Oakville Arts Council Blog

Nature's Divine Hands

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:22:37 GMT

The Oakville Choral Society paid tribute to the vast diversity of Canadian composers last season.

This spring, the Oakville Choral Society invites audiences into a world of renewal, beauty, and reflection with its evocative concert, Nature’s Divine Hands. Inspired by the changing season and the quiet power of the natural world, the program weaves together themes of rebirth, growth, and the enduring connection between nature and the divine.

At the heart of the concert is Mass in G by Franz Schubert. Chosen as the program’s centrepiece, the work captures a sense of serenity and uplift that mirrors the arrival of spring.

“We will journey through the unfolding of spring, personifying the season itself as a nurturing force - a divine hand that gently guides the blossoming of flowers, the return of warmth, and the renewal of hope” said Sandra Litt, President of the Oakville Choral Board of Directors.

Surrounding this cornerstone is a thoughtfully curated selection of choral works that expand on the concert’s central themes. Pieces such as I Loved All Lovely Things by Andrea Ramsey, Hear My Prayer and Verleih uns Frieden by Felix Mendelssohn, and For the Beauty of the Earth by John Rutter each celebrate the beauty of the natural world and the miracle of life’s unfolding. Together, they create a rich tapestry of sound that moves fluidly between reverence, joy, and quiet contemplation.

Balancing sacred tradition with accessibility is central to the choir’s approach. Drawing from music across centuries, the program personifies spring as a nurturing, almost divine force, guiding the blossoming of flowers, the return of warmth, and the renewal of hope. This thoughtful framing allows both seasoned concertgoers and newcomers to connect with the music on an emotional level.

Behind the scenes, the ensemble’s collaborative spirit shines through. As a non-audition choir, members bring a wide range of musical backgrounds, making the rehearsal process both rewarding and demanding. Weekly practices focus not only on mastering notes and rhythms, including works performed in Latin and German, but also on shaping the phrasing and character that bring each piece to life. With the support of sectional recordings and music theory resources, singers work together to build a unified and expressive sound.

The concert experience extends beyond the music itself. The venue will be transformed with seasonal flowers, and audiences will be welcomed by a spring-inspired soundscape. In a gesture that connects art with action, attendees will also receive seed packages—an invitation to carry the theme of growth and renewal into their own lives. Community partnerships with local organizations further root the performance in a shared sense of place and purpose.

Adding to the richness of the program are featured performers, including soprano Lindsay McIntyre and bass Owen Phillipson, accompanied by pianist Anne Marie Leonard and a talented string quartet. A highlight of the instrumental program includes Sheep May Safely Graze by Johann Sebastian Bach, whose gentle, flowing lines offer a moment of calm reflection that resonates especially deeply in a live setting.

For those new to choral music, Nature’s Divine Hands offers an inviting entry point. With text translations provided and a program designed to engage both heart and mind, the concert ensures that every listener can fully experience the emotional and artistic depth of the performance.

Ultimately, the Oakville Choral Society hopes audiences leave feeling uplifted, joyful, and reconnected to music, to nature, and to one another. In celebrating the cycles of the earth and the beauty of collective expression, Nature’s Divine Hands becomes more than a concert; it is a shared moment of renewal, perfectly in tune with the spirit of spring.

Nature’s Divine Hands will take place on April 25th at St. John’s United Church from 7:30-9:00 p.m.

The Rogues Gallery

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:08:10 GMT

Paul Otway, Principle Cornet, Intrada Brass

Expect drama, intrigue, and a dash of danger in every note of Intrada Brass’ upcoming concert; on April 26th they will explore the captivating world of villains and rogues.

When asked about the upcoming concert and what drew him to center it around villains and rogues, musical director Daniel Warren said it’s interesting how we keep returning to figures like Jack the Ripper or stories about Hitler and how every Bond film needs a villain; maybe these “bad guys” help us define what is feels normal or even good.

That fascination with darker or morally complex characters carries directly into the music. Rather than presenting villains as one-dimensional figures, the program explores the tension between harm and humanity. Warren points to The Phantom of the Opera as a key example.

“The Phantom is deeply wounded, and while that doesn’t excuse his actions, it helps us understand them. The tension comes from that uneasy balance, hoping he might choose redemption, while knowing just how dangerous he can be.”

This layered approach extends to the concert’s repertoire. Pieces like The Perfect Fool reflect a different kind of “rogue”: the court jester, hired to mock and provoke for the sake of entertainment. Though not truly evil, the fool walks a dangerous line, pushing boundaries for comedic effect, sometimes with fatal consequences. These nuanced character types allow the program to move beyond simple good-versus-evil storytelling.

When it comes to selecting and adapting music, Warren focuses on pieces that naturally align with the theme rather than forcing them into it. Works are chosen and arranged in advance, ensuring they suit both the narrative and the brass ensemble format. Familiar titles like Skyfall and Mack the Knife help anchor the program, offering audiences recognizable entry points into the darker atmosphere of the concert while maintaining the integrity of brass band traditions.

Sustaining intensity across an entire performance, however, requires contrast. While danger and suspense are central, the program also weaves in moments of beauty, humour, and even redemption. Lighter elements, such as the playful energy of Tam O’Shanter, keep the experience dynamic and engaging, preventing the theme from becoming overwhelming or predictable.

Film and musical theatre selections also play an important role in broadening the concert’s appeal. While brass ensembles have a long tradition of performing original works, transcriptions of well-known pieces help make performances more accessible. Recognizable melodies invite new audiences in, creating a bridge between familiar stories and the rich, powerful sound of brass music.

Audiences can also expect a few surprises beyond the music itself. Warren hints that some of the most unexpected moments may come through his onstage introductions, where seemingly ordinary subjects are revealed to have strange or sinister backstories.

Framing the program through classic villain archetypes adds another layer of intrigue. The “evil mastermind” emerges in the world of Bond, the Phantom stands as the wounded antihero, the Perfect Fool embodies the trickster, and Carmen takes on the role of the seductive force leading others toward ruin. Other pieces in the program carry their own secrets, ones that will only be fully revealed in performance.

In the end, Intrada Brass’ exploration of villains and rogues is less about celebrating darkness and more about examining it. By pairing tension with beauty, and danger with moments of humanity, the concert invites audiences to reflect on why these characters continue to captivate, and what they reveal about themselves.

The concert takes place Sunday April 26th at St. John’s United Church from 3-5 p.m.

Out of Many Cultures, One People: An Afro Caribbean Collective

Ashleigh Barry — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:00:00 GMT

“Be Still” 2025, Acrylic by Nicole Alexander

Out of Many Cultures, One People: An Afro Caribbean Collective is an art exhibit currently in the main gallery of Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Culture Centre. Put on by the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton it brings together community, creativity, and sound, honouring shared identity across cultural roots.

The inspiration behind this exhibit comes from a desire to honour the complexity of belonging to many worlds at once. Rather than presenting cultural identity as something neat or easily celebrated, the exhibition creates space for difficult but necessary conversations, particularly those experienced by people of mixed heritage, first generation Canadians, and immigrants. It acknowledges that belonging often involves tension, loss and unresolved pain, and that these realities are embedded in the work itself. At its core the exhibit asks three fundamental questions: What do we keep? What do we let go? How do we belong?

“A persistent feeling of being pulled between homelands, between past and present, between the culture you carry and the culture you’re building. Migration, the diaspora aren’t just themes; rather they are the framework, the foundation of how this exhibition came together for me, you know, how it was curated,” said Francesca Durham, the curator of the exhibit.

The opening reception held on February 1st, reflected the one people theme in several ways. Pearl Schachter, an accomplished harpist, played a curated playlist to highlight Black musical excellence. The music included Black classical composers such as Florence Price, Caribbean music was represented by the song Yellow Bird by Bob Marley, spirituals elevated by Harry T. Burleigh and finally Moonlight in Vermont by Dorothy Ashby. There were several speakers including MP Sima Acan and Rob Burton, the mayor of Oakville. An interactive response wall was set up to allow visitors to become active within the dialogue with prompts regarding home, ancestry, heritage and music. The serving of traditional Caribbean sugar cakes and black cake became both a thank-you and a celebration of freedom, ground the experience in the flavour of heritage.

“We wanted to create a space where artists could explore the tension and richness of navigating between worlds. Whether that’s the pressure to assimilate, fiercely protecting our heritage, or the creative work of finding new ways to blend traditions. This is a real challenge of many,”said Durham.

Histories of migration, diaspora, and cultural hybridity show up throughout the exhibition both in the artwork itself and in the way the show is structured. Many of the artists draw on ancestral symbols such as Ankara fabrics, Mende helmet masks, Jonkunnu figures, rope, and even koi fish to connect personal stories to broader collective memory. These materials and images speak to inherited histories of displacement, resistance, and survival, while also reflecting the mixing of cultures that defines diasporic life. Rope in particular becomes a way of thinking about what binds us, whether that is fear, trauma, or historical forces, while bold colour and pattern suggest resilience, change, and the possibility of freedom.

The layout of the exhibition mirrors many migration experiences. Visitors enter a predominantly white institutional space and are immediately immersed in Black sound and visual culture, which echoes the feeling of moving through systems that were not designed for you. As you move through the gallery, the work asks questions about ancestry and who came before, then shifts into themes of isolation and cultural preservation, before finally arriving at works that imagine shared spaces where multiple identities can exist at once. In this way, ancestral stories, traditions, and collective memory shaped not just the artwork, but the journey visitors take through the exhibition as a whole.

“We hope people talk openly about the cost of assimilation, the courage it takes to turn away from dominant narratives and do your own thing, and ultimately how we find sustainable ways to exist authentically in spaces that weren’t built for us. We also want younger generations to connect with their heritage in new ways and for cross cultural dialogue to happen where people from different backgrounds recognize shared experiences of negotiating identity,” Durham remarked.

This focus on identity becomes especially clear in the repeated use of faces throughout the exhibition.

“Faces expressing joy, pain, curiosity, love, defiance, contemplation. I sat with this for a long time in the gallery, wondering why so many faces and not scenes of home. And then I understood. When you live between worlds, when home is complicated, one’s face becomes the site of debate. It’s where your identity is read, misread, questioned, claimed,” said Durham.

In this way, the artists assert presence and humanity through expression itself, as if saying, look at us, see us, we are here. Ancestral stories, traditions, and collective memory shape not only the artwork, but the journey visitors take through the exhibition as a whole.

Out of Many Cultures, One People runs until February 28th at the Main Gallery at Queen Elizabeth Community and Cultural Centre at 2302 Bridge Road.

Oakville Art Society and the Oakville Museum present "Connections"

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:27:51 GMT

Jacintha Krish, "Memories", Acrylic 2023

Story and Photography by Ashleigh Barry

The Oakville Art Society (OAS) is celebrating their 60th anniversary with “Connections”, a collaborative exhibition with the Oakville Museum that pays tribute to the friendships and shared experiences that have shaped and inspired our artistic community.

The theme of connections “brings together the past, present, and beyond. The artwork celebrates the theme in landscape, still life, portraiture, photography, and abstract form,” said Judy McAuley, OAS Gallery Coordinator.

Through garments on loan from Oakville Museum, visitors are invited to see how historical fashion and craftsmanship compliment and deepen the themes explored within the artwork.

In preparation for the exhibition, the selected artwork was given to the Oakville Museum for pairing. Chris Selman, the museum’s curator and collections coordinator and his staff selected garments and artifacts based on colour, shape, and looks, with a mix of materials from fur and feathers and even a dress made of paper as well as a mix of ages with garments ranging from Victorian to mid-century.

The opening reception was attended by OAC members and staff along with members of the general public. Also in attendance was Sima Acan, the MPP for Oakville West and Oakville mayor Rob Burton.

“For six decades you have built more than a studio space, you have built belonging. This show “connections,” pairs Oakville Art Society members’ work with historic costumes and textile pieces asking us to look twice. It connects past and present along with histories we incurred and the futures we imagine. I see the difference this makes everyday. A thriving arts community enriches our lives, supports small businesses, draws visitors and helps people put down roots. When we support artists we support value, youth engagement and love of learning across our nature” said Sima Acan, the MPP for Oakville West.

The OAS has maintained its sense of connection over the decades through the passion of its members. Technology has made it easier to communicate and coordinate with our members and the community in order to foster both education and love for the arts. The organization started out of the artists’ homes in 1965 and since 1980 they have been in their current location at 560 Bronte Road.

In looking to the future, the organization has recently received a capital expenditures grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation which will go to fixing up the parking lot to make it safer and more functional. The grant will also make their doors more accessible and improve the gallery space for the public and extended community.

“We are custodians of history and it's important for us to preserve that history and also set it up for the future” remarked Barbara Chapman, President of the OAS.

She aims to maintain the sense of community and identity of the society through a stable base of communications and activities such as the Community Outreach Art Programs and Community Art programs for Seniors.

“Connections” runs in the Main Gallery of QEPCCC at 2302 Bridge Road until November 14th.

3rd Annual Oakville Together Show

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 20:50:45 GMT

"Between 2025-2", mixed media on canvas, 36" x 36". Artwork by Irene YK Cha on display in the Main Gallery at Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre.

Story and photography by Ashleigh Barry

Artists and art lovers came out this Saturday for the opening reception of the 3rd annual Oakville Together show at Queen Elizabeth Park Community Centre. Organized by Sungmi Kong, owner of Rainbow Studio Gallery, the show celebrates the continual friendship between Canada and the Republic of Korea.

This year’s theme is Harmony, a celebration of connection, cultural diversity, and creativity. The show has two exhibits; in the gallery - 16 professional artists, eight from Korea and eight from Canada come together to showcase their interpretation of harmony, while in the corridors the youth and amateur artists are shown. Between all three of these levels visitors of the show will experience both traditional and contemporary work that reflects harmony within our lives, both in nature and society, using a variety of mediums.

In the show’s third year they are looking to expand and grow however it is important to them that they are relaxed and organic in the way that they grow. Each year they have new artists but also some returning artists. By combining all three levels of artists, professional, amateur, and youth it allows for strengthened community ties. This is reflected in Rainbow Studio Gallery; by building a supportive community it allows everyone but especially the youth to build their confidence where they can go on to achieve bigger things.

The purpose of this annual show is to empower connection between artists and community. With remarks from both the Consul General of Korea and the office of Anita Anand about how art can bring dialogue and diversity and create something bigger than the whole of our parts, a sense of community was highlighted throughout the event.

“Community is at the core of how [Sungmi Kong] experiences life and she really understands how it's important that we don’t grow on our own. We’re only as strong as all of the people who are around us” says Dominique Prevost, one of the artists featured in the show.

Canada is a mosaic, a sentiment shared by the artists. When asked what it meant to be a part of this show “it's what Canada is all about” said Victoria Pearce and “doing your own thing but doing it together” said Tricia W. Rawlins.

In continuing the community spirit, 20 percent of each sale will be donated to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. The gallery show runs until July 17th while the corridor show runs until September 3rd.

For more information on the show and the Rainbow Studio Gallery visit their website at http://www.rainbowstudio.ca/

April is National Poetry Month

Ashleigh Barry — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 20:44:30 GMT

April is National Poetry Month. Since 1998, the League of Canadian Poets has established National Poetry Month in order to celebrate poetry and encourage communities across Canada to celebrate poetry's place within Canada's culture.

The theme for 2025 is FAMILY. “Celebrate National Poetry Month 2025 using the theme family in its many chosen forms: found and chosen family, birth family, and family that defies categorization.”

The poems featured here are through the Poetry Cafe, a program once run by the OAC. These poems and other excerpts can be found in our digital archive.

Family Portraits - Photos in Haiku by Maria DiDanieli

Hard, braced, throughout time

rock withstanding elements

his heart is like that.

L'le bear, honey hands...

smells like flowers in his garden

youngest; gift from Light

Hailstorm. Then, sun shines.

Weather from Saskatchewan.

Hugs tight. Her eyes watch.

Feeding squirrels in Queen’s Park

Delight! They eat from your hands!

Two girls run madly.

Journey. Sea Rising.

Waves move our vessel forward.

Love makes our trip safe.

Camping with Kids by Margaret Newton

Gum wads stuck to car seats

Grand Sault or roadside moose,

B-O-R-I-N-G

Drink machines or more bubble gum,

Delightful

Hotel, pool, TV, PAY movies

Room service

That’s a vacation!

I drop the bomb:

This is fine for the road BUT

We’re headed for P.E.I…

Camping, roasted marshmallows,

Flashlights in the tent

One night ONLY, they plead

First the dark terrifies them

Mosquitos, far off latrine,

Shower that wet their dry clothes

Annoyed them more

Everyday they’d whine

Where will we go? I ask?

Back to the hotel they chant

Back home; divine

April is Poetry Month!

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 15:35:20 GMT

Established in Canada in 1998 by the League of Canadian Poets, National Poetry Month encourages communities to celebrate poetry and its vital place in Canada's culture.

This year’s theme, set by the League, is weather. From the website of the LoCP:

“Celebrate National Poetry Month 2024 with the theme of WEATHER. Through sun, snow, rain, wind, fog, and many other iterations, we find the captivating presence of weather. With poetic flair, weather dictates the rhythms of our lives from coast to coast.”

The poem below is brought to you through the Poetry Café, a program that was originally run through the OAC. The OAC has a large archive of chapbooks from the Poetry Café, and we are in the process of adding them to the Digital Arts Archive. Please visit! If you wish to use any of the material in the archive, please contact the OAC. Materials are copyrighted and you will need the artists permission to use the work.

WARMING ©ERNIE ENOLA

Denial

Is it warmer? Has it changed? Doomsayers or valid science?
examine evidence, fear the consequences Cataclysmic climatic events
Not in a year, so why bother
Not in a decade, so why do anything Not going to happen to us
We have the money, the science
No, not to us.
Watch documentaries, read the journals Attend a lecture. Yeah, nod your head, they should do something
but fifty years from now I'll be dead So who cares, leave it to my kids they'll survive.
Too bad if Bangladeshis drown
or Africans starve
Can't be bothered, drive me home
Turn up the thermostat
switch on the lights.
Turn on the T. V.
Famine in China!
That's them, not me.

Awakening

That's quite a drought on the Prairies No water in California. Crops fail
One hell of a series of hurricanes smashing oil rigs. Flash floods
Storms so bad planes can't fly
Hey! Supermarkets short on food,
no gas to drive elsewhere
can't eat my lawn or my bushes
Arctic meltdown
Oceans acid, few fish to eat
Dried out fields, cattle dying
No water in taps, or rivers
money and cars useless
the weak and old die of heat
while air conditioners sit idle
impotent
we swelter in our homes
pleading for help, but
no one left to fetch or carry
Helpless, millions start to die.

Aftermath

What happened to our civilization?
Simple
We didn't believe, did nothing
Couldn't affect us only them
Wouldn't demand our leaders "Do"
not just make a plan, not just make a profit,
not hold a conference, not delay
but DO
Pity, many cities are under water
Pity, forests have burned
Pity the temperature is still going up
Pity, the oceans are flooding crop lands
Pity, we are out of fuel
Pity millions of animals died
Billions of humans died
but they created the apocalypse
If only! If only we had listened
If only we had acted.

Now Accepting Nominations

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:24:33 GMT

Now accepting nominations for Oakville Community Spirit Awards!

The Town of Oakville invites residents to nominate community champions who have made a significant difference in Oakville during the last year for a 2024 Community Spirit Award.

Online nominations will be accepted until Friday, April 26 at 4 p.m. in the following award categories.

Arts, Culture & Heritage Award – sponsored by Oakville News/Village Media Recognizes those who have made a significant voluntary contribution to the artistic and/or cultural community of Oakville. This includes the development, support, conservation or promotion of local heritage, culture, music, visual, performing, or literary arts.
Climate Action Award – sponsored by FirstOntario Credit Union Recognizes those who have demonstrated environmental leadership. This includes significant voluntary contributions to the sustainability, protection, conservation, or beautification of Oakville’s natural and built environments.
Good Neighbour Award – sponsored by Chartwell Retirement Residences Recognizes those who have made significant contributions in their neighbourhood. Neighbourhood contributions include showing kindness, instilling community pride, or ensuring public safety to make Oakville a better place to live, work and play.
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility Award – sponsored by Access Abilities Recognizes those who have made significant voluntary contribution, beyond legislated requirements, to make Oakville a more inclusive community.
Inspiration Award – sponsored by RBC Royal Bank Recognizes those who advocate for others, motivate the community, or have had an inspirational influence on others.
Leadership & Innovation Award – sponsored by Amica Senior Lifestyles Recognizes those who exemplify leadership or innovation, and inspire others to work collaboratively and respectfully to enhance the quality of life of others.

Nominees will be celebrated on June 6, 2024, at the annual Community Spirit Awards event at the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre. More details will be shared in May when the nominees are announced.

For more information on how to nominate an individual, organization, business and/or community group who has demonstrated ongoing leadership, dedication and involvement in Oakville, visit the Community Spirit Awards page.

OC's Artistic Director Departs

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 02:20:05 GMT

For Immediate Media Release

OC Announces Artistic Director’s Departure

Oakville, Ontario (March 14, 2024) – The Oakville Choral Society announced today that its Artistic Director David Bowser will be leaving upon the completion of this season, marking 15 years with OC.

“David has provided tremendous creativity, musicality, and professionalism as the artistic leader of the Oakville Choral,” says Board President Sandra Litt. “We wish David all the best in his future endeavours. A new Artistic Director will build on the reputation David and our choir have achieved.”

Bowser has been the Artistic Director and Conductor of Oakville Choral for the past 15 years. He has seen the organization through many changes, including continuing to keep us viable during and after Covid19. His commitment to artistic excellence and building relationships in the community has been evident over the years. He has overseen many successful collaborations with local organizations and artists, and offered us a wide variety of musical experiences.

The OC Board of Directors has initiated the process to hire a new Artistic Director/ Conductor beginning in the 2024-25 season.

The job posting and information about how to apply can be viewed here.

- 30 -

For inquiries related to this media release, please contact Sandra Litt, OC President at oakvillechoral@gmail.com or 905-517-2885.

The Oakville Choral Society, a dynamic and long running community choir, was founded in 1960. As a non-profit cultural organization, the non-audition choir promotes choral singing and music appreciation to the wide and wonderful communities of Halton and beyond. Our mission, “Everyone can join, everyone can learn, everyone can sing!” is foundational to our choral success.

Black Music Month

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 17:24:52 GMT

Carlene Ling (right) as a Community Spirit Awards nominee with Mayor Rob Burton

An interview with Carlene Ling aka Vanda Li
By Joanne MacNair

As Black Music Month wraps up for this year, I thought I might take some time before the end of my internship with the Oakville Arts Council to chat with Carlene Ling, the woman determined to bring awareness of the value of Black Music and Black culture to Halton region and Canada.

Recently Carlene, also known as Vanda Li, found allies in local mayor’s Rob Burton (Oakville) and Marianne Meed Ward (Burlington) to hold flag raising ceremonies on June 1 at their respective Town Halls. Quite an achievement, and a colourful musical addition to June’s culture calendar of events and the successful and lively Black Music on the Block which took place at Town Square on George Street.

When Ling refers to Black music, she has Afro-Caribbean music in mind. It’s a genre that’s a fusion of different cultures, sounds and styles. Dating back to the 1500’s, it’s influenced by African, Indigenous and even European cultures and includes sub-genres such as ska, reggae, calypso, salsa, merengue and more.

Born in the Caribbean herself, her parents were professionals from Trinidad who immigrated to Burlington under Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s ‘Open Door Policy. Activism in the arts seems to run in the family with Ling’s late uncle having been a founder of the Hamilton Caribana and her late aunt, Juliet Hamilton involved in bringing multicultural events to Spencer Smith park in the 1990's and early 2000’s.

After graduating from MM Robinson High school in Burlington, Ling studied at Sheridan in the musical theatre program. She left before graduation to have her oldest daughter and moved to Oakville. As a young, single mother she added two more daughters to her family along with diplomas from the Halton Business Institute in Administrative studies with specialization in Medical Office and another in Social Service Worker from Humber College - graduating from both with Honours.

She was accepted to the BSW program at York and attended for a few years, but eventually decided to take a break. She worked contract jobs in employments services while raising her daughters but dreamt of a different direction for her life.

Carlene Ling (left) at the Junos with daughter Adria Kain a Juno nominee.

She took a swing at song writing, creating the song “Rise Up” with her friend and producing it with her oldest daughter Adria, now a Juno-nominated singer. Not finished with change, she started BLing Events International Entertainment Black African Caribbean Canadian Artists Unite to promote Black artists and Black musicians in Canada.

A nominee for the Town of Oakville Community Spirit Awards, Carlene is driven to promote the younger generation of Black artists and performers and is looking to collaborate with others to move her vision forward.

“I love Halton. It’s a beautiful place to live but there is little to no representation of Black culture in the festivals and events so I decided to try to create something that more people can enjoy and experience the authentic music and culture that the Black and Afro Caribbean community and all residents can enjoy right here in our hometown,” said Ling via email.

Carlene Ling/Vanda Li:
Performing Artist /Singer, Event Curator & Executive Producer
Founder /Director / CEO , BLing Events International Entertainment (BEI)
Black African Caribbean Canadian Artists Unite (BACCAU) & CRAFT
Business Line:(647) 572-4976

Instagram
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS8_pLNScwb3Yuy_eHDRh1Q/videos
https://blingeventsinterna.wixsite.com/bling

Community Spirit Awards

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 20:36:42 GMT

It’s so good to see people attending events in person again! The Oakville Arts Council (OAC) team was pleased to attend the annual Community Spirit Awards, held by the Town of Oakville on June 8, 2023, at Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre.

Each year, we nominate an artist or arts organization for the Arts, Culture and Heritage Award (thank you Oakville Beaver, many years the sponsor in this category!) and we pretty much always attend to applaud the incredible contributions these volunteers bring to the community. Also, we enjoy the desserts and the entertainment. Kudos to emcee Chris Mei and the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra.

The awards gifted to the winners this year were an homage to the fibre arts. Created by local artist Rafia Shafiq (pictured below), who specializes in phulkari embroidery, each of the intricate, colourful works represented the values of each category. In this video, Rafia talks about her creative process when making each of the awards.

Congratulations to The Oakville Diwali Committee and Reem Al-Rawi, winners in the Arts, Culture and Heritage Award for 2023 and also to those nominated:

Bonnie Glass – Wearable Art Show
Bronte Historical Society
Carlene Ling aka Vanda Li
Grant Foster
Margaret Catley
Marie Decker
Oakville Symphony Orchestra
Steve Bysouth
Sybil Rampen
Oakville Festivals of Film and Art (OFFA)

The winners in the remaining categories are:

Hannah Kohler and Mervyn Russell, Climate Action Award sponsored by FirstOntario Credit Union
Penny Smith and Kim Melhuish, Good Neighbour Award sponsored by Chartwell Retirement Residences
Gennile Thomas-Smith, Marlyne Van Exan and Nic Hotchkiss, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Award sponsored by Access Abilities
Lionel Latter, Lorna Van de Mosselaer and Patrick Gorman, Inspiration Award sponsored by RBC Royal Bank
Desmond Jordan and Grant Foster, Leadership and Innovation Award – sponsored by Amica Seniors Lifestyles

For more information about the Community Spirit Awards, visit the Town of Oakville’s website: https://www.oakville.ca/town-hall/news-notices/2023-news-releases-archive/community-champions-honoured-at-the-21st-oakville-community-spirit-awards/

To see more photos from the event: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAHErZ

Oakville Symphony

Anusha Rajeswaran — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 17:11:13 GMT

The Oakville Symphony has entered a new and exciting chapter: beautiful venue, new season and new Music Director.

We sat down with their Music Director, Lorenzo Guggenheim, to talk about what the Oakville Symphony (OS) has planned for the upcoming season.

The OS is a thriving community symphony orchestra aiming to bring a spectacular experience of music to an audience of all ages. The OS is composed of a diverse group of talented musicians along with guest artists from all over the world.

Lorenzo Guggenheim is an expert conductor with an impressive career, spanning from his native Argentina to working on Canadian and International stages. It’s no surprise then that he has big ambitions for the OS. For instance, to make the shows more accessible for everyone, the OS has introduced free admission for anyone under the age of 18.

The OS is committed to showcasing diverse voices and talents; in their upcoming season, composer Jessie Montgomery will be featured with the Canadian premiere of one of her latest work Overture and they are commissioning new works from Nadya Poklad, an artist who immigrated from Ukraine.

There’s something for everyone to enjoy at their show but for some, there are misconceptions that linger.

What if I don’t know anything about music? Where should I sit? What if I get bored? What should I wear?

The Oakville Symphony wants to dispel these misconceptions:

You don’t need any prior music knowledge to enjoy their shows. The Oakville Symphony play a wide range of music from renowned international musicians in addition to a classical repertoire.
Every seat in their intimate, smaller-sized venue, Oakville Centre, has a great view of the stage.
If you’re concerned about being distracted, don’t be. Each show is presented in two halves, each 40 minutes long, with ashort intermission to stretch your legs and check your phone. Drinks are served before the show starts and at intermission
As for a dress code, come as you are. Saturday evenings can be considered semi-formal and Sunday matinee shows are more casual, but there are no rules.

You can get tickets here to enjoy a special evening of music from the Oakville Symphony.

Oakville Symphony's Sibelius Symphony No. 2

Anusha Rajeswaran — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 18:00:25 GMT

The Oakville Symphony is delighted to present a Marimba Concerto by Brazilian composer Ney Rosauro, featuring Oakville Symphony’s own percussionist Bryan Allen. Along with this aurally and visually spectacular work for marimba and string orchestra, attendees will be able to enjoy Johann Strauss Jr’s masterpiece overture, Die Fledermaus. The concert will be rounded out with the magnificent Symphony No. 2 by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

Dates: Saturday April 1, 2023 from 7:30 - 9:30pm | Sunday April 2, 2023 from 2 - 4pm.

Venue: The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts

For tickets, visit oakvillecentre.ca

Oakville Galleries' March Break Art Camp

Anusha Rajeswaran — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 17:36:57 GMT

Young artists will be thrilled with Oakville Galleries’ March Break Art Camp. Designed to keep kids inspired while school’s out, participants will make lots of artwork using new techniques and creativity.

Each day will have a different theme with fun-filled projects for your budding artist. Kids will be able to expand their thinking, burn energy outside and get inspired by the winter landscape in Gairloch Gardens (dress warmly!).

March Break Camp: Art Adventurers (Ages 6 – 9)
March Break Camp: Art Masters (Ages 10 – 12)

Member: $238.00 | Non Member: $280.00

Date: March 13 - 17, 2023 from 9am - 4pm

Venue: Oakville Galleries, Main Floor Education Centre

For registration, visit oakvillegalleries.com. Registration Closes Friday, 3 March 2023

Vivaldi's Four Seasons

Anusha Rajeswaran — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 19:58:05 GMT

Join us as the Oakville Chamber Orchestra celebrates its first show of 2023. Enjoy Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons performed by Joelle Crigger, the 2022 senior category 1st place winner! English favourites by Edward Elgar and Benjamin Britten round out the program.

Date: February 25, 2023 at 7:30pm

Venue: Oakville Centre, AEG Liebherr Auditorium

For tickets, visit oakvillecentre.ca

Capture Oakville 2023 Photography Competition

Anusha Rajeswaran — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 19:30:53 GMT

Celebrate the uniqueness of Oakville through photography! The Oakville Camera Club invites you to submit your photos to the 17th Annual Capture Oakville Photography Competition.

Categories include Street Photography, People and Portraits, Black and White, Landscapes, Nature & Wildlife, and Exploration.

Deadline: Feb 6, 2023 at 11:59pm EST.

For more information and electronic submissions go to www.captureoakville.com

Haydn Symphony No. 104

Anusha Rajeswaran — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 18:08:00 GMT

Join us as the Oakville Symphony celebrates a new season under the leadership of a new music director. Enjoy the Canadian premiere of Pivot, a lively short piece by English composer Anna Clyne.

In true celebratory fashion, we revel in the majestic strains of the last symphony ever written by Franz Joseph Haydn, No. 104 — the noble London Symphony. We welcome brilliant Anglo-Canadian cellist Paul Marleyn back to the stage to perform Elgar’s beautifully elegiac Cello Concerto in E minor.

Date: Saturday November 5th, 7:30 - 9:30pm

Venue: Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, 130 Navy Street, Oakville Ontario L6J 2Z4

For tickets, visit www.oakvillecentre.ca/tickets

Soothing the Senses

Anusha Rajeswaran — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 17:59:35 GMT

Enjoy the many benefits of creating soothing natural salves from botanicals and herbs in a half-day retreat, Soothing the Senses, presented by Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre. You will be immersed in a community circle, learn about abhyanga massage and make your own massage oil.

This massage oil is encouraged to be used every morning before you shower. It is a beautiful daily ritual to soothe you during the wintertime. Surrender into a restorative yoga practice, followed by deep meditation. You will create and take home a salve and massage oil.

Date: Sunday November 20th, 1 - 5pm

Venue: Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, 1086 Burnhamthorpe Rd E, Oakville, ON L6H7B2

For registration, visit www.joshuacreekarts.com

Felting Spirit Guides Workshop

Anusha Rajeswaran — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 19:34:07 GMT

Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre presents Felting Spirit Guides with Steven Botelho. Join needle felting artist Steven Botelho for this 6-week workshop as you work step by step with him on this immersive and heartfelt course.

You will be guided in the delicate process of working with various wools and materials to create your own Spirit Buck which embodies leadership, virility, grace and regeneration.

Date: September 30th - November 4th, 2022 from 9:30am - 12pm

Venue: Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, 1086 Burnhamthorpe Rd E, Oakville, ON L6H7B2

For registration, visit www.joshuacreekarts.com

Eden Mills Writers' Festival

Anusha Rajeswaran — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 16:24:52 GMT

The Eden Mills Writers’ Festival showcases the very best of Canadian writing in the beautiful village of Eden Mills. The main event will be held on September 11th, 2022 from 12 - 6pm. Come discover your new favourite author in an idyllic outdoor setting!

This Festival has something for everyone. Enjoy fiction writers, poets, young adult authors and a special children’s area with children’s authors and entertainers.

Festival dates: September 9 - 11, 2022

Main event: September 11, 2022. 12 - 6pm

For tickets visit edenmillswritersfestival.ca

Oakville Film Festival

Anusha Rajeswaran — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 01:12:20 GMT

The 9th annual Oakville Film Festival will kick off on June 22nd with over 100 films over 7 days! The Festival will premiere the best independent features, documentaries, and short films. This year will be a hybrid event including live screenings, hybrid screenings and some virtual-only events that are available internationally.

Make sure you stay for the live or virtual Q&A after each film screening to hear from the filmmakers and other guests.

Festival Dates: June 22 - 29, 2022

For passes and tickets, visit offa.ca

Oakville Galleries Summer Art Exhibitions

Anusha Rajeswaran — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 00:54:41 GMT

Oakville Galleries is delighted to present two special solo art exhibitions with work from artists Paul P. and Tanya Lukin Linklater.

In Friendly in the Knife-edged Moment the work of Toronto-based artist Paul P. considers and commemorates queer social histories, particularly the period of gay liberation that occurred just before the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. On display you will see his lesser known delicate watercolours of gardens, flowers and statuary, as well as seascapes and shorelines, drawn from life over the past 15 years. This exhibition brings together a number of these works— which are almost entirely exhibited for the first time—in a haunting reflection on the aesthetics of longing.

Exhibition Dates: June 5 to August 28 2022

Venue: Gairloch Gardens | Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12 - 7pm

In My mind is with the weather, interdisciplinary artist Tanya Lukin Linklater considers the troubled colonial histories of Turtle Island (North America) and the structural violences Indigenous communities continue to withstand. In this exhibition, new and recent works consider how these violences are registered and processed in the body and highlight moments of resistance.

My mind is with the weather is presented in partnership with the Toronto Biennial of Art, a free city-wide art event taking place across the city and GTA from 26 March – 5 June, 2022.

Exhibition Dates: 5 June – 28 August 2022

Venue: Centennial Square | Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12 - 7pm

For more information visit https://www.oakvillegalleries.com/exhibitions

The Image of the Environment

Mon, 09 May 2022 02:02:57 GMT

Image: Monica Tap, One-second Hudson no. 11, 2007. Oil on linen. Collection of Oakville Galleries, purchased with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance Program, the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation and the Corporation of the Town of Oakville, 2008.

In this special off-site exhibition, Oakville Galleries is delighted to showcase artworks from its permanent collection at the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre. Reflecting on the QEPCCC’s site as a public, community-focused space, The Image of the Environment brings Oakville Galleries to the QEPCCC and features works that speak to the development of communities in urban and suburban spaces alike. Artists in this exhibition are interested in places of gathering, mobility and migration, as well as the impact of urban development on the natural world.

With works by: Kim Adams, Stephen Andrews, Shuvinai Ashoona, Edward Burtynsky, Eric Glavin, Angela Grauerholz, Geoffrey James, Paul Kipps, Medrie Macphee, Ed Pien, Leslie Sampson, Monica Tap, Jeannie Thib, Jeff Thomas.

Exhibition on view: 29 April to 18 May, 2022 | Gallery Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12 – 6 PM

Presented in partnership with the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre.

To register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-image-of-the-environment-tickets-320691074637

Heather Bambrick "A Jazzy Little Kitchen Party"

Mon, 09 May 2022 01:45:24 GMT

St. Jude's Celebration of the Arts presents, A Jazzy Little Kitchen Party with Heather Bambrick.

JUNO-nominee Heather Bambrick's shows have been described as "what happens when Carol Burnett meets Ella Fitzgerald at a Newfoundland Kitchen Party."

Heather, along with her band (Chase Sanborn--trumpet, Ross MacIntyre--bass, Ben Wittman--drums, and Stu Harrison--piano), will perform an intimate evening of songs ranging from jazz standards and Canadian pop hits to Newfoundland folk music, sitcom theme songs and more at St. Jude's Anglican Church in Oakville on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 8PM.

For more information or to buy tickets visit https://www.oakvilleconcerts.com/

2014 Arts Recognition Awards

Fri, 19 Dec 2014 21:22:43 GMT

2014 Arts Recognition Awards

As some of you may know, the Oakville Arts Council has presented arts recognition awards to local artists over the last five years through our Cogeco Stars Among Us event. We have been proud of this event: a very small team managed each year to deliver a very large event, but the event we held in September 2013 was the last of the series.

Recognizing the excellence of our local artists remains a part of who the Oakville Arts Council is and what we deliver to both the creative community and the public-at-large. In 2014 we presented three awards at our Annual General Meeting on November 6, 2014 at Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre: Emerging Artist, Established Artist and Lifetime Achievement Award. We are pleased to announce this year’s winners:

2014 Emerging Artist: Barb TenEycke

TenEycke studied interior decorating and design at Sheridan College in the late 80’s. Some basic skills in perspective drawing were acquired during this time. During her 20 plus years in the field of decorating and design, she took specialty courses on marbleizing and other interesting decorative paint techniques. Over the years, TenEycke developed a reputation in this field for expert knowledge and application. As she stills enjoys the satisfaction of this type of work, she occasionally accepts small projects. This decorative painting experience, she believes, has allowed her to fast-track her skills in the area of fine art painting. Similarly, years of working with design and colour have helped instill a general sense of composition, balance, and colour values, all coming into play in her work. TenEycke paints full time now, and is passionate about continuing her self-education through online art tutorials, workshops, the studying of other artists’ work, and most importantly ‘miles on the paintbrush’!

TenEycke creates original landscape paintings using acrylic paint on gallery style stretched canvas. She splits her time between her home in Oakville Ontario, and her family cottage near Algonquin Park. Travelling between the GTA and cottage country on rural roads, provides her with endless inspiration. Old barns, rolling fields, coming storms and foggy sunsets are the stuff of dreams for TenEycke. Her landscapes have a unique blend of realism and abstraction. Lighting, atmosphere, and depth, are key elements that she tries to convey in her work.

“When painting the Canadian landscape, my main interests are elemental; water, rocks, trees, skies. I am particularly drawn to the way light interacts with these elements,” says TenEycke. “Movement is another aspect I strive to convey in a painting. Rushing water, gentle currents in a forest stream, trees swaying in the wind, are challenges I eagerly take on. Connecting the viewer to a memory or emotion is the ultimate reward.”

Please visit www.barbteneycke.comfor more information about this artist.

2014 Established Artist: Charles Demunyck

A native of Dawson Creek, BC, Charles Demuynck holds a doctorate in conducting from the Hartt School in Hartford, Conn. He also holds conducting degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore and the University of Toronto. In addition, he is an active composer for a wide variety of instruments and ensembles, and his works have been performed on both sides of the Canada /US border.In addition, he is an active composer, and his works have been performed on both sides of the Canada-U.S.border. As the founding artistic director of Masterworks of Oakville, he is proud to lead this group of extraordinarily enthusiastic and talented musicians.

He is the Artistic Director of Masterworks of Oakville Chorus and Orchestra, which is devoted to performing the great works for chorus and orchestra (www.masterworksofoakville.ca). His previous posts include: Music Director of the Brampton Symphony Orchestra, City Centre Musical Productions (Mississauga); Assistant Conductor of the Knoxville (TN) Symphony; Music Director, Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra (LA); Director of Orchestras at the University of Evansville (IN), and Conducting Apprentice of the Hartford Symphony. He is the Music Director at St Andrew's Catholic Church, Oakville, and has also been music director at Stouffville United Church and Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, Mississauga.

Charles Demuynck was Music Director of the Oakville Chamber Orchestra from 1995 to 2002 and returned in 2007 to make music with his friends. He has guest conducted extensively in Europe and the U.S. and with the following Canadian orchestras: Orchestra London, Mississauga Symphony, Oshawa¬-Durham Symphony, Cathedral Bluffs Symphony, Etobicoke Philharmonic, Prince George Symphony, National Academy Orchestra, Royal Conservatory New Music Ensemble, Lethbridge Symphony, North York Concert Orchestra and the Philharmonie des Jeunes d'Ottawa-Carleton. His CD of Beethoven's Symphony No.8 and Brahms' Piano Concerto No.2 with pianist Garnet Ungar and the Varna Philharmonic is on the Americus label (www.americuscd.com).

Visit www.oakvillechamberorchestra.comfor more information.

2014 Lifetime Achievement Award: Naoko Matusbara

Oakville is home to a significant number of visual artists who have been working in their fields for many years. With so much talent to choose from, our juries are often challenged to choose just one artist. As you will see from her extensive list of accomplishments, our work was made easier for the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award. You may recognize her work from the mural installed at the YMCA. We are thrilled to be able to present this award to Naoko Matusbara and thank Maureen Latocki for her nomination.

This distinguished woodcut print artist was born on Shikoku Island into an old Shinto family, and grew up in Kyoto, where her father was a senior priest. She was educated at the Kyoto Academy of Fine Art (BFA, 1960); and was a Fulbright Scholar at what is now Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh (MFA, 1962). She was also a Special Invited Student at the Royal College of Art in London (1962).

After travelling extensively in Europe and Asia, Naoko Matsubara returned to Japan for two years, before being lured back to the United States. There she worked as personal assistant to the late Prof. Fritz Eichenberg, and also taught at the Pratt Institute of Graphic Art in New York, as well as at the University of Rhode Island. Subsequently she lived in Cambridge, Mass.

In 1972 Naoko Matsubara moved to Canada, and now lives in Oakville, Ontario. She has continued to be extremely active as an artist: locally, nationally and internationally. Since 1960 she has had some 75 solo exhibitions, in the USA, Canada, Japan, England, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland and Mexico. She has also participated in numerous group exhibitions.

Public collections owning work by Naoko Matsubara include: Albertina, Vienna; Art Institute of Chicago; British Museum; Carnegie Institute; Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Cincinnati Art Museum; Detroit Institute of Art; Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University; Haifa Museum, Israel; Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art; Royal Ontario Museum; The White House, Washington DC; Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art; Yale University Art Gallery.

Naoko Matsubara has published some 20 books and portfolios of her work, including most recently Tibetan Sky (Calgary: Bayeux Arts Publishers, 1997; Preface by the Dalai Lama); Tokonoma (Bath, England: Old School Press, 1999); and Konjaku monogatari (Tokyo: ALIS, 2002). Her work also includes a large mural and donor pillar for the new YMCA building in Oakville, Ontario (2003); mixed-media screens; and paintings. In 2005, the Royal Ontario Museum commissioned two large works from Naoko Matsubara for the Museum’s Bloor Street window case. The artist generously donated a third work, Emerald Summer (2006). The three works (each 195 cm. high by 95 cm. wide) will be rotated at regular intervals into the outside window. This is the first commissioned artwork to be displayed on the Museum’s Bloor Street Plaza. She also recently completed commissions for Chatham University in Pittsburgh and the City of St. Catharines, Ontario.

Recent major exhibitions have been in Tokyo, Kyoto, Indiana, and Toronto (Royal Ontario Museum). Further exhibitions are currently being planned in Seattle and Tokyo; new books in process include In Praise of Hands. She also continues to travel widely; is frequently invited to speak about her work; and also publishes essays, in both English and Japanese.

Naoko Matsubara’s work has been the subject of countless articles and reviews; documentary films (including two from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation); and several book-length publications: notably Mokuhan: The Woodcuts of Munakata and Matsubara (text by Joan Stanley-Baker; Victoria, BC: Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1976); Naoko Matsubara: Development of Artistic Style and Technique (text by Barbara Woodworth; MFA thesis, Harvard University, 1985); and Tree Spirit. The Woodcuts of Naoko Matsubara (text by Arlene Gehmacher, Klaas Ruitenbeek and John M. Rosenfield; Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum, 2003).

For more information about Sensei Matsubara, visit http://abbozzogallery.com/nk/

Creative Connections!

Alison Myers-Gomez — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 14:42:05 GMT

July 30^th marked the fifth Creative Connections meeting after being revived this past

March. In keeping with the OAC motto to, “Connect, Collaborate and Create!”

we partnered with the Town of Oakville to provide this networking event.

The town provides the room at QEPCCC and refreshment and always includes

a representative to field our “Town of Oakville” related questions.

Round table introductions start off the meetings, welcoming, both OAC members

and non-members to this FREE event.

The environment is purposeful yet fun! and we’ve noticed overall that conversations

have been extending well past the 1 hour. Upon reflection at the July

meeting, Bernadette Ward, OAC’s Executive Director, and I noted that four,

and possibly five, working connections had already been made!

What is our next step? To grow these networking sessions to bring

you more resources, opportunities and connections with like-minded individuals.

Curtis Ray Smith's Childhood Guitar Box

Fri, 04 Jul 2014 18:12:34 GMT

It all started with seeing the Beatles on television and a homemade toy guitar put together from an old cigar box.

As a child, Curtis Ray Smith was exposed to various kinds of music, especially blues, R&B and soul, which influenced the then aspiring musician.

Growing up my mother was a big fan of Ray Charles and that sort of music, so I grew up listening to him and bluesy kind of music,” says Smith, and then he chuckles.

Continuing on, he remembers how badly he wanted to play guitar. “I was trying to make one out of a cigar box, and my mother kind of took pity on me and took me to a store and bought me one of those plastic little ukuleles.”

At the age of 13, Smith got his first guitar while he was still living in Lubbock, Texas.

“It was after I got out of high school that I really started getting into the whole James Taylor sort of singer-songwriter thing and got into acoustic finger-style guitar,” says Smith. “People were playing in rock n’ roll bands and so on, and I really wasn’t. I was playing acoustic finger-style guitar. And I really specialized in that, playing stuff like Paul Simon and Doc Watson.”

In the early 70s, at the age of 21, the young musician moved to Canada and haunted the downtown Toronto area playing music. It was during this time period he played in an acoustic guitar trio called Appleshine, which played across played across the country.

From there, many opportunities came his way, including work from Yamaha Music.

“When I was playing and working with Appleshine back in the ‘70s, I was also active as a guitar teacher,” says Smith. “One of the music stores I was teaching in at the time was a Yamaha dealer, and I used to do these little clinics and seminars for the retail store. And some of the people from Yamaha saw those and then approached me after I moved out to Vancouver from Calgary.”

Smith remained with Yamaha Music from ’77 to ’87. During his tenure with them, he helped design custom guitars for individuals such as Rik Emmett and Bruce Cockburn.

In the mid ‘80s, Smith met a man named Glen Johansen.

“Glen owned a recording studio in Toronto, and a friend of mine asked me to come in and record a guitar solo on a project they were working on,” says Smith. “They were working on a demo for GRT records. Glen was producing that project and I met him there and I actually ended up practically living in his studio after that. For about four or five years I played guitar on just about everything he produced, including Glen’s first solo album.”

The friendship proved to be a highly valuable one, and their collaborations together lasted throughout the years.

In 2007, when it was time for Smith to record his first album Masquerade, he sought help from none other than long-time collaborator Glen Johansen.

“I was doing these gigs, and people kept coming up and asking if I had CDs for sale,” says Smith. “And so I finally just said, ‘this is crazy, I should just record a CD just to sell at gigs,’ cause people were asking for them. I called Glen and he helped me record this CD. He played pretty well everything on it, except my guitar parts.”

Currently, Smith can be found in the Oakville and Toronto areas putting on performances of blues and jazz music. He regularly appears at J Bistro at Jonathans on Church Street.

Regarding another possible album, Smith would like to get to recording, but his itinerary has been keeping him busy.

“I need to record another CD, but it’s really a matter of finding the time to do it,” says Smith. “I’m doing a new series of shows and they’re called ‘J Bistro presents,’ and they’re going to be music shows where we’re really sort of converting the bistro into a live music venue for that night… It starts May 28, and it’s basically going to be guest artists who will be coming in and performing with me.”

Smith also notes the importance of constantly writing new material due to his exclusivity at J Bistro when performing in downtown Oakville.

“I’m in the Bistro at least six times a month,” says Smith. “So when you’re playing a residency gig like that where you have a lot of regulars… you really have to spend a lot of time working on new material and developing the repertoire to keep it fresh and keep adding new things to it. When you’re doing a residency gig, the last thing you can do is let everything get stale, and keep playing the same stuff every night. Every week I like to add at least one or two new songs.”

Musician Warren Nicholson reaches new high note in his career

Oscar Immel — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 17:20:23 GMT

His fingers sweep across the fretboard with expert refinement. The notes pile on top of one another, and it’s the sounds of Latin American music rendered on guitar.

Musician Warren Nicholson has seen the release of his album Latin American Guitar Favourites on Sept. 1, 2013. And he couldn’t be happier regarding its completion.

“It felt great,” Nicholson recalls. “It was very satisfying to know that you catalogued stuff you’d been playing for many, many years.”

It was his dedication to music and the resultant busy lifestyle that drove Nicholson to finally sit down and begin the conception of the album.

“I was playing a bunch of concerts in Toronto a few years ago, and my wife was kind of cajoling me into making a record,” Nicholson says. “She said you’ve been teaching all these people for all these years, and you’ve been playing all these concerts, it’s probably time you did something, and I agreed with her.”

Regarding the song selections, Nicholson felt it was appropriate to perform Latin American music due to its historical connections with classical guitar. He also feels the album well represents composers who come from that part of the world.

“I think for the classical guitar, a lot of its history is either from Spain or Latin America,” Nicholson says. “And I think most of the stuff I gravitate toward and I tend to play is from that part of the world.”

For Nicholson, music was always a big part of his life, and ran in the family. His father was a music lover and constantly played big band music and top 40. His father’s mother was also a piano player and piano teacher.

In his early teens Nicholson picked up a guitar and began taking lessons. When he became more serious about it, he took lessons in Montreal and learned under John Donovan, a friend of his father’s.

From there, Nicholson went on to graduate from McMaster University and the Manhattan School of Music in ’91 and ’94 respectively. He taught at the Boys Choir of Harlem for four years following this.

In 2000 he got married and established a private teaching studio simply named Warren Nicholson’s Guitar Studio.

“I’ve been busy quite a long time,” he says half-jokingly. And it’s true. Aside from providing music lessons, performing concerts, recording an album and acquiring an education, he also won the 1997 International Artists Auditions.

This led to a privileged performance at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in 1998.

“It was nerve-wracking, to say the least,” says Nicholson. “It was a great cathartic moment, it was great to play, great to prepare for. And I got one good review out of it, and I was able to use some of that stuff to help further get work after the event.”

Currently, Nicholson is hopeful in regards to possibly doing another album, and plans to record a collection of Spanish songs within the next six to nine months.

“Centaur Records in Louisiana and Baton Rouge in Louisiana were interested in releasing it, so that’s promising,” Nicholson says. “It’s just a matter of getting the time, the repertoire and the licenses to do it.”

If you’re passionate about music, Nicholson has some advice: “Don’t sit around and wait for things to happen in this field,” he says. “You’re going to have to make things happen for yourself.”

Thank You from the Oakville Arts Council

Alison Myers-Gomez — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:55:18 GMT

Thank You from the Oakville Guild of the Canadian Opera Company

Alison Myers-Gomez — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:53:50 GMT

Thank you from the Oakville Arts Council!

Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:59:57 GMT

Thank you letter from the Oakville Opera Guild!

Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:58:39 GMT

Thank you from the Oakville Arts Council!

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 16:44:05 GMT

Thank you from the Oakville Opera Guild!

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 15:35:22 GMT

Thank you from the Oakville Opera Guild!

Tue, 08 Apr 2014 17:01:55 GMT

Thank you from the Oakville Arts Council!

Tue, 08 Apr 2014 16:57:55 GMT

Thank you from the Oakville Suzuki Association

Tue, 08 Apr 2014 14:23:44 GMT

Thank you from the Oakville Symphony

Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:59:24 GMT

Here is what the Oakville Symphony has to say about their volunteers:

Oakville Symphony Rehearsal:

Chair of the Oakville Symphony Board, Gillian Santangeli:

Volunteers Jane Millar and Jo Anne Young greeting guests the Garden Musicale fundraiser:

Celebrating National Volunteer Week with thank you letters from our members!

Mon, 07 Apr 2014 14:19:37 GMT

Here at the Oakville Arts Council, we couldn't do a lot of what we do without the help of our amazing volunteers and we know this sentiment is shared across our members as well. Since it's National Volunteer week this week, we thought over the next few days we would share some thank you letters to volunteers who have helped make the arts and culture scene here in Oakville so vibrant! There are certainly a lot of amazing volunteers out there who have dedicated their time to the arts in some capacity, and the letters you will see posted here are only to a small fraction of those amazing volunteers here in Oakville. If your organization also relies on volunteers, make sure you send a little gratitude their way this week.

Without further ado, please see below what the President of the Oakville Opera Guild has to say about one of their volunteers. Stay tuned for more thank you letters later this week!

Culture Days 2013

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:47:37 GMT

Participate in Culture Days!

Everyone is encouraged to get involved. If you have a free participatory or interactive arts or cultural activity to offer to the public during the Culture Days weekend, you can register it at www.culturedays.ca. There is no fee to register. When you register your activity you will be asked to provide details (address, time(s), date(s), photos, etc.) and will benefit from a major national marketing and communications campaign including access to free customizable Culture Days materials to help promote your activity.

Are you an artist looking for a venue? Or an venue looking for artists?

The Oakville Arts Council will be communicating opportunities to participate to our members through our newsletter. We would love to hear from more hotels, restaurants and other arts venues who want to connect with artists during this weekend. Do you have an honorarium you can offer artists or an opportunity for artists to sell? Let us know and we will put a call out to our artists in an upcoming newsletter.

If you are a hotel, restaurant, or other arts venue and are interested in participating in Culture Days, please send us the following information:

Who you are
Date(s) and Time(s) you are hoping to book artist(s) / arts groups (must fall on either September 27, 28, or 29)
What type of art you are interested in, i.e. performing (drama, dance, music), visual, literary, digital
Honorarium/Sales opportunity
Contact information of the person the artist/arts group can follow up with

Culture Days raises the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities. Any activity is possible during Culture Days as long as it brings creators and the public closer together. Click here to read the 2013 Culture Days Participation Guide.

If you are an artist/arts organization and are interested in participating in Culture Days at QEPCCC, please see the information below.

Call to Participate: Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre Celebrating Culture Days Saturday, September 28, 2013

What is Culture Days?

A free, interactive celebration of arts and culture from coast to coast to coast;
The largest collective, public participation campaign undertaken by the arts and cultural community in Canada;
An invitation for the public to explore their own creativity, and participate in the “behind-the-scenes” world of artists, creators, actors, dancers, historians, architects, curators, designers...in their own local communities;
An opportunity for artists and creators to engage people of all ages in their creative process.

Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Culture Centre in Partnership with the Oakville Arts Council will participate in the Culture Days Celebration on Saturday September 28, 2013 from 10:00am-4:00pm. We would like to invite the Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Members to participate in the event.

How can you get involved?

Guided Tours, Creation workshops
Interactive demonstrations of technique, how to etc.
Introductory courses/workshops/classes
Meet the artists events
Presentation/performance with discussion period,
Interactive performances,
Improv creation and activities, games
Competitions, collective creations.

New this year we are planning to have a marketplace open to all QEPCCC/OAC members. The marketplace will be an opportunity to promote your group, sell your own handcrafted art pieces, and tickets to performances/shows.

To participate at QEPCCC, submit completed activity submission form attention Lori Coletta, Special Events/Membership/Scheduling Coordinator by June 26, 2013. Email:qepbookafacility@oakville.ca or drop off at the QEPCCC Customer Service Desk.

If you also an Oakville Arts Council member forms are to be submitted to Lori Coletta.

The special events committee will review the submissions and plan the Culture Days activities.