As a musician I’ve had the honour of being nominated twice for the Western Canadian Music Awards, which acknowledges the outstanding efforts of musicians in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. This year I’m delighted to see a number of my colleagues nominated in both the categories of Classical Recording of the Year and Classical Composition of the Year. And I’m extra thrilled that two of these nominees feature my artwork on their album covers. The Emily Carr String Quartet‘s first CD, Hidden Treasure, features music by Kodaly, Tavener, and the Turkish composer Saygun. It’s a beautifully programmed and breathtakingly performed album… and its nomination in the category of Classical Recording of the Year is extremely well-deserved. The cover of Hidden Treasure features my painting, Trésor caché d’André Cormier.

In 2011 Vancouver composer (and good friend) Jordan Nobles saw the release of Undercurrents — the first CD dedicated exclusively to his music — on the Redshift Records label. Featuring the Toronto new music ensemble Contact, Jordan’s haunting piece, Simulacrum, has been nominated for Classical Composition of the Year. The cover of Undercurrents features my painting, Summer.

The 2012 Western Canadian Music Awards takes place on September 30th in Regina, Saskatchewan. Congratulations to everyone!