Alternative Trends is proud to announce Alberta’s Top Music Artist (ATMA), a competition for Alberta’s rising young singer/songwriter talent. ATMA will culminate in a gala evening in Edmonton on Sunday, November 7, 2010.
Finalists will be chosen in each category to do a live performance at the gala. Each finalist will be treated like a rock star the day of the event. Their day will begin with a visit to the spa to help relax their nerves, and a professional hair and make-up job. They will arrive at a VIP reception by limousine and walk the red carpet before performing for a live audience and our judges. At the gala, winners will be announced and awarded prizes valued at over $10,000.
We introduce you to our hosts and some of our judges for the evening.
Kennedy Jenson
Alberta Music Industry Association
Kennedy Jenson has had a long and varied career in the Alberta music industry, on stage as well as behind the scenes. She has accrued experience as a musical theatre performer, television personality, television producer, radio and television voice narrator, jingle singer, public speaker, stage producer/director, choreographer, festival adjudicator, and recording artist in the pop, country, and jazz genres.
Kennedy is very proud to be part of the Edmonton community and has donated countless hours volunteering for local organizations such as the Edmonton Klondike Days Association, the Variety Club, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Alberta Recording Industry Association, and Jazz City Festival Society. She is also the proud recipient of a Woman of Vision Award.
Kennedy is currently the Executive Director of the Alberta Music Industry Association, an organization specifically designed to support the professional development of emerging artists and music industry professionals. She values her work and utilizes her multi-faceted background toward strengthening the industry in Alberta.
Tanya Frigault
Music Teacher, Alberta Teachers’ Association
Tanya Frigault is an elementary school music teacher with Sturgeon School Division. She has been teaching for five years. An avid flute player, Tanya has performed with many ensembles throughout Edmonton. She is the director of the Landing Trail School Honour Choir which has received gold certificates from the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival for the past three years. Most recently, Tanya, along with Landing Trail School, has been awarded the Canadian Kodály Society’s Music Education Excellence Award 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.
Tanya’s love of music began at a very early age and was fostered throughout her growing years by her musical parents. ”There is strong indisputable evidence that experience with music and music education aids in a child’s development in areas other than music including mathematics, science, and linguistics,” she explains. “Exposure to music and well-planned music lessons also support improvements in areas of kinesthetic learning, along with the ideals of cooperation and community.”
When asked for her views on how music should be taught, Tanya chose this quote from Zoltán Kodály, a famous Hungarian composer, educator, and philosopher:
“Teach music and singing at school in such a way that it is not a torture but a joy for the pupil; instill a thirst for finer music in him, a thirst which will last for a lifetime. Music must not be approached from its intellectual, rational side, nor should it be conveyed to the child as a system of algebraic symbols, or as the secret writing of a language with which he has no connection. The way should be paved for direct intuition… Often a single experience will open the young soul to music for a whole lifetime.”
With this philosophy in mind, Tanya spends each day hoping to inspire a greater love of music in each of her students, colleagues, and the community. For those who have met her, her passion and enthusiasm are truly contagious.
Celebrity Judge
Well, this special celebrity guest is much too talented to be described in a bio. Instead we would like to introduce you to him and his award-winning journey in a full feature in the summer issue of Alternative Trends. He is an international favourite who has called Alberta home.
Meet our co-hosts for the ATMA gala.
Chantel Hupka
Miss Teen Edmonton
Chantel Hupka is Miss Teen Edmonton 2010. Fifteen-year-old Chantel was so excited to win: “I felt like a winner just by entering as a contestant of MTE, but when they announced my name as Miss Teen Edmonton I was so excited.”
Chantel looks forward to being involved in worthwhile causes and charity events. Helping and supporting people in need is a passion of hers, and she lists the Stollery Hospital, homeless shelters, the Canadian Cancer Society, and the Youth Emergency Shelter as some of her favourite charities.
One of Chantel’s goals is to become a successful model/actress, but her aspirations don’t end there: she also wants to continue learning and be successful at school, build friendships, and be the absolute best she can be.
Chantel loves her family, which includes her ten-year-old brother Tyler and five-year-old sister Amber. Chantel’s talents include dancing, singing, gymnastics, and public speaking.
About the Miss Teen Edmonton Pageant
For the past decade Chan International Model & Talent have been producing the Miss Teen Edmonton Pageant, celebrating teens from Edmonton and surrounding areas.
Mary Chan, producer of the Pageant, is excited about working with Chantel, who was crowned Miss Teen Edmonton in February.
Miss Teen Edmonton is a positive role model. She is honest, intelligent, confident, warm, genuine, and sincere. She supports humanitarian causes and reaches out to improve the lives of others.
“Chantel Hupka is synonymous of the Miss Teen Edmonton title, says Chan. “Chantel possesses everything and more that we are looking for as an outstanding teen ambassador for our city.”
Rhea March
U22 Music Productions
Rhea March is the founder and director of U22 Music Productions, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing mentorship, inspiration, and credible performance opportunities to songwriters aged 22 and under. Rhea’s passion for mentoring upcoming musicians is surpassed only by her commitment to creating credible viable performance opportunities for “her kids.” She has been deeply involved with Edmonton’s live music scene for many years but her unshakeable dedication to inspire young talent took root in 2006, through a community-based “Young Singer/Songwriter” concert series that ran quarterly from Riverdale Community Hall in Edmonton.
Rhea is an award-winning songwriter and performer who specializes in teaching “The Art of Live Performance” workshops throughout Alberta. For the past five years Rhea March has been the host of Edmonton’s only all-original Songwriter’s Stage. Currently the Songwriter’s Stage runs on Sunday nights from The Hydeaway Art Space.
Rhea is entertaining and engaging, and she supplies an undeniably deep sincerity and love of the craft to nurture even the newest of performers to achieve their highest potential.
Never stop believing in the magic of music!
“Supporting our music in Alberta is of the utmost importance. Music is and always has been the universal language of the people. It is a way to share experiences, both good and bad, about one’s life and the world we live in. It brings people together regardless of what race you are or what language you speak. Supporting artists and allowing their music (hence, their careers) to flourish increases the cultural depth of our province, which is so vital to a place you want to call home.”
– Kennedy Jenson
Words accompanied by sound: music – an art form worth celebrating.
We believe there are many talented emerging artists in Alberta - singer/songwriters who should be heard.
We invite you to register for a chance to be recognized as one of Alberta’s Top Music Artists