Manitoba Artists and Industry Pick Up Hardware at 13th Annual Western Canadian Music Awards

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Clockwise from top left: Tanya Tagaq, Ridley Bent, Fred Penner, West End Cultural Centre's Jason Hooper at the WCMA Industry Awards

After a stellar run in Victoria for the year's BreakOut West, the envelopes were opened for the 13th annual Western Canadian Music Awards (WCMA) on September 20, celebrating the accomplishments of some of Western Canada's best and brightest. 

Acclaimed throat singer and composer Tanya Tagaq, who was based in Manitoba until earlier this year, added to her impressive list of accolades, picking up hardware in the Aboriginal, World, and Spiritual Recording of the Year categories for her groundbreaking release, Animism. The album was also one of the works cited for Jesse Zubot, the BC-based Producer of the Year winner.
 
Singer/songwriter Ridley Bent, who hit the showcase stage during this year's BreakOut West Festival, won Country Recording of the Year for his latest album, Wildcard.
 
Last year’s WCMA Hall of Fame inductee Fred Penner tied with fellow music legend, Raffi, for Children's Recording of the Year for his album, Where In The World. In the midst of an exceptionally busy year, Penner will host the gala for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize on September 21.

Violinist Karl Stobbe -- Concertmaster for the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and the WSO's Associate Concertmaster -- won Classical Recording of the Year for his most recent work, Ysaÿe Sonatas For Solo Violin
 
Manitoba’s industry entrepreneurs and music companies earned accolades at the Industry Awards, which were handed out at an invite-only event on September 19. Paquin Entertainment Group took two awards this year: Manager of the Year for the company's founder, Gilles Paquin (Del Barber, Bachman & Turner, Buffy Sainte-Marie), and Agency of the Year. The West End Cultural Centre won for Live Music Venue of the Year. Already a JUNO winner this year for her work on Steve Bell’s Pilgrimage, Roberta Hansen is up for Album Design of the Year.
 
The awards gala is the pinnacle event of BreakOut West, which was held September 17-20, and also features an industry conference, two awards shows, and music festival run in conjunction this year with the Rifflandia Festival. Winners Bent and Stobbe, fellow nominee Dee Erin Band, and The Noble ThiefsYes We MysticThe TrebleSc MiraIsKwé, and Attica Riots showcased during the festival, while Joe Silva, a nominee for Electronic Recording of the Year, kicked off the WCMA gala.

BreakOut West presents an important opportunity for emerging and established artists to be a part of the Western Canadian music community. Participating artists and other music professionals have the chance to meet key industry stakeholders, creating the opportunity for a new wave of exciting industry developments from record deals to international tours.
 
For a complete list of 2015 WCMA winners, please visit breakoutwest.ca.
 
2015 Western Canadian Music Awards - Manitoba Winners
 
ABORIGINAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Tanya Tagaq - Animism
 
CHILDREN'S RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Fred Penner - Where In The World (tied with Raffi)
 
CLASSICAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Karl Stobbe - Ysaÿe Sonatas For Solo Violin
 
COUNTRY RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Ridley Bent - Wildcard
 
SPIRITUAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Tanya Tagaq - Animism
 
WORLD RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Tanya Tagaq - Animism
 
Industry Awards
 
AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Paquin Artists Agency
 
ALBUM DESIGN OF THE YEAR
Roberta Hansen - Pilgrimage by Steve Bell
 
LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR
West End Cultural Centre
 
MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Gilles Paquin (Paquin Entertainment.Group)

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