Trust scholarships to assist with her studies in voice. She attended the Randolph Academy in Toronto, and is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.

She’s had a busy year. In addition to her Symphony Nova Scotia debut with Thorgy and the Thorchestra!, she was the feature performer at Atlantic Fashion Week, and had a pair of sold-out shows at Neptune Theatre.

“We have had an amazing string of shows at the Halifax Distilling Co. this year,” she continues. “Our themed concerts — Jazz Noir, ECMAzing, Acoustique, Calendar Girl, Just Jazz — have brought out the very best in the band, and in myself. I am grateful to Arla and Julie at the Distilling Co. for having us in each month, and appreciative that audiences have been so gracious.”

More information on Women of the World, including ticket details, is available via her website: www.karenmyatt.net.

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!

Talent Trust Launches Campaign to Double Scholarship Funding

We're marking our 75th anniversary in 2019 with an ambitious project: we've launched a campaign to double the funding for scholarships awarded to Nova Scotians studying in the arts.

 

Our campaign launches today with a video featuring seven Talent Trust scholarship recipients: Maggie Oates-Johnson (ballet), Devin Huang (piano), Reeny Smith (voice), Michael Hirschbach (circus arts), Veronique MacKenzie (dance), Sandra Brownlee (fibre arts), and Isaac Fresia (architecture).

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Fibre artist and Talent Trust scholarship
recipient Sandra Brownlee

“The scholarship was a huge boost for me, not just financially, but in terms of the morale boost as well. It came just when I needed it the most. It was thrilling, and it made what I was doing seem more real, and viable. It put me on a really good path,” says Sandra Brownlee, who received her Talent Trust scholarship in 1980.

Sandra has built a career as a practicing artist who exhibits her work internationally, and is a Governor General's Award winner. She gives back to the community by sharing her skills and experience through teaching. Sandra lives and works in Halifax.

Pianist and Talent Trust scholarship recipient Devin Huang

At the other end of the spectrum, Devin Huang received his first Talent Trust scholarship in 2016 at the age of 10. He’s already won Kiwanis Festival and Chebucto Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition awards, and is a committed piano student.

As you may already know, Talent Trust scholarships are awarded across disciplines: music, voice, dance, theatre, literary arts, circus arts, design, visual arts, film, and new media. Recipients come from every corner of the province, from Sydney to Barrington, and Musquodoboit Harbour to Wolfville.

With assistance from Support4Culture, the scholarship campaign video was produced by Fillet Production Services in Halifax.

“We’re proud and honoured to support the development of more than 1,000 Nova Scotia artists over the past 75 years,” says our Board of Directors Chair Erin Sparks. “There’s extraordinary talent in this province. We know education costs are rising. We want to support our artists more.”

The Talent Trust is pleased to work in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia, which assists with administrative costs. That funding allows 100% of donations to go directly to scholarships for emerging Nova Scotian artists across disciplines.

Thank you for being part of our community and believing in our artists. And thank you for sharing our news through the links below.

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.

Karen Myatt is the Feature Performer at Atlantic Fashion Week 2018

Karen Myatt is the feature performer
at this year's Atlantic Fashion Week

Karen Myatt will be the feature performer at Atlantic Fashion Week 2018, which takes place in Halifax on October 18 - 20. She’ll be returning for her second straight year, performing with acclaimed pianist Holly Arsenault.

Karen received Talent Trust scholarships to assist with her studies in voice. She attended the Randolph Academy in Toronto, and is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.

Karen has established a career with a very full schedule since then. Her summer has been particularly busy, debuting with Symphony Nova Scotia in the fabulous Thorgy and the Thorchestra! and most recently performing on Neptune Theatre’s Studio stage in her two-night, sold-out show Blues Deluxe.

She’ll follow her Atlantic Fashion Week performances with Jazz Noir at the Halifax Distilling Co. on October 26.

From Karen: “They bring the style, and we bring the swing. A nice mix of classic and contemporary jazz standards will complement the soirées and the amazing array of designs on display.”

Atlantic Fashion Week marks its 12th year in 2018. The three-day event supports emerging and established fashion designers of both the Atlantic region and nationally known Canadian designers. 

Showcases are at 350 Horseshoe Lake Drive in Halifax. Visit the Atlantic Fashion Week website for details.

To learn more about Karen and to catch up with her concert schedule, visit her website: karenmyatt.net.

Karen Wyatt in Concert: Blues Deluxe at Neptune Studio Theatre

Karen Wyatt follows her jam-packed summer concert schedule that included her debut with Symphony Nova Scotia and returns to the stage with Blues Deluxe, a two-night tribute to the genre’s greatest performers.

Tickets are going fast for the September 28 and 29 performances (details below).

Karen received Talent Trust scholarships to help support her studies in voice. She attended the Randolph Academy in Toronto, and is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.

A well-known and accomplished performer, she’s one of the nominees for The Coast magazine's 2018 Best of Halifax Readers' Choice Awards.

Blues Deluxe will feature both classic and contemporary blues artists such as Robert Johnson, LaVern Baker, Muddy Waters, Nina Simone, BB King, Billie Holiday, and Aretha Franklin.

The multi-media performances will also showcase many modern blues artists, including The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Blues Saraceno.

From Karen: “I have absolutely fallen for the blues. I love the heart and soul of the rhythms and melodies, the gritty vocals, the tremendous history and culture of the music.”

She’ll be backed by an 8-piece band, including a horn section and backup singers.

Blues Deluxe details
Friday, September 28
Saturday, September 29
Neptune Studio Theatre, Halifax

Showtime for both nights is 8:00 p.m.

More information, including ticket details for Blues Deluxe, are available at karenmyatt.net.

Introducing the Talent Trust and Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund 2018 Scholarship Recipients

We're happy to announce the Talent Trust has recently awarded scholarships to 65 emerging Nova Scotian artists in the fields of dance, music, theatre, film, new media, literary arts, and visual arts.

This is a significant increase over the 49 emerging artists who received scholarships in 2017.

The 65 successful scholarship recipients were chosen from a field of 141 applications over two submission periods, March 1 and May 1, 2018. 

Five of the 65 scholarships are supported by the Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund at $2,000 each. Talent Trust scholarships totalled $80,000 in 2018.

Applications were received from across the province, from Port Medway to New Glasgow, Antigonish to Prospect Bay. 

An independent, volunteer Scholarship Selection Committee, made up of twelve professional artists, two from each discipline, met in April and again in June to adjudicate the applications and determine scholarship amounts.

Scholarships make a significant difference in the lives of these emerging artists. From India Yeshe Gailey:

“Looking back on the musician I was before beginning music school, I dreamed, but I’m not sure I would have believed, that I could actually accomplish some of the things I can report from the past year. Last winter I published an album of contemporary cello music, in May I toured with the chamber jazz quartet New Hermitage, in June I worked with Philip Glass, I recently found myself in a string quartet with three truly excellent musicians, and now I’m halfway through my master’s study at McGill. It’s all very surreal, especially viewing my life condensed into a pithy list of accomplishments.”

India is currently pursuing her master’s degree in cello performance at McGill University. She received the Talent Trust Yue Lih and Marion Kuo Award in 2017.

Since we were founded in 1944, the Talent Trust has awarded scholarships to over 1,000 recipients.

The Talent Trust is supported by Code+Mortar, the 2011 Canada Games Legacy Fund, The Craig Foundation, RBC Foundation, Craft Nova Scotia, Music Nova Scotia, Visual Arts Nova Scotia, Theatre Nova Scotia, Debut Atlantic, ImmediaC, Pavia Cafe, Allan Carver Creative Partners, the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, Support4Culture, Halifax, Dalhousie Music in Medicine Program and Arts Nova Scotia, as well as many private donors. 

We're pleased to work in partnership with the province to develop and promote our cultural resources for all Nova Scotians.

Congratulations to the Talent Trust and Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship Recipients

Dance — Ballet

• Julia Barkhouse, Dartmouth 
• Olivia MacLean, Dartmouth
• Katherine McDonald, Halifax
• Mollie Oates-Johnson, Dartmouth
• Maggie Oates-Johnson, Dartmouth
• Aidan Vaudreuil, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship

Dance — Ballet/Contemporary

• Chloe Bruce, Dartmouth
• Claire Campbell, Head of St. Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship
• Carrigan MacDonald, Hammonds Plains
• Stan Tonin, Windsor Junction

Dance — Modern/Contemporary

• Gabrielle Kachan, Halifax
• Lucie Schmidt, Lakeview
• Denver Scott, Halifax

Dance — Choreography

• Aliah Schwartz, Canning

Music — Keyboard (Piano)

• Devin Huang, Bedford
• Lala Lee, Halifax
• Chantal Peng, Wolfville
• Dakota Scott-Digout, Barrington
• Andrew Son, Halifax
• Cindy Thong, Halifax
• Alex (Zixuan) Yang, Bedford

Music — Strings (Cello)

• India Yeshe Gailey, Wolfville

Music — Strings (Violin)

• Leo Hanada, Halifax
• Rose Hanada, Halifax
• Wyatt Johnson, Halifax
• Lilith Richter-Stephenson, Dartmouth

Music — Strings (Bass Guitar)

• Mark Carroll, Valley
• Aidan Zann-Roland, Truro

Music — Voice (Opera)

• Meagan Adams, Halifax
• Ruusu-Maaria Brousseau, Halifax
• Hannah Ernst, Lunenburg
• Laura Johnston, Prospect Bay
• Emma MacEachern, Truro
• Breanna Miller, Hubley
• Natalie Mitchell, New Glasgow
• Morgan Reid, Sydney
• Abigail Sinclair, Halifax
• Shanice Skinner, New Glasgow

Music — Composition

• Ben Coleman, New Glasgow
• Gavin Fraser, Antigonish
• Jessica MacIsaac, Halifax
• Taylor MacGillivray, Halifax

Music — Brass (French Horn)

• Mimisu Lee, Halifax

Music — Brass (Euphonium)

• Ross Macintosh, Truro

Music — Woodwind (Clarinet)

• Lucas March, New Glasgow

Theatre — Acting

• Angus Stevens, Port Medway
• Rebecca Wolfe, Dartmouth

Theatre — Music Theatre

• Katie Cochrane, Bridgewater
• Brent Raddall, Summerville Centre

Visual/Fine Arts —Interdisciplinary

• Emma Allain, Halifax
• Helah Cooper, Lunenburg
• Arjun Lal, Halifax

Visual/Fine Arts — Design/Applied Craft

• Jodie Fox, Mosquodoboit Harbour
• Isaac Fresia, Halifax
• Andrew Gilmour, Halifax
• Jenna Lee, Bedford
• Ahmed Naji, Halifax

Visual/Fine Arts — Painting/Drawing

• NAT chantel, Dartmouth
• Curtis Botham, Bedford
• Caitlin McGuire, Halifax, Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship
• Letitia Fraser, Halifax, Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship
• Madeleine West, Halifax

Visual/Fine Arts — Textiles/Fashion

• Brianna West, Halifax
• Jessie McLaughlin, Bedford

Visual/Fine Arts — Typeface Design

• Lee Yuen-Rapati, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund Scholarship

Congratulations to all these emerging artists.

Nicholas Higgs and Tara Scott in Recital at St. Matthews Church inHalifax

Nicholas Higgs and Tara Scott present a 45-minute recital that includes works by Haydn, Schubert (Die Schöne Müllerin), Gounod, Mendelssohn, Charles, and Head.

Nicholas is from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia and received Talent Trust scholarships in 2013, 2015, and 2017. He's studied voice at the University of Toronto.

His baritone vocals will be accompanied by Tara on piano as part of the Summer Sounds @ Barrington Concert series that takes place every year in July and August at St. Matthew's United Church. 

Details:
Tuesday, August 21 at 12:15 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
St. Matthew's United Church
1479 Barrington Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Admission is a suggested donation of $5.00.

Weekend Plans: Apply for a Talent Trust Scholarship

May 1, 2018. 5:00 p.m. Atlantic Daylight Time.

Take the weekend, gather your materials, fire up Google Chrome, and apply for a Talent Trust scholarship.

(We know. We've been reminding people for a couple of weeks now. But we also know this is way better than someone reminding you to eat your broccoli.)

We want to help emerging artists across Nova Scotia, and across disciplines, achieve their creative dreams. We want to hear from you!

Here's the link for all the information: nstalenttrust.ns.ca/Scholarships/Apply

Don't wait! Apply now!

Janice Isabel Jackson Performs in International Collaboration CO2 - Cycle de Lieder

It's described as a ". . . contemporary multimedia chamber opera with acoustic, digital, and visual elements". CO2 - Cycle de Lieder is a collaboration between internationally recognized composers Patrick Defossez and Anne-Gabriel Debaecker and performed by French Duo Autres Voix de Piano, French Ensemble Zellig and and Canadian new music diva Janice Isabel Jackson.

The performance explores the merging of flesh and data as sounds created by traditional instruments and the human voice meet digital media. 

CO2 - Cycle de Lieder will be at the Halifax Music Co-op on Barrington Street in Halifax, with shows on May 4 and 5, and an improvisation on May 6. Sound and images from the performance can be found on the CO2 - Cycle de Lieder website; tickets are available through Ticket Halifax. 

Reeny Smith to sing at Opening Gala for Prismatic Arts Festival on September 14, 2017

Prismatic Arts Festival Opening Gala

Reeny Smith
(photo: website Prismatic Arts Festival)

Reeny Smith

September 14 at 6 p.m.

Halifax Central Library 

Event is Free.

Reeny Smith is a talented, 25 year-old R&B/Pop artist from North Preston, Nova Scotia who has been singing and playing the piano since the age of five. She credits her inspiration for music ... 
Read more at:
http://prismaticfestival.com/program/