We are thrilled to have support from the Canada Summer Jobs program to hire two students again this summer. Last year we were very lucky to hire Reuben and Maisie Gilbert. They did a fantastic job for us, and we will keep bringing them back to lead programs whenever we can. We are super proud and excited for the Gilberts and their recent ECMA win! They are doing great things and we are thrilled to see them fly.
This year we welcome Freya Milliken and Tyler MacDonald to the team. They are skilled, hard-working Acadia School of Music students, and they’ve already launched a bunch of programs and projects for us at MIC.
Hey everyone, my name is Freya Milliken and I’m a singer-songwriter and guitarist from Dorchester, New Brunswick. Music has been a huge passion of mine ever since I was a kid, and I grew up listening to artists such as Boston, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Sarah McLachlan. Nowadays I listen to a lot of Fleetwood Mac, Maggie Rogers, and Orla Gartland, but am often shifting around my playlists. I’ve always been the kind of person who likes a little bit of everything, which comes in handy when you’re working in the music biz! This fall, I will be going into my fourth year in the Bachelor of Music program at Acadia University and am excited to apply the skills I will be developing with Music In Communities this summer to the rest of my degree, my career as a musician, and to help my peers, or anyone else I meet along the way, with their own goals and aspirations. Music empowers, supports, and celebrates the diverse experiences that exist within everyone, and I’m looking forward to creating spaces to do that and more this summer!
My name is Tyler McDonald, I’m 23 years old and from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. I’ve been a lover of all things music since a very young age - I’m primarily a drummer/percussionist but I enjoy working on many instruments to improve as both a performer and a teacher. I’ve recently finished a Bachelor of Music and am now half way through the Bachelor of Education program, both at Acadia University. Besides attending school and teaching, I play with a few different bands and also work as a freelance drummmer/percussionist. I’m super excited to be able to connect and share my passion for music with people involved with Music in Communities. I’ve loved working in all sorts of different musical settings from concert band, jazz band, percussion ensembles, cover bands spanning many genres, guitar and ukelele groups. I hope to continue creating safe spaces for all to enjoy and explore music this summer through my work with Music In Communities!
Well, wow! Music In Communities is thrilled to announce we won Community Presenter of the Year at the Nova Scotia Music Awards! This acknowledgement from our peers is heart-warming and huge. Enormous thanks to everyone involved over the past two years of our fledgling operation. Almost since the beginning, we have had to try to keep the music alive in our community through Covid. It has been a crazy challenge and also incredibly rewarding to bring people together safely when we needed it the most.
We’re grateful to collaborate with other fantastic community organizations. Thanks to the Deep Roots Music Cooperative, Acadia Performing Arts Series, Wolfville, Kentville and Canning Recreation Departments, the Alexander Society for Inclusive Arts, and Ross Creek Centre for the Arts.
In our efforts to bring music to the margins, we’ve hosted improvising session for folks with learning disabilities; after-school ukulele clubs; outdoor singalongs and pop-up choirs; trans- and queer-friendly sessions; a Black History Month series and more.
Some of the real “THIS IS WHY WE DO THIS” moments have included:
Maisie Gilbert on drum kit with her School of Rock girl-group at the Canning Legion;
Sarah McInnis conducting a masked, socially distanced pop-up choir singing In the Bleak Midwinter in Clock Park in December;
T. Thomason inspiring a trans kid to sing after hormone treatments had altered his voice;
Measha Brueggergosman’s version of Sinner Man at the Church Brewery;
Reuben Gilbert jamming with the local old-timers in the gazebo at the Canning Kitchen Party;
Ken Shorley and Sahara Jane improvising together at the Jam Dances;
And so many other little moments that made me cry, and make it really easy to do this work, because the results are tangible. i keep seeing ways we can do more.
The Music In Communities team is growing all the time so if I miss anyone, my apologies. Here are some of the people who have run our programs, run sound, volunteered at the door, hosted workshops, made posters, filmed us, and helped me keep my head from exploding. Thank you: Sarah McInnis, Peter Williams, Amelia Robitaille, Michael Langiewitz, Laura Billington, Reuben Gilbert, Maisie Gilbert, Bethan Delorme, Matt Delorme, Kimberly Smith, Kathleen Purdy, Phil Dennis, Zakary Miller, Mark Riley, Fisher Akao, Terra Spencer, Rebecca Fairless, Sam Wilson, Jah’Mila, Sarah Levy, Brandon MacGregor, Wendy LaPierre, Donna Lynn Holmes, Ken Shorley, Sahara Jane, Mairi Chaimbeul, Ananda Kavanagh, T. Thomason, Eli Dunlap, Brian Borcherdt, Katy Hopkins, the Dearlies, and all the amazing musicians who have played for us.
xo Kim Barlow, Director
(Photo l-r: Sarah McInnis, Reuben Gilbert, Maisie Gilbert, Kim Barlow, Frieden Gilbert, Terra Spencer)
Join us for an intimate concert with jazz pianist and composer Daniel Janke all the way from Yukon, to launch his new album Songs of Small Resistance. The showcase portion of the concert will feature Freya Milliken, Katie Hutten, and Kim Barlow. Join us for an evening of song to celebrate Daniel's new release and support local artists.
Listen to Daniel here: https://danieljanke.bandcamp.com/album/songs-of-small-resistance
Suggested donation $20.
Upstairs at Lunenburg Opera House , 290 Lincoln Street , Lunenburg
Music In Communities is going to the South Shore for a couple of shows! First one features three powerful songwriters, Abigail Lapell and Jenny Berkel, supported by Freya Milliken. They'll be in the beautiful space on the upper floor of the Lunenburg Opera House, with comfy couches and a stunning view to enjoy while listening to sweet songs. We're excited to branch out and make connections in new communities, bringing great music to new spaces. Tickets are $18 in advance / $20 at the door /pwyc
If your budget is tight and you would like to purchase tickets using the Pay What You Can option, please send us a note at info@musicincommunities.com and we will make it work.
Abigail Lapell - "Down by the Water" Live at the Senator (solo show) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evOcJEjgMoE
Jenny Berkel "St Denis" Live / trio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30sSE_mY7p4
Freya Milliken "When You Smile At Me" Live https://youtu.be/C_fRy-Z8uPw
North Mountain United Tapestry, 3201 Long Point Rd, Harbourville
Music In Communities is teaming up with the North Mountain United Tapestry to host these great songwriters, and celebrate the season opener at the beautiful hall in Harbourville on Saturday, June 11.
Second in our mini-South Shore-series, Pete Johnston and his Toronto-based Stranger Still ensemble join us upstairs in the old opera house. This group perform exploratory folk settings by composer Pete Johnston of poems by Canadian poet Alden Nowlan (1933-1983). Johnston and Nowlan share a birthplace of Hants County, Nova Scotia, and the poems tell stories of the people, seasons, and landscape of the Atlantic coast of Canada.
Kim Barlow is an enduring presence in the Canadian indie-folk scene. A creative and eccentric songwriter, skillful on guitar and clawhammer banjo, she’s recorded seven albums of her own work, earned two Juno nominations (solo and with stringband Annie Lou), and has many collaborations on the go at all times.
Tickets are $18 in advance / $20 at the door /pwyc
If your budget is tight and you would like to purchase tickets using the Pay What You Can option, please send us a note at info@musicincommunities.com and we will make it work.
“The music of Stranger Still feels minimal in nature, but is maximal in effect... As a debut, it is a stunning, nuanced effort from a talented set of performers. 8/10” - Bryon Hayes, Exclaim! Magazine credits released April 27, 2019
Mim Adams and Randi Helmers - vocals Rob Clutton - string bass Pete Johnston - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel, vocals, percussion
https://all-set.bandcamp.com/album/songs-of-bread-wine-and-salt
Pete Johnston and his Toronto-based Stranger Still ensemble join us in Baxters Harbour, where Pete has a special connection to the community and this hall. This group perform exploratory folk settings by composer Pete Johnston of poems by Canadian poet Alden Nowlan (1933-1983). Johnston and Nowlan share a birthplace of Hants County, Nova Scotia, and the poems tell stories of the people, seasons, and landscape of the Atlantic coast of Canada.
Kim Barlow is an enduring presence in the Canadian indie-folk scene. A creative and eccentric songwriter, skillful on guitar and clawhammer banjo, she’s recorded seven albums of her own work, earned two Juno nominations (solo and with stringband Annie Lou), and has many collaborations on the go at all times.
Tickets are $18 in advance / $20 at the door /pwyc
If your budget is tight and you would like to purchase tickets using the Pay What You Can option, please send us a note at info@musicincommunities.com and we will make it work.
“The music of Stranger Still feels minimal in nature, but is maximal in effect... As a debut, it is a stunning, nuanced effort from a talented set of performers. 8/10” - Bryon Hayes, Exclaim! Magazine credits released April 27, 2019
Mim Adams and Randi Helmers - vocals Rob Clutton - string bass Pete Johnston - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel, vocals, percussion
https://all-set.bandcamp.com/album/songs-of-bread-wine-and-salt
Join us on Friday August 20th for a high-summer night of great music, food and dancing, outdoors at TapRoot Farm. Fabulous funk, soul and R&B by some great Valley musicians, the Mark Riley Project know all the songs you want to dance to.
Babo at TapRoot Farms will have the jerk pans fired up and will be serving Jamaican Jerk on a first come first serve basis prior to the performance. Cash only please.
Doors will open at 7:00 pm, and the music will be from 7:30 - 9:30. Food will be available from 7 pm. This event is happening at TapRoot's Church St. Location - 1736 Church Street, Port Williams. (Not their Canard Street location).
Tickets are $20, food & drink are separate.
There are picnic tables for you and your bubble, or bring a camp chair.
This event is a collaboration between Music In Communities and Taproot Farm, and part of our ongoing commitment to building community through music and food, and sharing good times together.
Proceeds will go to pay the band and cover costs. Any additional funds raised will be used to run more great music programs.
In time with Phase 3 reopening, there will be live music at Bruce Spicer Park every Saturday at 1pm, from July 3rd to September 4th, as well as additional shows at Kingsport Beach and Taproot Farm.
MIC would like to thank this years sponsors for their support!
We have received overwhelming support from our local businesses this year, and we're thrilled to work together to make our community lively and vibrant.
Canning Kitchen Party 2021 line-up:
July 10 Morgan Davis + Jenny Lapp
July 17 Terra Spencer + Museum Pieces
July 24 Big Turnips + Kim Lake
July 31 Sam Wilson + Gizelle de Guzman
Aug. 7 Factory Girls + Brian Passmore
Aug. 14 Guy Paul Thibault + The Jungernauts
Aug. 21 Norma MacDonald + Mohammad Sahraei & Friends
Aug. 28 Amy Lounder & Jude Pelley Stringband + Sarah McInnis
Sept. 4 The Gilberts + guests
Last year we had most of our shows at the pavilion at Kingsport Beach. It was a beautiful venue to listen to songs by the seaside, so we just had to go back.
From 1 - 3 pm on high-tide Sunday afternoons, there will be two performers sharing a show at the Kingsport Beach Pavilion.
Lunch at the Tides-In Canteen, great local music, and then a swim. A perfect Sunday!
Free or by donation, all ages, social distancing required.
LINEUP
July 11 Kristen Martell + Graham Nicholas
July 25 Nick Maclean + Rebecca Fairless
Aug. 8 Ted Simmons + Paul Lauzon
Aug. 22 Heather Kelday + Corey Isenor
Sept. 5 Mike Aubé + Lindsay Misiner
The Music In Communities Cooperative feels more committed than ever, to making music available and accessible to everyone who can benefit from it. We’re grateful to the Canning, Wolfville and Kentville Recreation Departments for collaborating with us to put these programs into action this summer.
Here is an incomplete list of programs you or a kid you know can participate in.
For details, locations and registration, contact info is below:
Wolfville Rec, 7 Victoria Ave, Wolfville, NS B4P 2H4. Call 902-542-3019 or email recreation@wolfville.ca
For details, location and registration, contact info is below:
Kentville Rec, 354 Main St, Kentville, NS B4N 1K6. Call 902-679-2540 or email recreation@kentville.ca.
For details, location and registration, contact info is below:
9846 Main St, Canning, NS B0P 1H0. Call 902-582-2033 or email director@canningrecreation.com.
