Geneviève Nadeau has become a formidable manager, director and producer in Quebec’s vibrant Trad music and song scene
OTTAWA – Québécoise Geneviève Nadeau, of Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, is the recipient of the Slaight Music Unsung Hero Award for the 2022 Canadian Folk Music Awards (CFMAs). “Geneviève Nadeau is an artisan of culture and is thus a key component of a whole part of our culture. She is an essential worker in the shadows who certainly deserves a little light.” – Nicolas Boulerice
The Slaight Unsung Hero Award will be presented to Geneviève, who has dedicated a lifetime to promoting and fostering Quebec music, at the 2022 Canadian Folk Music Awards Concert, Friday, Apr 1st. Geneviève will be attending in-person to receive her Award.
About the 2022 CFMA Slaight Music Unsung Hero Recipient – Geneviève Nadeau
Geneviève Nadeau has become a formidable manager, director and producer in Quebec’s Trad music and song scene. She works every day to bring recognition to this rich and complex music by giving it new opportunities for exposure, a new image, a new brilliance.
She began her career by working at several Quebec Trad Festivals and became the first woman director of the Celtic music Festival de Cornouailles in France, a prestigious 100 year old event. Her knowledge and expertise led her to become an agent and eventually manager for the group Le Vent du Nord which she introduced to several international stages including the legendary Carnegie Hall in New York.
Returning to Canada, she founded La Compagnie du Nord with some of the band members, to leverage her experience and international contacts for the benefit of other artists in the Trad musical niche. She has built a successful and solid business with a team of incredible women who, together with her, produce hundreds of concerts a year in over twenty countries. She also produces records and music videos of all kinds and has founded her own publishing house to better support her artists.
She co-founded the Festival Chants de Vielles in the village of St-Antoine-sur-Richelieu that now welcomes some 5,000 festival goers annually over the three days of festivities. Each year, this event welcomes more than 60 artists from Québec and Canada, but also from France, Scotland, Ireland and the United States.
Finally, this lady of the shadows has given and still gives all her time and energy so that music and artists can shine, so that people from here can speak and sing about Quebec all over the world, without ever putting herself at the forefront, without ever looking for some kind of reward. It is also in this spirit that she sits on the board of the Folquébec association, which promotes the musical diversity of artists from our part of the world. It is for all these reasons that she deserves recognition for her immense work.
Geneviève Nadeau is available for interviews.
ABOUT THE UNSUNG HERO AWARD
This is an annual award recognizing the exceptional contribution of an individual, group, or organization active in any aspect of the Canadian folk music scene (performance, promotion, presentation, etc). It is meant to recognize those not generally recognized as a high profile individual, group, or organization, but who work tirelessly behind the scenes for the love of the music and who have not been recognized for their contributions by national or international music entities. It includes volunteers in all their diversity who, year after year, lend support to folk clubs, festivals, house concerts, etc. Posthumous nominations for individuals are not accepted.
All submissions are adjudicated by members of the CFMA Board of Directors, who will select a recipient from the eligible submitted candidates. There is no fee for this nomination.
The CFMAs gratefully acknowledge the financial funding support of FACTOR through the Government of Canada and Canada’s private radio broadcasters.
We also wish to thank and acknowledge all of our funders: Government of Canada – Ministry of Canadian Heritage, SOCAN, Peter Coffman, the Edmonton Folk Festival, Fogarty’s Cove Music, Calgary Folk Club, SOCAN Foundation, True North Records / Stony Plain Rights Management, Slaight Music Group, Music PEI, and Wavelength Media.
About the Canadian Folk Music Awards (CFMAs):
Established in 2005 as a non-profit, the Canadian Folk Music Awards celebrate the breadth and depth of folk music in Canada in all its forms. Each year, the Canadian Folk Music Awards are held in a different province, showcasing the vast array of talent the country has to offer. For the 17th edition, the CFMAs are presenting Awards Weekend Shows, March 31 – April 2, 2022 in Charlottetown, PEI. These events capture the true heart of the folk community while celebrating the nominees and category recipients.
