OCAD University

First Nations musician Jeremy Dutcher’s performance was one of the highlights of the 2018 OCAD U convocation ceremonies. Now, the composer, pianist and operatic tenor has made the shortlist for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize, presented by CBC Music.

Dutcher’s debut album, Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa (Our Maliseets Songs), features the rearrangement of early 1900 wax cylinder recordings from his community, Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick. He learned of the recordings from an elder and tracked them down at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. The music on his album meshes voices from the recordings with classical and electronic music, creating a unique genre of its own. Dutcher says fewer than 100 people speak Wolastoq today.

Albums released between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018 can be considered for the Polaris prize. An independent jury of music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers from across Canada determine the Long List and Short List. Eleven people from the larger jury pool are chosen to serve on the Grand Jury. This Grand Jury will convene on September 17, the night of the gala, to select the Polaris Music Prize winner. This year it takes place in Toronto at the Carlu.

Jody Hewgill’s portrait of Courtney Barnett was recently honoured with an Award of Merit by the Society of Illustrators. The picture appeared in Rolling Stone (March 26, 2015) alongside a review of the Australian singer’s album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. Hewgill’s work is currently on display as part of the Illustrators 58 exhibition in New York City.

“I wanted this portrait to reflect Courtney’s gift for turning seemingly mundane subject matter into humorous and clever lyrics,” says Hewgill, an assistant professor in OCAD University’s Faculty of Design. “I chose to illustrate the background scene upside down to reflect her clever observations and unique perspective on the world around her. It’s also a nod to her hometown, Melbourne, which is on the opposite side of the planet from us.” The painting – acrylic on wood panel – measures 10” x 16”.

This is far from Hewgill’s first pop-culture commission. She has been working with Rolling Stone for 15 years and, in 2015, Hewgill received a gold medal from the Society of Illustrators for her painting – Before Midnight – commissioned for Entertainment Weekly.

(Toronto—October 11, 2011) Dr. Sara Diamond, President of OCAD University (OCAD U) is pleased to announce that legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist Gilberto Gil will launch the 2011/12 President's Speaker Series at OCAD University with his talk "The Power of the Arts" on Monday, November 7 at 6:45 p.m. (free and open to the public; registration required).

Gilberto Gil is one of Brazil's most influential musicians. Known for his musical innovation and melodic richness, Gil has released 52 albums, five of them platinum, and sold more than four million records, 12 of them gold. Over nearly half a century, his music has incorporated a blend of styles, including bossa nova, baião, samba, reggae and rock, and an eclectic range of influences including The Beatles, Luiz Gonzaga, João Gilberto and Jimi Hendrix.

"Since my childhood, music has been my passion, and to work with passion is a dream," says Gil, whose interest in music as a precocious three-year-old was encouraged by his mother. The year 1963 marked a turning point when he met guitarist and singer Caetano Veloso at the Federal University of Bahia (Salvador, Brazil) and the two began their long-time collaboration with the creation of Tropicalism. The movement was deemed a threat by the Brazilian government during its military dictatorship for its controversial political content, and led to Gil and Veloso's imprisonment, and later exile in England.

Upon Gil's return from London in 1972, he forged his renowned style through a string of landmark albums and performances that garnered international attention, including his legendary show at the 1978 Montreux Jazz Festival. He has won eight Grammy Awards, for albums such as Quanta Live (1999) and Eletracústico (2005), and, most recently, for his latest album, Fé na Festa (2010). He continues to tour, often with his son Bem, bringing his distinctive sound to audiences worldwide.

Gil's work as an environmentalist and politician has paralleled his musical career. In 2003, he was named Brazil's Minister of Culture, a post he held until 2008. Among his many honours, he was named UNESCO Artist for Peace in 1999 and was awarded both Sweden's Polar Music Prize and the French Légion d'honneur in 2005.

OCAD U President's Speaker Series:
Gilberto Gil: "The Power of Art"

Monday, November 7, 6:45 p.m.
Register for Tickets (Free)

OCAD University - 135 Years of Imagination
Auditorium, 100 McCaul Street, Toronto
416-977-6000  |  www.ocad.ca/rsvp

Gilberto Gil’s talk is generously supported by Partners In Art in conjunction with the Twinning Cities/Twinning Artists exhibition series that launches in January 2012 at Onsite [at] OCAD U's greatly expanded new  venue at 230 Richmond Street West in January 2012.

The President's Speaker Series continues in March with a talk by Dr. Lev Manovich, Professor of Cultural Analytics at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland and Professor of Visual Arts, University of California, San Diego.

OCAD University (OCAD U): 135 Years of Imagination
OCAD University (www.ocad.ca) is Canada’s “University of the Imagination.” The University, founded in 1876, is dedicated to art and design education, practice and research and to knowledge and invention across a wide range of disciplines. OCAD University is building on its traditional, studio-based strengths, adding new approaches to learning that champion cross-disciplinary practice, collaboration and the integration of emerging technologies. In the Age of Imagination, OCAD University community members will be uniquely qualified to act as catalysts for the next advances in culture, technology and quality of life for all Canadians.

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Download this release as a PDF file.

For more information contact:

Sarah Mulholland, Media & Communications Officer
416-977-6000 Ext. 327 (mobile Ext. 1327)