MusicNL aims to provide local musicians with information and opportunities to help them thrive, and to raise awareness about provincially produced music.
They also advocate on behalf of local musicians “by presenting a strong voice to government, business, and the community at large.”
Visibly, they’re the organization behind the weekly Open Mic Nights at The Ship, and they’ve partnered with The Telegram for their “FreshTracks” features on local musicians. They also have an annual awards gala, among other endeavours.
Hot on the heels of their upcoming awards gala (in early November), they’ve just hired a new executive director, Bonnie Fedrau, who’ll takeover immediately after Labour Day weekend.
The Board’s president declares that Bonnie “has extensive experience with the Canadian Music Industry,” and she certainly does.
Fedreau has worked with Warner Music, EMI, and Zomba records, and has “expertise in music supervision, publishing, artist development.”
She’s also been an educator at Trebas Institute. “Her skills and knowledge will be an invaluable resource for our members,” a press release says.
“Bonnie was a part of the team that signed Great Big Sea to Warner Music Canada, and now she is coming full circle, moving to Newfoundland, to help develop our rich and diverse music industry.”
“I am honoured to be given the opportunity,” Fedreau says. “I have always loved the city of St. John’s and the people who live there. I am excited about my relocation and getting the chance to explore even more of this magnificent province.”
She’s also looking forward to working with the MusicNL board and team to “help build on the current momentum, and help elevate the profile of such a vibrant music community on a national and global level.”
“I’ve always had a genuine passion for Canadian talent and I’m very excited to dive into the unique and amazing talent pool this music community has to offer.”
“I’ve had the distinct pleasure and privilege in my career to gain experience and knowledge on both the artistic and business sides of the music industry.
She says she hopes she can bring a fresh perspective to some of the challenges faced by our music sector, and in general, benefit the music communities of the province.
Great, more of the same shit. More big business mindset to produce more mediocre shit. The amount of depressing garbage I have seen musicnl support in the last three years is fucking ludicrous. They seem to exclusively support, with a few exceptions, bands that they hope to become the next hey rosetta or great big sea (see:intellectually and aesthetically bankrupt).
Hey anon, way to hide behind being anonymous! Great Big Sea aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, and certainly not mine, but they’re a success story, in that a band of musicians were able to make a living in music. Also: like them or not, the world is a better place with arts organizations like MusicNL in them. People benefit, people get employed. Your juvenile rage here implies that unless you like a band, they’re not good. It takes all kinds to make the world spin ’round, my friend. The world needs bands like The Once AND Monsterbator AND Hey Rosetta AND Bridges. So shut your trap, for God’s sake, you downer!
Dear Overcast: I’m sorry you have to deal with people like “Not a feminist.” You should be able to write about a successful woman without someone taking you to town for it AND assuming you’re belittling her by using “woman” in your headline. In this case, the commentor is the one knocking women down a peg by ruining a story of a woman’s success by drawing unnecessary attention to her gender. As you say, putting woman in your headline was clearly a matter of having a subject in your sentence. Sheesh!
What does being a woman have to do with any of this? Flip it around for a second: “MAN Who Signed Great Big Sea to Warner Music Canada is the New Executive Director at MusicNL” It’s just ridiculous
I’m sorry you’re reading it this way, but if it was a man Music NL hired, the headline would have run “Man who signed …” Grammatically, the sentence needed woman/man at the beginning (i.e a “subject”) or it would read incorrectly. She happens to be female, so we said Woman. It was a matter of forming a coherent sentence.