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Canadian Folk Music Awards
71 Markland Cres., Ottawa Ontario K2G5Z6
Board of Directors
April O’Donoughue
April successfully orchestrated all three editions of the Montréal International Celtic Festival and countless concerts. She currently focuses her volunteer energies on organizing – both as Executive and Artistic Director – the Celtic Harmonies International Festival, a 9-day music festival that has taken place in the Eastern Townships of Québec every two years since 2011. Having graduated from the École Supérieure de Musique Vincent D’Indy in Montréal with a Diplôme Supérieur II, Grande Distinction/Piano, she has spent the last twenty years researching, promoting… and appreciating Celtic music.
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Bob Stark
Bob is a performing songwriter and recording artist, originally from Ottawa, ON, who relocated to the left coast in 1996, where it is much warmer. Bob teaches songwriting in Vancouver, BC, through the Moveable Music School and Georgia Strait Guitar Workshop. Bob has worked for the CRTC as a radio programming analyst, radio policy wonk, and client service ‘dodge and re-directer’.
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Diana Stewart-Imbert
Diana’s most recent history includes 22 years (and counting) with the Vancouver International Children’s Festival, Advisory Board member for VICO: the Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra, and “extreme vocalist” in Vancouver’s Voice-Over-Mind Choir. A graduate of Studio 58 Theatre Arts Program, her other credits include Production Stage Manager for various Vancouver theatre companies, World Music agent (France & Canada) and founder of the Vancouver World Music Collective. She has been with the CFMAs since 2013.
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George Tierney
George brings his passion for live music to the group as a musician, marketer, event planner and designer. In addition to being a Board Member and Secretary of the CFMAs he is President of the Eastern Ontario Folk Music Project and the Upper Canada Folkfest held in Prescott, Ontario. He creates and promotes programs such as “One guitar, one hundred hands” celebrating musicians, instruments and their history.
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Graham Lindsey
Graham Lindsey brings a deep respect to the traditions that inform his inventive Celtic tunes. His energetic playing of mandolin, tenor banjo, guitar and more attract audiences and session players alike.His dynamic stage presence as a solo artist is only amplified when playing with other fine musicians. His tunes are catchy and will be stuck in your ears for days.
His debut album “TradHead” (2019) was nominated in the Instrumental Solo Artist category at the Canadian Folk Music Awards (2020), and the first single, “Fractions” from his second album received the 2021 Songs From the Heart Instrumental Award from Folk Music Ontario.
Since 2020, Graham has become a much sought-after video streaming guru, helping national organizations like the CFMA and Home Routes, festivals large and small, and of course musicians so they can all continue bringing music to their audiences, through thick and thin.
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Jocelyne Baribeau
Award-winning singer-songwriter, and well known bilingual Children’s performer under the alter-ego Madame Diva, Jocelyne passionately shares her French-Canadian roots with all her music projects including her solo albums as well as her project Beauséjour.Jocelyne strongly believes in giving back to the music community. In addition to sitting on the CFMA Board, she has contributed to the boards of l’Association des Professionnels de la chanson et de la musique (APCM), her local community radio: Envol FM, and l’Alliance nationale de l’industrie musicale. In Manitoba, she has worked as an artistic director, hosted large-scale shows as MC and as a coach-mentor for upcoming artists.
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Kym Butler
Growing up in Cape Breton, Kym was molded by one of the most vibrant and collaborative arts and culture communities in the country.
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Coming to the world of music through the disciplines of dance and theatre, Kym has taken on many roles over the years from creator, director, choreographer, performer, consultant, advisor, adjudicator and facilitator. One constant that remains is her passion as an arts educator and loves to nerd out over conversations of dance and music history.
Rob Oakie
Currently the Executive Director and founding Board Member of Music PEI, Rob Oakie has been instrumental in the current growth of PEI’s music industry. Since helping to establish the organisation in 2008 the number of PEI exporting and internationally touring artists has grown by over 400%.
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Scott Merrifield
Living in Sudbury, Scott was a founder of Northern Lights Festival Boréal in 1971 and its Artistic Director for 14 years. He is also a past President of Folk Music Ontario. He was a pioneer of house concerts and has been presenting 6 to 8 of them a year on average since 1992, as well as other shows. He retired as Director of Policy & Planning for FedNor in 2008 after 33 years in the federal public service, delivering community-based social and economic development programs throughout Northern and rural Ontario, including extensive work with Indigenous communities and the Community Futures Program.
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Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais
Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais is a multi-award-winning journalist/broadcaster/writer who’s been on Canada’s media scene for nearly two decades. Over the years she’s spent time at CTV News, APTN and NCI FM. She was honoured to win first place for the Canadian Aboriginal Writing Challenge in 2008 for her play, Notay Kiskintamowin “Wanting to Know”, the same year she was named a National Aboriginal Role Model by the Governor General of Canada—and graduated from the University of Winnipeg.
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Vic Close
Meet Vic Close, a self-confessed Folk Music addict. He has attended Festivals and events from Coast to Coast. Over the last 4 decades Vic has worked in the Coffeehouse / Folk Club world as an organizer and Artistic director, worked in Marketing of Folk Music Events, dabbled as an Agent, and a Presenter of Events. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Calgary Folk Festival, The Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta and presently The Canadian Folk Music Awards. His Education includes College specializations in Marketing and Business, University specializing in the Arts and Special Events and The Banff Centre School of Management in Arts Administration. Vic is currently the Artistic Director and overall Vision Coordinator of Fish Creek Concerts, a very successful series of events held in Calgary Alberta.
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Wade Pinhorn
Wade M. Pinhorn is an award-winning pianist/bassist/musical director from St. John’s, Newfoundland. The recipient of a MusicNL award for Music Educator of the Year, Wade also holds several ECMA awards and well as a Juno award for his work as a Blues pianist. In the world of folk music, he has contributed to many recordings by a variety of renowned folk artists as well as touring nationally and internationally with such artists as Ron Hynes, The Plankerdown Band, and Figgy Duff. For the last 23 years, Wade has been the coordinator of the Applied Music program at College of the North Atlantic, where he held a seat on the College’s Board of Governors for twelve years. Past vice-president of MusicNL and past Chair of the ECMA Board of Directors, Wade is pleased to bring both his governance and musical experience to the CFMA Board of Directors.
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