Category: Award

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and Leaf Music Distribution are proud to announce that their releases have received an impressive 17 nominations at the 2025 East Coast Music Awards. The nominees were officially unveiled today, marking another outstanding year for the Leaf Music label. This exciting announcement comes on the heels of Leaf Music’s recent success at the 2025 JUNO Awards, where the label received five nominations. With recognition from both the JUNOs and ECMAs this year, Leaf Music continues to celebrate and support the exceptional achievements of its artists. Dedicated to showcasing outstanding Canadian artists and composers, Leaf Music is thrilled to see its artists honoured at the ECMA nominations announcement. The East Coast Music Awards, a highlight of East Coast Music Week, will take place in St. John’s, NL,from May 7–11, 2025.

The Leaf Music nominees are:

African Canadian Artist of the Year | Artiste afro-canadienne ou afro-canadien de l’année

• Measha Brueggergosman-Lee “Zombie”

Classical Release of the Year | Sortie classique de l’année

• Measha Brueggergosman-Lee “Blizzard”
• SHHH!! Ensemble “Causes, 1.1 Negative Energy”

Electronic Release of the Year | Sortie électronique de l’année

• SHHH!! Ensemble “Causes, 1.1 Negative Energy

Indigenous Artist of the Year | Artiste autochtone de l’année

• Deantha Edmunds “Angmalukisaa: IV. Rings 4 (Arr. for Voice & String Orchestra by Robert Carli)”

Instrumental Release of the Year | Sortie instrumentale de l’année

• Mark Fewer “The Simple Life (Arr. for Violin & String Orchestra by Andrew Downing)”

Jazz Release of the Year | Sortie jazz de l’année s’il

• Measha Brueggergosman-Lee “Zombie”

Vocal Release of the Year | Sortie vocale de l’année

• Chœur Louisbourg “L’appel”

Content Creator of the Year | Créatrice ou créateur de l’année

• Kristan Toczko

Producer of the Year | Réalisatrice ou réalisateur de l’année

• Jeremy VanSlyke

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Leaf Music is equally proud of the Leaf Music Distribution artists and releases that have garnered ECMA nominations.

Fusion Release of the Year | Sortie multi-genre de l’année

• Ian Foster “Gossamer”

Instrumental Release of the Year | Sortie instrumentale de l’année

• Symphony Nova Scotia “Piano Concerto in One Movement: Andantino – Allegretto”

Solo Artist of the Year | Artiste solo de l’année

• Ian Foster “Gossamer”

Vocal Release of the Year | Sortie vocale de l’année

• Measha Brueggergosman-Lee “Pur ti miro”
• Halifax Gay Men’s Chorus “Maybe ”

Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year | People’s Choice – Entertainer of the Year

• Ian Foster

Innovator of the Year | Innovatrice ou innovateur de l’année

• Ian Foster

Leaf Music extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the nominees and expresses gratitude to the artists, composers, and performers whose dedication and creativity have led to this recognition. These nominations underscore the vibrancy and excellence of Canada’s classical music communities.

Charlottetown, January 23, 2024 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Leaf Music is thrilled to announce that its releases received an impressive 12 nominations at the prestigious East Coast Music Awards (ECMA). The nominees were officially unveiled today in Charlottetown, setting the stage for an exciting celebration of East Coast music excellence.

Leaf Music, known for its dedication to promoting exceptional Canadian talent, is overjoyed to see its artists and their outstanding work recognized at the ECMA nominations announcement. The East Coast Music Awards, a highlight of the East Coast Music Week events, will take place in Charlottetown from May 1 to May 5, 2024.

The Leaf Music nominees are:

Choral Recording of the Year:

• “L’appel” Choeur Louisbourg, directed by Monique Richard; composed by Jean-François Mallet
• “In the Crystalline Vault of Heaven” by Luminos Ensemble, directed by Margot Rejskind and composed by Derek Charke

Classical Composition of the Year:

• “Blackwood Sketches” by Andrew Staniland, recorded by Kate Read
• “Folk Suite” by Jason Noble, recorded by Lara Deutsch and Adam Cicchillitti
• “Etiquette,” by Monica Pearce, recorded by Essential Opera

Classical Recording of the Year:

• “After” by Kate Read
• “Ovation” by Tutta Musica and conducted by Tony Delgado
• “I and Thou” by VC2 Cello Duo

Leaf Music is equally proud of the Leaf Music Distribution artists and releases that have garnered ECMA nominations.

African Canadian Artist of the Year:

• Jah’Mila

Choral Recording of the Year:

• “Winter Awakening” by Halifax Gay Men’s Chorus and directed by Bryan Crocker; composed by Robbie Smith, arranged by Erica Phare-Bergh
• “Truly Home” by Polaris of Choirs for Change and directed by Ryan Henwood; composed by Robbie Smith, arranged by Frances Farrell
• “Painter of Wintertime” by Nova Voce and co-directed by Bryan Crocker and Bill Perrot; composed by Robbie Smith, arranged by Frances Farrell

In addition to these nominations, Leaf Music would like to acknowledge the outstanding work of our former associate producer, Ben Barton Creelman, who contributed to many of these nominated releases. We congratulate him on his well-deserved nomination for Audio Engineer of the Year. Also, our digital marketing coordinator, Brad Reid, is also an ECMA-nominated fiddler.  Brad’s 2023 album, The Bridge, received a nomination in the Roots / Traditional Recording of the Year category.  Congratulations!

As the anticipation builds for the East Coast Music Awards in May, Leaf Music is grateful for the artists, composers, performers, and all those who have contributed to these exceptional recordings. These nominations are a testament to the passion and creativity that thrive within Atlantic Canada’s music community.

Stay tuned for updates, and join us in celebrating the remarkable talent showcased at the East Coast Music Awards. For more information about Leaf Music and our artists, visit www.leaf-music.ca.

Media Contact:

Peggy Walt
Publicist, Leaf Music
peggy@leaf-music.ca
(902) 476-1096 (cell)
(902) 422-5403 (office)

About Leaf Music:

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It makes and distributes high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across Canada.  

Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. We are also a leading provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services, and integrated music marketing and distribution in Canada. 

Website: www.leaf-music.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/leafmusicinc/
X: www.twitter.com/leafmusicinc/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/leafmusicca/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Charke-Cormier Duo “Ex Tempore” named Classical Composition
of the Year award at 2019 East Coast Music Awards

 

May 4, 2019 (Charlottetown, PE) – Derek Charke and Eugene Cormier, members of the Charke Cormier Duo accepted the East Coast Music Award for Classical Composition of the Year this evening at the East Coast Music Awards’ “Classical Stage” at Trinity United Church in Charlottetown, PE for their work “Ex Tempore.”

The work appears on an album by the same name released on the Leaf Music label on May 4, 2018.  The work, for flute and guitar, includes improvised passages so no two performances are exactly alike.  Hear the album…

Derek Charke (flute / composer) and Eugene Cormier (guitar / arranger) are professors at Acadia University’s school of music.  In 2018, the group’s recording of Celso Machado’s “Sambossa” from Musiques Populaires Brésiliennes earned a coveted position on Spotify’s Top 50 Classical Picks playlist, helping the group generate buzz across North America, Europe, Brazil and Mexico and over 35,000 on-demand audio streams of the work on the Spotify platform alone.

“The track Ex Tempore, composed by Charke, is a composed/improvised work for bass flute and guitar that lives up to its title. Note-bending during lengthy dramatic extended-technique bass flute phrases is heard against the guitar-driven rhythm and tonality, all in a spontaneous yet controlled direction, until the final satisfying guitar tone fades.”   Read more…
– Tiina Kiik, The Whole Note Magazine, Aug. 2018

Leaf Music is an independent recording label with an emphasis on high quality classical recordings by Atlantic Canadian artists and composers. The label is based in Halifax Nova Scotia and was established in 2012 by Fredericton-born music producer Jeremy VanSlyke.

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About Leaf Music

Leaf Music is the first integrated recording label in Atlantic Canada with a focus on the production of high quality classical recordings.  The label’s catalog is distributed worldwide by Naxos of America.

Learn more at www.leaf-music.ca

For more information please contact:

Jeremy VanSlyke
Leaf Music
902.802.1526
info@leaf-music.ca