Your faithful social scribe was unsure as to which would be more exicting-meeting Canadian music icons or seeing the new National Music Centre (NMC)/Studio Bell for the first time. With all due respect to the likes of Burton Cummings, Buffy Sainte Marie and Tom Cochrane, as thrilling as it was to meet you and have the honour of snapping your picture, the Centre stole my heart. The $191 million facility-set to open to the public in July, is ah-maaazing! The structure itself is truly a work of art, but when you add in the fact it is the new home to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and that the 160,000 sq. ft. facility also features live music venues and bars, formal performance spaces, artists in residence, a radio station, one of North America’s most eclectic musical instrument collections, musical lessons and scholarship, one knows the Centre is destined to be the most recognized-and admired-facility in our fair city.
On Apr. 1, NMC hosted two private JUNO events at Studio Bell, including the Chairman’s Reception presented by Live Nation Canada and the JUNO Welcome Reception presented by The East Village. That Canadian music legend and seven-time JUNO award-winner Burton Cummings was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame this night by adding his name plaque to a wall inside Studio Bell was the icing on the cake.
Industry heavyweights, politicians and avid NMC supporters in attendance at the receptions included: CARAS president and CEO Allan Reid; JUNO chairman Mark Cohon; NMC president and CEO Andrew Mosker and his wife Ingrid Mosker; invaluable NMC supporters Ron Mannix and Diane Deacon; National Arts Centre chair Adrian Burns and NMC director Greg Kane; U of C president Elizabeth Cannon with colleague, vice-president, development, Nuvyn Peters; Mayor Naheed Nenshi; Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and her husband Lou Arab; Alberta Minister of Finance Joe Ceci and his wife Christine; Paquin Entertainment president and CEO Gilles Paquin; NMC board chair Rob Braide; UTA’s Jack Ross; NMC board vice-chair Cam Crawford; Canadian Music Centre Prairie Regional director John Reid; legendary broadcaster and writer Larry LeBlanc; Randy Lennox, president, entertainment production and broadcasting, Bell Media; Holt Renfrew’s Deb Kerr and Tracy Logan; Alberta Culture and Tourism Minister Ricardo Miranda and chief of staff Lisa Blanchette; Saifer Media’s Lorne Saifer; ATB Corporate Financial Services vice-president and head of sales’ Tim Gillespie; Whitehall chef/owner Neil McCue; At Large Communications’ Jason Krell; Hotel Arts’ Mark Wilson and his wife Kerry Wilson; legendary music producer Bob Ezrin; NMC’s Charlie Fischer and his wife Joanne Cuthbertson; The Tenors’ Clifton Murray; JUNO nominee and Order of Canada recipient Jens Lindemann and his wife Jennifer Snow; avid NMC supporters Marc and Desiree Bombenon with colleagues Bryce Reid and Zahira Bharmal; television personality Ben Mulroney; and my terrific handler this night, NMC’s Mary Kapusta.
Pictured, from left, at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 celebrating the Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction weekend held at the fabulous National Music Centre are Allan Reid, president and CEO. CARAS and Mark Cohon, chairman, Juno, Canadian Music Awards.
Pictured at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous National Music Centre are U of C vice-president, development Nuvyn Peters (left) and U of C president Elizabeth Cannon.
Among the several hundred guests in attendance at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 celebrating the Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction weekend held at the fabulous National Music Centre were At Large Communications’ Jason Krell (left) and Whitehall chef/owner Neil McCue.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi poses for the lens with television personality Ben Mulroney at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous National Music Centre.
Pictured, from left, at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous National Music Centre (NMC) are Cam Crawford, NMC board of directors vice-chair and ATB vice-president and head of sales, Tim Gillespie. The reception was the perfect way to kick-off Juno weekend in Calgary.
Pictured, from left, at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous National Music Centre (NMC) are avid NMC supporter Diane Deacon, Greg Kane, NMC director and Adrian Burns, National Arts Centre chair.
Among the hundreds of guests who attended the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous National Music Centre (NMC) were Hotel Arts’ Mark Wilson and his wife Kerry Wilson.
Legendary musician, eight-time Juno Award winner, member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Order of Canada honouree Tom Cochrane was but one of the stars in attendance at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous National Music Centre (NMC).
Avid NMC supporter and philanthropist Charlie Fischer and his wife Joanne Cuthbertson pose for the lens at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous National Music Centre (NMC).
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Finance Minister Joe Ceci were on hand to represent the government at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous National Music Centre (NMC). Calgary was a buzz of Juno activity all week with the celebrations culminating with the Juno Awards Apr 3 at the Saddledome.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and her husband Lou Arab are pictured at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous National Music Centre (NMC).
Pictured, from left, at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous new Canadian Music Hall of Fame at Studio Bell in the National Music Centre (NMC) are NMC president and CEO Andrew Mosker, legendary broadcaster and writer Larry LeBlanc, NMC board of directors chair Rob Braide, Paquin Entertainment Group president and CEO Gilles Paquin and Randy Lennox, president, entertainment production and broadcasting, Bell Media.
Holt Renfrew’s Tracy Logan (left) and Deb Kerr were among the select group of guests in attendance at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous new National Music Centre (NMC).
Legendary musician Buffy Sainte Marie (centre) poses for a photo with Alberta Culture and Tourism chief of staff Lisa Blanchette (left) and Alberta Culture and Tourism Minister Ricardo Miranda at the Chairman’s Reception held Apr 1 in the fabulous new National Music Centre (NMC).
Pictured, from left, at the Chairman’s and Welcome Receptions held Apr 1 in Studio Bell, home of the fabulous new National Music Centre (NMC) are UTA’s Jack Ross, Ingrid Mosker and her husband NMC president and CEO Andrew Mosker.
The Tenors’ Clifton Murray (left) pictured with legendary musician Burton Cummings at the Chairman’s and Welcome Receptions held Apr 1 in Studio Bell, home of the fabulous new National Music Centre (NMC). Burton was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame this night while the Tenors performed part of the tribute to Cummings at the Juno Awards held Apr 3 at Saddledome.
Order of Canada recipient and Juno Award nominee Jens Lindemann and his wife Jennifer Snow had a great time at the Chairman’s and Welcome Receptions held Apr 1 in Studio Bell, home of the fabulous new National Music Centre (NMC).
Pictured at the Welcome Reception held Apr 1 in Studio Bell, home of the fabulous new National Music Centre (NMC) are NMC supporters Marc and Desiree Bombenon.
Pictured at the Welcome Reception held Apr 1 in Studio Bell, home of the fabulous new National Music Centre (NMC) are SureCall Contact Center’s Bryce Reid and Zahira Bharmal.
