NATIONAL MUSIC CENTRE UNVEILS LINEUP FOR VIRTUAL FUNDRAISING GALA ON DECEMBER 3
FEATURING HOST ANDREW PHUNG WITH PERFORMANCES BY TOM COCHRANE, NORTHERN CREE, KARÍMAH, AND MORE
The National Music Centre (NMC) is pleased to unveil the full performer lineup for its annual fundraising gala, presented by Mawer Investment Management Ltd., ATB, and EY Canada
The virtual 2021 NMC Gala: NIISITO! will premiere for free on December 3 at 7:00 pm MT at studiobell.ca/gala2021. It will also be accessible on NMC’s Facebook, Vimeo, and YouTube channels, and will feature a star-studded lineup.
Hosted by award-winning actor and comedian Andrew Phung of the hit show Kim’s Convenience, and the upcoming CBC television series Run the Burbs, the event will include performances by Canadian Music Hall of Famer and eight-time JUNO Award-winner Tom Cochrane, nine-time Grammy-nominated powwow, round dance, drum and singing group Northern Cree, bilingual (English-French) pop/R&B singer-songwriter KARÍMAH, celebrated classical brass soloist Jens Lindemann and the Alberta All-Star Jazz Orchestra performing the Gershwin classic Rhapsody In Blue, and 16-year-old classical piano prodigy Kevin Chen, who is the youngest ever winner of the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition.
“The National Music Centre has built the home for music in Canada that many had dreamed of but never thought was possible,” said Canadian Music Hall of Famer Tom Cochrane. “Please make a donation to support this national treasure.”
“Northern Cree has played at Studio Bell, we recorded an album at the facility, and we’re proud to be featured in the Speak Up! exhibition with 14 other Indigenous acts,” said Steve Wood of Northern Cree. “The National Music Centre has been a terrific platform for us to share our music and our stories with their visitors from around the world. Music is a part of our traditions. It’s helped keep our languages alive to be passed down to the younger generations. We’re grateful to have a place like this and we hope you consider donating on December 3.”
The gala’s theme name, “niisito,” comes from the word for “five” in Blackfoot. It is named in recognition of the five-year anniversary of Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, our location in Mohkinstsis (Calgary) on Treaty 7 land, and the power of music to build bridges between diverse communities in Canada.
NMC supporters are encouraged to tune into the virtual fundraising event on December 3 at 7:00 pm MT, and make a donation to support the future of NMC at studiobell.ca/gala2021. Supporters can also participate in an online auction at studiobell.ca/gala2021 and bid on a range of items that include passes to the 2022 Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas, along with music and sports memorabilia, original artworks, jewelry, and more.