NESC
FO R
SPOKESPERSONS
ASPnet
UNESCO Associated
Schools Network
in Canada
WO R D F R O M T H E
S E C R E TA R Y - G E N E R A L
At the Canadian Commission for UNESCO
(CCU)—as at UNESCO—we work relentlessly
every day to help create a world in which
peace and justice reign in the hearts of men
and women, regardless of race, gender,
language or religion. We also work to create a
climate of peace and justice among the
peoples of the world through collaboration in
the fields of education, science, culture and
communication.
Some 400 individual and institutional members of the Commission in every province and
territory of Canada generously share their
talents and knowledge to promote public
understanding of, and participation, in debates
surrounding fundamental issues. Their commitment is essential to advancing the work of
the Commission.
The Commission enjoys the support of
prominent Canadians in its work to help
young people to learn to live together in a
spirit of tolerance, peace, justice, solidarity,
respect and mutual understanding. The
Commission and the Associated Schools
Network (ASPnet) are collaborating with
spokespersons who have initiated, or are
involved in, youth projects that respect all life,
and who consider the sharing of knowledge,
ideas and values to be the noblest way to
overcome barriers.
The Canadian network of spokespersons for
ASPnet is unique within the 190 Member
States of UNESCO. Other countries are now
looking to the Canadian model to create their
own network of spokespersons.
A LY S O U K LY N H I AV U
Most ASPnet spokespersons already work
with young people through activities or
projects aimed at eliminating intolerance,
racism, discrimination or illiteracy, or
promoting a better understanding and
appreciation of the customs, traditions and
values of others.
UNESCO Associated Schools Network
Co-ordinator for Canada
Canadian Commission for UNESCO
[email protected]
K AT H E R I N E B E R G
Special Advisor to the
Secretary-General
Canadian Commission for UNESCO
[email protected]
Spokespersons integrate the ideals promoted
by UNESCO into their current activities,
informing youth, teachers, parents and their
communities of the existence of this national
and international Network. They encourage
EDITING
Christian Morin, CEGEP de Sainte-Foy (Québec)
Karen Pick, Translator
DESIGN
Kolegram
CA N A D I A N C O M M I S S I O N FO R U N E S C O
350 Albert Street, Box 1047
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5V8
www.unesco.ca
© 2 0 0 3 CA N A D I A N C O M M I SS I O N FO R U N E S C O
Reproduction is authorized with aknowledgement
of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.
4 -- 1
them to take an active part in the Network
by launching projects whose successes
will be shared throughout Canada and around
the world.
Activities or projects are chosen by the
individual spokespersons, but must relate
to one or more of the four themes which
constitute the basic pillars of the ASPnet
worldwide:
>
Global issues: world hunger, unemployment, disease, pollution, cultural identity,
women’s issues, literacy, child labour, etc.
>
Human rights, democracy and tolerance:
the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, racism, exclusion, non-violence,
the peaceful resolution of conflicts, etc.
>
Intercultural learning: tolerance, respect,
solidarity, dialogue, sharing, etc.
>
The environment: pollution, energy
resources, forest conservation, the protection of natural resources, sustainable
human development, etc.
>
Spokespersons may recommend that
ASPnet-related activities or projects in
which they participate be placed under the
aegis of the CCU.
DAV I D A . WA L D E N
Secretary-General
>
Regularly inform the Commission of their
activities to promote the Associated Schools
Network.
>
Use existing means (website links, etc.) to
make the projects they support, and
ASPnet, better known.
>
Provide advice and suggestions to ASPnet’s
national, provincial and territorial coordinators (or to UNESCO, via the Canadian
Commission).
>
Become actively involved with projects of
the school (or schools) that they are
associated with, or by ASPnet.
>
Participate in an annual ASPnet meeting,
organized by the Commission in Ottawa
or elsewhere in Canada.
SPOKESPERSONS
Spokespersons:
REPRESENTING
Phan Thi Kim Phuc was born and raised in
the village of Trang Bang, 30 minutes north of
Saigon. During the Vietnam War, the strategic
Route 1 that runs through the village became
the main supply road from Saigon to Phnom
Penh. On June 8, 1972, together with
American co-ordinators, the South Vietnamese Airforce dropped napalm bombs on
Kim’s village. Nine-year-old Kim fled from a
Cao Dai pagoda, where she and her family
were hiding. Two of her infant cousins did not
survive the attack, and Kim was badly burned.
O N TA R I O
> > >
Kim was photographed running down the
road, screaming from the third degree burns
to her skin. Nick Ut, the Associated Press
photographer who was there to cover the
siege, took the photograph of young Kim.
Moved by her pain, he rushed her to a South
Vietnamese hospital. She then spent 14
months recovering in Barsky Hospital, the
American hospital in Saigon, where her care
was paid for by a private foundation. Ut’s
photograph of Kim remains one of the most
unforgettable images of the Vietnam War.
The Vietnam War knows many tragedies,
some more familiar than others. A
photograph of a young girl running naked
down a road, her skin on fire with napalm,
changed the way the world looked at the
Vietnam War, and at all wars. The
photograph was transmitted around the
world and later won a Pulitzer Prize.
O N TA R I O
PHUC
KIM
The girl in the picture is Kim Phuc.
Kim Phuc was not expected to live. The third
degree burns covering half her body would
require many operations and years of therapy. After two years, however, with the help
of doctors who were committed to her care,
she was able to return to her village and her
family began to rebuild their lives.
In 1982, 10 years after the famous photograph, a German photographer located Kim.
In the interim, the Government had subjected
her to endless interviews; communist officials
had summoned her to Ho Chi Minh City to be
used in propaganda films. Kim had been
forced to quit school and move back to her
province, where she was supervised daily as a
“national symbol of war.” That was a low point
in her life. She spent her time reading to find
out her purpose in life. Christmas 1982 she
became a Christian.
In 1986, Kim was sent to study in Cuba, where
she met a fellow Vietnamese student, Bui Huy
Toan. They married in 1992, and spent their
honeymoon in Moscow. On their return to
Cuba, the couple defected when the plane
4 -- 5
stopped to refuel in Gander, Newfoundland.
With the help of some Quakers, they settled in
Canada, and her husband was able to gain
employment as a residential counsellor for
the disabled.
When Vietnam Veterans’ groups heard of
Kim’s whereabouts, they invited her to
participate at a service in Washington as part
of a Veterans Day observance. Ms. Kim Phuc
PHAN wanted to share her experience and
help others heal from the pain of war. While
there, she spoke face to face with a veteran
who coordinated the air strike on her village
on that day in 1972, and she forgave him.
In light of Kim’s struggle, a foundation has
been established to further heal the wounds
of war. The Kim Foundation is a non-profit
organization committed to funding programs
to heal children in war-torn areas of the
world. It is named for Kim Phuc, who wants
to give back what so many gave to her to
contribute to her healing.
Mrs. Kim Phuc now lives in the Toronto area
of Canada with her husband and two sons,
Thomas and Stephen. In 1997 UNESCO
named her a Goodwill Ambassador for Peace.
She is also an Honorary Member of Kingston
Rotary, an Honorary Member of St. Albert
Rotary, a member of the Advisory Board for
the Wheelchair Foundation, and a recipient of
the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal.
>
www.kimfoundation.com
O N TA R I O
> > >
Few people in Canadian
entertainment have had the
impact of Michael Burgess
MICHAEL
in the last decade.
O N TA R I O
BURGESS
REPRESENTING
He starred as Jean Valjean in the original
Canadian production of Les Misérables. He
has also starred as Don Quixote in Man of La
Mancha, and the narrator in Blood Brothers,
all at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto.
A star who has now crossed into the arena of
recording artist, Michael is accomplished in
virtually every entertainment medium: television, film, recording, and performance. On
television he has starred in Friday the 13th,
Top Cops, Bordertown, ENG, PSI Factor,
Earth, Final Conflict, as well as his own
Gemini Award-winning television special,
Michael at Massey Hall. He starred in the
feature film, Entry in a Diary, which garnered
the Roberto Rosselini Award at the 43rd Film
Festival in Salerno, Italy. Michael also had a
starring role in The Original Sin, directed by
Geoff Rayes, which qualified in the short
film category for the 1999 Academy Awards,
and his was one of the celebrity guest voices
in the Famous People Players production of
Leave the Porch Light On. His stunning voice,
passionate performance and natural charisma
have now been captured on a CD release, A
Place in the Sun, which is closing in on gold
status. He has followed this release with a
Christmas album, Angels in the Snow. He has
appeared in concert throughout Canada and
the United States, and recently completed a
15-city tour of Canada with the Huron Carole
Christmas.
>
www.pipcom.com/~pepe/
6 -- 7
REPRESENTING
P R I N C E E D WA R D I S L A N D
Lennie has garnered much respect for his
hard hitting songs chronicling the lives of
people dealing with tremendous adversity
and serious issues. Songs like Peter’s Dream,
Island Clay, Man of Steel and The Hope for
Next Year, articulate the feelings of many
caught up in desperate situations beyond
their control, and at the same time celebrate
the beauty of lifestyle and landscape with
their strong poetry and stirring narratives.
CARAS, and on their behalf presented
an Island school with a host of musical
instruments.
Lennie Gallant is a board member of The
Songwriters Association of Canada, a national
arts service organization that focuses on
education, advocacy, and community among
Canadian songwriters.
> > >
A powerful voice from
Eastern Canada, Lennie Gallant
has won 13 East Coast Music
Awards as well as several
LENNIE
Juno nominations.
P R I N C E E DWA R D I S L A N D
GALLANT
>
Lennie has recorded 6 critically acclaimed
albums and chose to write and record his
latest one, ‘Le Vent Bohème’ completely in
French, honouring his Acadian heritage and
the language of his grandparents. He has
on occasion taken his interest in his
Acadian heritage and multiculturalism in
general into schools. He has spoken to many
students of his own journey to regain the
French language, and shared songs and
stories with French immersion students in
schools in his native PEI. He has also worked
with cultural themes on a larger scale, once
single-handedly coordinating a national
multicultural event, The Canadian Heritage
Festival, which showcased the talents of over
250 performers in twelve shows across PEI.
Performances included diverse acts from
Inuit throat singers to Chinese, Arabic, and
Ukrainian dance troops to Newfoundland
rock and reel bands. His own songs often
touch upon human rights and environmental
issues, as well as matters of the heart, and
have been recorded by over 30 artists internationally and performed with symphony
orchestras. He has written and produced a
benefit recording for OXFAM, and toured
Guatemala on a human rights fact-finding
trip called ‘’Breaking The Silence’’. He has
often given his time and talent to raise funds
and awareness for a variety of causes.
Lennie co-wrote the theme song for the 1st
‘Acadian World Congress’ and for ‘Pier 21’,
Canada’s historical gateway for immigrants.
He was asked to write a song celebrating Halifax’s 250th anniversary which was recorded,
then performed on a bridge spanning the
harbour with an amalgamated multicultural
choir of 2000 voices singing on the chorus.
He participated in “Band Aid”, sponsored by
8 -- 9
www.lenniegallant.com
QUEBEC
chamber orchestra of 15 musicians that
presents a vast repertoire extending
from the baroque to the contemporary.
QUEBEC
DE MONTRÉAL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
> > >
Founded by cellist and conductor
Yuli Turovsky, I Musici de Montréal is a
I MUSICI
REPRESENTING
The orchestra presents a busy schedule of
over 100 concerts per season throughout the
world including three prestigious series in
Montreal. This extraordinary amount of activity
places I Musici amongst the most important
touring orchestras in Canada. Since its beginnings, I Musici has maintained an exclusive
recording contract with Chandos Records of
England which has, to date, released its 41
CDs that are distributed in more than 50
countries around the world. These recordings
have won the orchestra and Maestro Turovsky
many awards among which a Diapason d'Or
for their 1988 recording of Shostakovitch's
14th Symphony and a 1992 Penguin Guide
Rosette for their Concerti Grossi, opus 6 by
Handel. I Musici's recording of Handel has
since become a reference recording of the
highest standard.
In December of 1998, the Conseil Québecois
de la musique gave two Opus Awards to the
orchestra for Recording Event of the Year and
Best Recording - contemporary music for a
CD, grouping works by Gorecki, Pärt and
Schnittke. In 1999, I Musici was awarded the
Grand Prix des Arts by the Montreal Urban
Community for their exceptional contribution
to music presentation in and around Montreal. In August 2001, BBC Music Magazine
rewarded I Musici’s 40th CD by naming it their
CD of the Month, calling it a Russian Tour de
Force. The program of Miaskovsky, Schnittke
and Denisov was thus honoured around the
world. And in April of 2002, I Musici was nominated for another Canadian Juno Award as
Best Classical Album of the Year, this after
having won a Juno for their recording of
Ginestera, Villa-Lobos and Evangelista. Their
latest release titled The Modern 'Cello won in
the category of Best recording of the year classical, modern and romantic music. This
prestigious award was given out before
300 guests during the 6th edition of the Opus
Awards Gala held in Montreal on Sunday,
November 24th 2002 in the 5e Salle of Place
des Arts and represents the orchestra's third
such award.
Under the dynamic and visionary direction of
Maestro Yuli Turovsky who also performs as
‘cello soloist with the orchestra , I Musici has
10 -- 11
performed in some of the greatest halls in the
world : New York’s Lincoln Centre, the
Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany, the Palais
des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Kioi Hall in Tokyo
and the Conservatoire Royal de Musique in
Luxemburg, among others. Public enthusiasm
and the critical acclaim that underlines the
precision and cohesion of performance and
the brio and distinctive sound of the orchestra
confirm I Musici’s importance on the world’s
musical stage.
>
www.imusici.com
A L B E RTA
> > >
Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada
in 2000 for his music and humanitarian work,
Tom is well known to Canadians as an
accomplished musician and actor dedicated
to helping the less fortunate. Tom received
the Queen’s Jubilee medal in 2002 and Time
Magazine named him one of Canada’s best
activists. He has also been awarded Honourary
Degrees at Laurentian, Winnipeg, Victoria,
TOM
Trent, Lakehead and Calgary Universities.
A L B E R TA
JACKSON
REPRESENTING
Born on the One Arrow reserve in
Saskatchewan and raised in Winnipeg,
Tom left school at the age of 15 and spent
seven years living on the back streets of
Winnipeg. This experience built the foundation
of his character - tenacity, leadership,
determination to succeed and an altruistic
capacity to care for others.
As a singer and songwriter, Tom has recorded
11 albums, two of which have received Juno
nominations. His rich bass baritone is recognizable to country music fans and concertgoers across the country. I Will Bring You
Near, released in 2001, is a compilation of
contemporary country tunes written by Tom
and friends. It makes a triumphant statement
about creating positive energy and finding
your light, from within and without. In 2002
Tom produced the compilation CD On The
Holiday Train to coincide with Canadian Pacific Railway’s fundraising project of the same
name. Album sales will net $31,000 for 53
Canadian food banks.
Tom is also an award-winning actor. Fans of
the CBC hit television series North of 60 will
know him as Chief Peter Kenidi, a role he
portrayed for six seasons. From Sesame
Street to Star Trek, Tom is currently delighting
children with his portrayal of storyteller
Hector Longhouse in Longhouse Tales airing
on CBC, TVO and APTN. He has also starred
in movies such as The Diviners, Grizzly Falls
and Water Giant. Lately, he is putting his
gifted voice to use as a narrator for television
projects such as The Snow Eater and Great
Canadian Rivers.
When Tom was working on North of 60, fellow
cast member Mervin Good Eagle committed
suicide in 1996. His tragic and untimely death
exposed Tom to the devastating effects of suicide in Aboriginal communities. His response
was to create and initiate the Dreamcatcher
Tour. In six years, the tour has played to over
100 reserve and urban locations across the
country bringing music and a message of
empowerment to communities suffering the
loss of young lives to suicide. In October 2002
Tom spearheaded and hosted the CBC
Newsworld coverage of Say Hay, an event
12 -- 13
that raised $1.8M dollars for droughtstricken prairie farmers.
One of Tom's prime motivators is his drive to
end hunger in this country. He has applied his
musical and entrepreneurial gifts to his
Huron Carole Benefit Concert Series, an
annual cross-country concert tour that
donates all monies raised to the Canadian
Association of Food Banks. Each year, the
tour features a collection of Canadian artists.
Along with Tom and his band, the company
plays 14 cities from Victoria to St. John's in
three weeks at the height of the Christmas
season. After 15 years, the Huron Carole has
raised $3M dollars.
>
www.tomali.com
O N TA R I O
> > >
Molly's career began as a child
performer. She received formal training
at the National Ballet School of Canada
and the Banff School of Fine Arts.
Her informal training has continued
by way of performances in numerous
concert halls and recording studios
M O L LY
across North America.
O N TA R I O
JOHNSON
REPRESENTING
The youngest member of the talented
Johnson family, she shares her creative
genes with her brother, actor/director Clark
(NBC's Homicide: Life On The Streets, The
Shield), and her sister Taborah, who also sings
and appears regularly on CBC Television.
Molly formed the art/rock band Alta Moda in
the 80's, eventually releasing an album on
Sony Records. In the early 90's she was lead
singer for the Juno Award-winning band
Infidels and signed an international deal with
IRS Records. Throughout her rock career,
Johnson had always found the occasional
escape into jazz and blues. Over the years
she developed into one of the country's finest
jazz vocalists, starting in the tiny backroom of
the bohemian Cameron Public House in
downtown Toronto and ultimately appearing
in the city's premier venues, including the
Royal York Hotel's Imperial Room and both
Massey and Roy Thomson Halls.
With a repertoire that embraced Duke
Ellington, George Gershwin, Billie Holiday
as well as original material, Molly has
delighted audiences opening for greats such
as Ray Charles and B.B. King. In addition to
her accomplishments as both singer and
songwriter, Molly is well known for her
commitment to numerous charitable causes.
Most specifically she is the founder and driving
force behind the Kumbaya Foundation. The
Kumbaya Foundation was established in 1992
and, since then, has raised close to one
million dollars for the care of people living
with AIDS and HIV. What began as a gathering
of Molly's friends from the Canadian music
business grew into an annual festival of
music, art, education and compassion. The
Kumbaya Festival is broadcast live across the
country by MuchMusic and features some of
Canada's best musical talent.
>
www.mollyjohnson.com
14 -- 15
O N TA R I O
> > >
Craig first became a spokesperson for
children's rights when he was 12 years old.
As he was searching for the comics in the
local paper one morning, a front-page article
caught his attention. He read about a young
boy from Pakistan who was sold into bondage
as a carpet weaver, escaped and was murdered
for speaking out against child labour. Craig
gathered a group of friends and founded the
CRAIG
organization (Kids Can) Free the Children
O N TA R I O
KIELBURGER
REPRESENTING
Now 20 years of age, Craig has traveled to
more than 40 countries, to meet with street
and working children and speaking out in
defense of children's rights. He frequently
addresses government bodies, business
groups, educators, unions and students
around the world. He has advocated on behalf
of children in meetings with political and
religious leaders including Prime Ministers
and Presidents, CEOs of major corporations,
Pope John Paul II, the Dalai Lama, Queen
Elizabeth II and the late Mother Teresa.
Craig’s first book, Free The Children was
published by Harper Collins in the United
States and has been translated into 8 languages. Craig and his brother Marc have
co-authored the national best-seller Take
Action! which was published in February
2002 and Take More Action, scheduled for fall
2003 release by Gage Educational Publishing.
Kids Can Free The Children has grown into an
influential international children’s organization with hundreds of thousands of young
people in more than 35 countries involved in
its activities. Youth members of KCFTC have
raised funds for the construction of more
than 350 primary schools in the rural areas of
developing nations, providing education to
over 20,000 children every day. They have
distributed approximately 150,000 school kits
and more than 3.5 million dollars worth of
medical supplies to needy families. KCFTC
currently supports clean water projects,
health clinics, alternative income cooperatives and primary schools in 21 developing
nations. In 2001, KCFTC was selected by The
United Nations and The Office of the Special
Representative for Children in Armed
Conflict to be the lead NGO coordinating
youth outreach for the decade of peace and
non-violence towards children.
In 1999, Craig and Marc founded Leaders
Today, to empower youth with the leadership
skills needed to become active global
citizens. To date, Leaders Today has provided
leadership training to over 300,000 young
people throughout North America. In
addition to its domestic leadership programs,
Leaders Today operates annual volunteer
16 -- 17
trips to India, Nicaragua, Ecuador and
Thailand, as well as leadership and volunteer
retreats to its own centers in Kenya and
Arizona.
In addition to serving as the Chair of the
Board of Directors of Kids Can Free The
Children, Craig is co-chair of The Commission on Globalization and a member of the
International Advisory Council for the USbased Foreign Policy Association. He has
received numerous awards, including the
2001 Distinguished Peace Leadership Award,
the 1998 Roosevelt Freedom Medal (with
KCFTC), and the 1998 Governor General’s
Medal of Meritorious Service.
>
www.freethechildren.com
O N TA R I O
> > >
Marc Kielburger founded Leaders
Today in 1999, a unique international
organization to provide leadership training
to over 100,000 young people a year
who wish to become socially involved and
change the world on a local, national
MARC
and international level.
O N TA R I O
KIELBURGER
REPRESENTING
Leaders Today administers leadership programs for young people throughout Africa,
Asia, Latin America and Europe as well as for
the United Nations and universities, colleges
and high schools across North America. As
part of Leaders Today activities, Marc co-wrote
Take Action! with his younger borther Craig.
The Toronto School Board has adopted Take
Action! throughout every public high school in
Toronto while engaging 17,000 students a
year to become civically active.
Marc also serves as Executive Director of
Kids Can Free The Children, the largest
network of children helping children in the
world with over 100,000 members active in 35
countries. Kids Can Free The Children has
built over 350 primary schools, providing
education to more than 20,000 kids every
single day, and has shipped millions of dollars
worth of medical supplies to over 150,000
schools to children in need.
Marc lived and worked in slums of Bangkok
where he worked with mothers and their
babies with HIV/AIDS, and taught English at a
local primary school. Marc’s inspirational
journey and experience was captured in a
documentary by CBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation”s “Man Alive”. He volunteered in Kenya at the Gallmann Memorial
Foundation Wildlife Center working with
young African students and local women in
helping to set up a fair-trade cooperative.
Marc graduated from Harvard (International
Relations) and Oxford (Law) Universities. He’s
the recipient of many prestigious awards and
member of numerous Boards of Directors of
organizations around the world.
>
>
www.leaderstoday.com
www.freethechildren.com
18 -- 19
A L B E RTA
> > >
As the President of NetAid,
a New York-based nonprofit organization,
David Morrison believes it that the traditional
distinction between local, national and
D AV I D
global issues is no longer valid
A L B E R TA
MORRISON
REPRESENTING
“Globalization means that what happens on
the other side of the world affects us”, says
Morrison. “It also means that for the first
time we can reach out and affect the lives of
others, especially the world’s extremely poor”.
Morrison is determined to engage everyday
people in wealthy countries in the fight
against extreme poverty in poor countries.
He has been the visionary behind NetAid’s
success – creating a growing network of
50,000 activists in wealthy countries, and
channeling more than US $3.5 million to
benefit over 460,000 people in poor countries
in just three short years.
Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, Morrison studied
at Yale and Oxford Universities, before embarking on an ambitious international career
that has included positions with the Canadian
Foreign Service, the United Nations Development Programme, and the World
Economic Forum, where he helped organize
the annual Davos summit of global leaders.
He has served in locations as far flung as
Cuba, North Korea and Switzerland.
After joining as NetAid’s first president in 2000,
Morrison launched a series of innovative
programs that have provided funds, volunteers, and an ever-increasing groundswell of
support for the world’s poorest people. In
recognition of his accomplishments, Time
magazine named Morrison one of “Canada’s
Best” in the field of activism in January 2003.
>
www.netaid.org
20 -- 21
MANITOBA
> > >
Gareth Neufeld, a Manitoba educator
for twenty seven years, first learned of
UNESCO's Associated Schools Project
(ASPnet) five years ago while visiting
Helene Lange Gymnasium, a UNESCO
school in Hamburg, Germany. As a result
of this visit, he has championed Canadian
involvement and been instrumental in
GARETH
establishing ASPnet in Canada.
M A N I TO B A
NEUFELD
REPRESENTING
During his years as a teacher and administrator, Gareth has encouraged students
and teachers to see themselves as global
citizens. To that end, he has organized student
exchange programs with schools in Quebec,
Germany, Spain, France, Bolivia, Paraguay
and Mexico; led a two-week seminar on communicative language teaching for prospective
teachers at Hua Qiao University, China; collaborated with teachers and students in Russia,
Italy, Sweden and Australia to produce a
Goethe Institute-sponsored website on water;
served as an advisor in the development and
implementation of a peace education kit for
Project Peacemakers; arranged for his students to be youth delegates at the international Conference on War-Affected Children,
held in Winnipeg in Sept. 2000; and brought
together students from Haiti, Germany,
Ukraine, and Canada to work on a Thinkquest
physics website competition. His work with
Manitoba Education and Youth's curriculum
development branch (in both the areas of
International Languages and Social Studies)
has reflected his commitment to the development of a culture of peace in Manitoba's
schools. Most recently, Gareth's contact with
the University of Lueneburg in Germany has
led to exploratory discussions between the
University of Manitoba's Education Faculty
and Germany's ITE (Internationalization and
Innovation in Teacher Education - a university
network committed to the same principles
as the Associated Schools Project). Gareth
currently serves on the national and
provincial steering committees for UNESCO's
Associated Schools Project.
22 -- 23
REPRESENTING
Born in 1944, Michel spent the first 14 years
of his life among the Algonquins of Québec’s
Abitibi and Vérendrye regions. A highly reputed
field worker who has spent most of his time
on native reserves or ancestral territories,
Michel Noël is also an accomplished academic, with more than 50 books to his credit.
His varied and imposing literary production
ranges from children’s fiction to albums on
art or crafts; plays; poetry, and novels for
young people and adults. He has been
honoured on several occasions over the years
for excellence in work that has contributed to
greater harmony among peoples, including a
1997 Governor General’s Literary Award.
QUEBEC
> > >
Well-known writer and ethnologist
Michel Noël, considered one of the rare
specialists in Québec’s native populations,
defines himself as “a Québecker of
Amerindian origins” whose foremost
QUEBEC
NOËL
MICHEL
cultural identity is aboriginal.
An excellent communicator, Michel Noël
refers to himself as a “storyteller” whose
role is to transmit to others, particularly
young people, all the wisdom and knowledge
he inherited from his parents and grandparents, like his ancestors before him. Every
year, he meets people interested in Québec’s
indigenous populations at conferences, workshops and colloquia. At these forums, as in
his writings, his approach is invariably objective. In his opinion, one must say everything
good about a people, no matter who they are,
before speaking of their faults, and the
disparaging discourse held by some with
regard to native populations is not to his
liking. Never glossing over the tremendous
difficulties experienced by Amerindian and
Inuit peoples, Michel Noël’s views are balanced
and, in many ways, refreshingly hopeful,
precisely because he is not a “spectator” of
Québec and native societies, but a front-line
player whose background lends authority to
his testimony and perception.
Michel Noël regularly holds conferences and
workshops in schools, colleges, universities
and meetings among specialists in Canada,
South America, Europe and Africa on questions relating to North America’s aboriginals.
He is a member of numerous professional
associations, sitting on or chairing several
national and international committees.
Appointed “Citizen of the World” by the
United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-
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Canada) for his role in seeking a better
understanding among individuals and peoples,
in 2002 he received a medal from the French
Senate for his contribution to French language and culture.
REPRESENTING
BRITISH-COLUMBIA
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East meets West as the
traditions and instruments
from China, Europe and beyond,
creating an innovative and
ENSEMBLE
distinct new sound.
ORCHID
Orchid Ensemble blends musical
B R I T I S H - C O LU M B I A
From the tranquil beauty of the zheng, to the
rich textures of the marimba, and the soaring
splendor of the erhu, they present a beautiful
blend of musical techniques and styles. This
unique combination of instruments creates a
fascinating tapestry of musical textures and
colours, which consistently intrigue and
delight their audiences. Orchid Ensemble
bring a variety of musical styles to their performances, ranging from traditional and contemporary pieces of the many regions of
China, to New Music, World Music and Jazz.
They are also regularly developing new collaborations with musicians and composers
from a wide variety of world cultures.
Acclaimed as "rapidly rising stars in the
Mecca of multi-cultural music", the Orchid
Ensemble have been actively performing in
concerts and festivals throughout Canada
and the U.S., with bookings as diverse as the
Kennedy Centre for the Arts in Washington,
D.C., The Vancouver International Jazz
Festival, the Detroit Festival of the Arts,
Toronto's Harbourfront Centre and The
Seattle Symphony Society.
The Orchid Ensemble gives many free
concerts in schools across Canada, thereby
heightening a love of instruments and music
among children and enhancing cultural
exchange.
Lan Tung
erhu - Two-string Chinese violin
Artistic director of the Orchid Ensemble, Lan
Tung is originally from Taiwan. Since her
arrival in Canada, she has been a soloist with
the Chinese Orchestra of British Colombia.
Open to the world, she has collaborated with
musicians from many musical traditions,
including Romany, East Indian, Celtic, Jewish
and Korean.
Mei Han
zheng - Chinese zither
Zheng virtuoso and ethnomusicologist, Mei
Han studied with zheng masters in China. She
holds two master’s degrees, one from the
Chinese Music Research Institute in Beijing,
the other from the University of British
Colombia in Vancouver. Contributing widely to
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the promotion of her instrument, Mei Han
wrote an article on the zheng for the prestigious New Grove Dictionary of Music and
Musicians and she regularly participates as
an invited specialist at numerous forums
around the world.
Jonathan Bernard
marimba and percussion instruments
Solo percussionist of the Vancouver Island
Symphony, Jonathan Bernard is interested in
classical, contemporary and traditional music.
He has worked with many ensembles, including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the
Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of
the National Ballet of Canada, the Gamelan
Madu Sari, the Vancouver Balinese Gamelan.
In addition, he has participated in the creation
of more than 40 new works of chamber
music.
>
www.orchidensemble.com
REPRESENTING
MANITOBA
accolades in his 25 years as an entertainer
throughout North America. He has received
8 Juno Award nominations and won one for
Fred Penner’s Place. He has received 4
Parents’ Choice Awards, most recently the
Parents’ Choice Recommended Award (Winter
FRED
2002 Audio category) for "Sing with Fred".
M A N I TO B A
PENNER
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Fred has received many awards and
In 1999, Fred won the first-ever Prairie Music
Award for Outstanding Children's Recording,
and in 1992 his album Happy Feet was named
Best Children’s Album of the Year, by
Entertainment Weekly in the U.S. Fred has
been named most performed children’s
entertainer three times since 1996 by the
Society of Composers, Authors and Music
Publishers of Canada (SOCAN). Fred was also
the first children’s entertainer to headline at
the Los Angeles Amphitheater and the Mayor
of Los Angeles declared May 12th, 1990 "Fred
Penner Day". Fred’s dynamic live performances are crucial to his success. He, along
with The Cat’s Meow Band, consistently play
to packed houses of children and parents
throughout North America. To captivate
throngs of energetic fans for 60 minutes, this
consummate family entertainer mixes his
music with comedic routines, not only to
enchant the little ones, but to delight their
parents as well. As both a parent and a
performer, Fred has a sincere respect for
children, as well as an active interest in their
health and development. He was honoured by
the Canadian Institute of Child Health in 1999
for his contribution to the safety and wellbeing of children. He has also been the
spokesperson for Safe Kids Canada, and in
past years Penner has been national
spokesperson for UNICEF. In 1992, Fred had
the honour of being named recipient of the
Order of Canada. He was also presented with
an honourary doctor of laws degree from The
University of Winnipeg: Dr. Fred Penner,
LL.D. "I’ve always tried to create entertainment for the whole family that shows the
importance of human and family values. On
tour I have the opportunity to meet many
parents and young adults who tell me how
much they value having grown up with my
music. For me The Simple Way is an extension of that". Fred Penner’s star continues to
shine, both at home in Canada and around the
world, and he shows no signs of slowing
down. Today, Fred Penner's Place is in negotiations to be rebroadcast in Canada and in
the US. Fred also composed the music for Tipi
Tales, a 26-episode aboriginal TV series
scheduled to air nationally and internationally
in 2003. Fred is also in development on a new
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television series called "Growing with Fred".
Fred was awarded the 2003 Juno for
Children's Album of the Year.
>
www.fredpenner.com
YUKON
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The Peters Drury Trio is Jesse Peters,
piano and vocals, Caroline Drury, vocals,
and Graeme Peters, drums. Born, raised
and musically trained in Whitehorse, they
are considered one of Yukon’s greatest
cultural exports. They have competed in
Canada on the local, regional and national
level, garnering much praise for their
innovative approach to vocal jazz.
Y U KO N
PETERS DRURY TRIO
REPRESENTING
Their repertoire consists of original songs
and original arrangements of jazz standards,
approaching historical jazz through a variety
of influences such as hip-hop and funk.
Dubbed “Yukon Gold... a jazz gem from
Whitehorse” by the Toronto Star, the Peters
Drury Trio appeals to a broad audience - from
seasoned jazzers to new jazz listeners, from
youth to seniors. By the ages of 21 and 19,
they had released two critically acclaimed
recordings. Both discs were recorded by twotime Juno award-winning producer, Rick
Kilburn. September 1999 saw the release of
their debut CD When Old Met New. The CD
received rave reviews by critics and listeners
both in Canada and internationally. Their
second recording, BACKBEAT, was released in
September 2001 and features some of Canada’s
elite jazz musicians: Hugh Fraser, Campbell
Ryga, Ross Taggart and Alan Matheson.
Jesse Peters combines the skills of vocalist,
pianist and songwriter. As a singer, Jesse has
a lustrous vocal tone well suited to the
crooning he loves to do. According to a Seattle
paper, “All the crooners vying for Frank
Sinatra’s throne had better watch out.” A
gifted songwriter, he is equally at home
writing thoughtful jazz ballads and up-tempo
gospel tunes to hard-driving hip hop and
funk. Distinguished jazz artists Ingrid Jensen
and Diana Krall have given glowing reviews of
his songwriting. Fluently bilingual, Jesse is an
accomplished public speaker, writer, actor
and debater. Following receipt of a Diploma
from Columbia Bible College in 2001, Jesse
teaches music in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Caroline Drury began her music career
singing pop music to her friends and family.
In 1992, Caroline began jazz studies with
Grant Simpson. She took a liking to jazz
music and soon found her niche as a jazz
vocalist. Together with Jesse, Caroline
performed in dinner theatre concerts. A lyrical
singer with an amazing range, Caroline has a
great ability to communicate with an audience.
Following a three-month stint performing in
Seoul, Korea in the winter of 2000, Caroline
returned to Vancouver, BC where she is
studying music privately and performing with
a variety of Vancouver musicians.
Graeme Peters is an outstanding classical
and jazz pianist as well as a first class jazz
30 -- 31
drummer. Graeme, once called “the great
lion of the keyboard”, has competed in festivals in Yukon and BC coming away with
trophies, awards and scholarships. Graeme
has tackled a vast array of instruments over
the years including banjo, saw, and trumpet.
Most of these he uses as a member of the
Yukon’s renowned vaudeville show, the
Frantic Follies. Besides performing, other
creative outlets include teaching piano,
mountain biking, and snowboarding. Graeme
is pursuing a Bachelor of Education Degree in
Edmonton, Alberta as well as continuing
with classical piano studies. He hopes to play
Carnegie Hall within the next ten years!
Touring with the group is bassist Rick
Kilburn. Over the years, Rick played with jazz
greats Dave Brubeck, Mose Alison, and
Chet Baker. He taught at the Banff Centre
for the Arts, Vancouver Community College,
and Malaspina University College. The Trio
considers him a mentor and friend.
>
www.petersdrurytrio.com
S A S K AT C H E WA N
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Academy Award Winner in 1981 for
the song Up Where We Belong from the
movie “An Officer and A Gentleman”, Buffy
Sainte-Marie was born at the Piapot (Cree)
Reserve in Saskatchewan, and raised
BUFFY
in Maine and Massachusetts.
S A S K ATC H E WA N
SAINTE-MARIE
REPRESENTING
Buffy has a degree in Oriental Philosophy,
a teacher’s degree and a Ph.D. in Fine Arts,
all from the University of Massachusetts. She
also holds honourary degrees from the
University of Regina, the University of
Saskatchewan, and Lakehead University in
Thunder Bay. She serves as an Adjunct
Professor of Fine Arts at Saskatchewan
Indian Federated College, and York University.
She founded the Nihewan Foundation for
American Indian Education in 1968, whose
Cradleboard Teaching Project presently facilitates communication among Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal children through the use of
computer technology and a progressive
Native Studies curriculum. She wrote, produced and narrated Cradleboard’s interactive
multimedia CD-ROM Science: Through Native
American Eyes. In 1997, Buffy received the
Louis T. Delgado Award as 1997’s Native
American Philanthropist of the Year for her
work in the Cradleboard Teaching Project.
During the late 1990s, she served on Hillary
Rodham Clinton’s Committee to Save
America’s Treasures. She also served as
Faculty at the Salzburg Seminars in Austria.
In 2000, she became a commissioner on the
National Commission on Service Learning
which was co-chaired by Dr. William
Richardson of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation,
and astronaut John Glenn.
Buffy became famous in the early 1960s for
both love songs and protest songs. Her song
Until It’s Time for You to Go was recorded by
Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, Roberta
Flack and over 200 artists worldwide. Her
composition Universal Soldier became the
anthem of the anti-Vietnam war peace
movement. In 1992, she helped to establish
the new Juno Awards category Aboriginal
Recording of the Year which she received in
1997 for her album Up Where We Belong.
She also won a Gemini Award for her performance of the same title. In 1993, Buffy was
named Best International Artist of 1993. In
1995, the Canadian Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences (CARAS) inducted her into
the Juno Hall of Fame. She is a recipient
of a Lifetime Achievement Award by the
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American Indian College Fund, and an Officer
of the Order of Canada. In 1992, she was
presented with her second medal from H. M.
Queen Elizabeth II. In November that year,
she sang at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
celebrating the launch of the first Native
American austronaut with her own version of
America The Beautiful.
A digital artist since 1984, Buffy’s works
appear in major museums and galleries,
including the Glenbow Museum in Calgary,
the Emily Carr Gallery in Vancouver, and the
Institute for American Indian Arts Museum
in Santa Fe.
>
www.cradleboard.org
MANITOBA
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Al Simmons’ one-man, multi-prop,
music-filled, off the wall performances
have elevated audiences world-wide
to collective giggles and all-out guffaws.
At once childlike in its simplicity and
sophisticated in its execution, Al’s
humour touches a responsive chord in
AL
people of every age.
M A N I TO B A
SIMMONS
REPRESENTING
Vaudeville’s half-century run of popularity
may have died back in the 1940's, but don’t try
to tell that to Al Simmons or the crowds of
fans that have packed theatres across North
America to see him. Into the tradition of the
great comedy kings -- Danny Kaye, Spike
Jones and Jimmy Durante -- comes Al
Simmons, a man dedicated to the all but lost
art of combining comedy with song, dance,
magic, and sight-gags. The end result is a
one-man variety show--one hour of oldfashioned good-natured fun.
In the entertainment business for more than
34 years, the popular Manitoba-based children’s performer is likely Canada’s most
versatile comedian. He puts on a funfest, full
of bizarre gadgets, wild costumes, unique
songs, crazy vaudeville-inspired routines and
of course bad puns. It's as if he was genetically engineered for comedy. From his distant
Romanian and Scottish ancestors Al has
inherited a quick wit, lanky legs, large flipperlike feet and a rubber face. His father, a
charismatic magazine salesman and wouldbe performer, spent many hours telling tall
tales and re-enacting old vaudeville routines
in their living-room. Al's Mom taught the
budding young vaudevillian the genteel art of
punning, silly songs and magic tricks. But the
most important thing that his parents taught
him was how to use his talents to do good and
bring happiness to the world without hurting
anyone. His extended family was made up of
punsters, pranksters and eccentrics, including Al's Uncle Nick, who toured Eastern
Canada as Steamboat Harris, best known for
playing a ukulele made out of a toilet seat!
Al’s debut album "Something’s Fishy at Camp
Wiganishie" earned a Juno nomination for
best Children’s Album. His follow up recording
was a brilliant ode to vaudeville, "Celery
Stalks at Midnight". It won the 1995 Juno
Award and the 1996 U.S. Parents’ Choice
Award. "The Truck I Bought From Moe",
his third album, garnered a Juno nomination
and a Parents’ Choice Award. Al and his
wife Barbara have been married for 27 years.
They have three sons, Karl 22, Will 19,
and Brad 15, and they all live together in
34 -- 35
harmony and pandemonium near the small
Manitoba town of Anola. Their home, built
around two train cars, is equipped with a
fire-pole that connects an upstairs shop with
a main-floor playroom lined with mattresses
and filled with pillows. Their 15-acre yard is
flowered with zip lines, Tarzan ropes, slides
and swings.
>
www.alsimmons.com
QUEBEC
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Founded in 1994 by conductor
Stéphane Laforest, Sinfonia de Lanaudière
is a Canadian orchestra composed primarily
of seasoned professionals sharing the
limelight with young musicians at the
beginning of their careers.
QUEBEC
SINFONIA
REPRESENTING
Most of Sinfonia’s musicians are from
Québec’s Lanaudière region, an area with
strong cultural and musical traditions.
Meeting an obvious need among a population
that enjoys and actively supports musical
activities, the ensemble’s mandate is to bring
to the forefront the exceptional caliber of
local musicians, to encourage young talent,
and to offer quality performances accessible
to all. The interpretation of new Canadian
works and the promotion of young composers
is also a key objective, and the orchestra
regularly features contemporary works in its
programmes. Being one of the region’s main
cultural proponents, Sinfonia de Lanaudière
plays an important role in the musical
education of young people and consequently
offers various activities that cater to the
interests of youth as they pertain to music
and the orchestra’s repertoire.
Sinfonia works in close collaboration with
local resources and venues, favouring partnerships with other quality ensembles, such
as the well-known Quatuor Claudel, whose
members occupy the string section’s front
row. Interaction with educational institutions
makes it possible to present a new programme
in schools every year, providing children at
both primary and secondary levels with the
opportunity to experience a professional
orchestra in a familiar setting. Presentations
address such themes as Around the World in
Music, Fantastic Strings, and Mozart and
Wind Instruments. For its 2002-2003 season,
Sinfonia performed the first part of a musical
tale commissioned specifically for the
ensemble. La danse des auroras, by author
Carole Bessette and composer Alain
Beauchêsne, both from Québec, introduces
children to the wonder of string instruments.
Music teachers are provided with pedagogical
workbooks to help students prepare for the
concert, in which they are encouraged to participate. For instance, children have the
pleasure of conducting the orchestra, and a
young soloist is invited to play with the
musicians. Activities for young people and
families vary from one year to the next,
but they have always been a favourite form
of expression for Sinfonia de Lanaudière
and one of its main priorities.
36 -- 37
>
www.sinfonia-lanaudiere.org
QUEBEC
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When one is a regional figure at 18,
and recognized internationally at 38, one
might almost say that nature is simply taking
JOSEPH-RICHARD
its course. But in reality… what work!
QUEBEC
VEILLEUX
REPRESENTING
Joseph-Richard Veilleux has long possessed
an impressive range of knowledge of art, art
history, painting and colour acquired at
numerous institutions in Québec, France and
Belgium. He taught visual perception at
Ottawa’s Algonquin College and holds a master’s degree in experimental psychology from
Université Laval. In 1977, he participated in
the first biennale of Québec artists at the
Saidye Bronfman Centre in Montréal. Since
then, he has shown in Québec, Canada, the
United States and Europe. Joseph-Richard
Veilleux is a member of The Royal Canadian
Academy of Arts. He sits on numerous
committees and boards, including that of the
National Gallery of Canada at the invitation of
Heritage Minister Sheila Copps.
Born in 1948 in Saint-Georges, Québec,
Mr. Veilleux can boast of having made more
than one columnist uncomfortable, given a
production that cannot be pinned down and a
personality proportional to his national and
international notoriety! He is a profound person, somewhat religious interior. Whether on
paper, canvas, wood or stone, his two-or
three-dimensional work celebrates the imagination and symbols of existence. Blending
silence and whimsy, dense colour and furtive
nuance, his work eloquently demonstrates
life’s inherent contradictions. “I make no
attempt to restrain, preferring an art that holds
its own, that is free to float, to ascend, to
wander at will between the desires that
subtly stir my hand and politeness, which
is the discreet leave of absence (notice,
discharge, dismissal?) given to any life
of capture.”
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QUÉBEC
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Our most québécoise of American
singers arrived in Montréal in 1966. Nanette
immediately began to conquer Canadian
hearts with Québec versions of American
and French hits such as Et maintenant,
NANETTE
Peint en noir, Hey Joe and Petit homme.
QUEBEC
WORKMAN
REPRESENTING
Born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of
Ernest E. Workman, a trumpet-player in
Tommy Dorsey’s band, and Bebe Kaye, a
music-hall performer, Nanette spent her
earliest years touring the United States with
her parents. When she was 6, the family
settled in Jacksonville, Mississippi. Her
career as an international singer began at 18,
when she arrived in New York City to audition
at the prestigious Juilliard School. Thanks to
singer Rudy Valley, she landed an important
role in How To Succeed In Business Without
Trying, enjoying a 2 1/2 - year run on Broadway
and in summer stock. She also appeared on
the Pat Boone Show. In 1966, she met Québec
producer/singer Tony Roman, who asked her
to rerecord American hits for francophone
listeners. She did remakes of pop songs from
France as well, and her version of Gilbert
Bécaud’s well-known Et Maintenant rode
Québec charts for 15 weeks. In 1967, Nanette
was named Female Discovery of the Year at
the Gala des Artistes. She appeared in
American Vogue. The following year, she and
Tony Roman co-hosted the variety show
Fleurs d’amour et Fleurs d’amitié from the
site of Expo 67. The public nicknamed the
duo Québec’s Sonny & Cher.
In 1969, after a final recording with Tony
Roman, Nanette left Québec for England. She
worked as a model for Harper’s Bazaar and
Flair before landing a role in a TV series
starring Dudley Moore. In 1970, she did a stint
at London’s famous Olympic studio. Then,
replacing an ailing singer, she joined forces
with Americans Madeleine Bell and Doris
Troy, two busy backup singers who were
working with the Rolling Stones on songs for
the Let It Bleed album, including You Can’t
Always Get What You Want. Mick Jagger was
looking for a southern feeling and, knowing
Nanette was from Mississippi, asked her to
lend her voice to Honky Tonk Woman. With
Bell and Troy, Nanette worked with many of
the greats: John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George
Harrison, Joe Cocker, Elton John, Billy
Preston…. In 1970, she made her own first
English-language recording with producer
Norman Norrell, Shirley Bassey’s manager.
In 1971, she appeared at the prestigious
40 -- 41
Savoy. She also wrote her first songs for a
London publisher.
Nanette left England for Germany, where she
met Lee Halliday, who invited her to France to
sing with his brother Johnny. Because visa
problems prevented her return to England,
she decided to follow her luck, with Johnny
piloting her career. She opened for him
throughout Europe, in Africa and in Asia.
Later, she worked with Gary Wright and
Peter Frampton on Grits And Cornbread. In
1973, she came back to Montréal en route to
the United States (Herb Alpert had asked to
meet her in Los Angeles) but ran out of
money. Producer Yves Martin stepped in and
convinced her to do a French cover-version of
Lady Marmelade. Released before Patti
Labelle’s version, the result was an enormous success. Nanette became Québec’s
premier Disco Queen. In 1975, in the middle
of disco and funky fever, she topped the charts
with Danser, Danser; Ce soir on m’invite and
J’ai le goût de baiser. It was the era of Nuit
Magique, the nightclub in Old Montréal. In
1978, Nanette became Sadia in the rockopera Starmania, which ran the following
year at the Palais des Congrès in Paris.
Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon’s show
provided Nanette with one of her biggest hits,
Ce soir on danse à Naziland. Mick Jagger, in
France at the time, asked her to sing on one
of his albums. Returning to Montréal, she
toured with Robert Charlebois. In 1980,
together with her brother Billy and Luc
Plamondon, she recorded Chaude. In 1982,
her recording of Call-girl established
industry heights with 140,000 copies sold,
and she won the Felix Award for bestselling single of the year at the 1982 Gala de
L’ADISQ. In 1984, she began a two-year tour of
Québec with a show entitled Gramophone au
laser, in the company of Jean-Pierre Ferland,
Louise Portal and Marie-Claire Séguin.
In 1987, the birth of her son Jesse changed
her life. She brought him with her wherever
she performed. The child’s father, André
Gagnon, is a film director. 1990 saw the
release of the album Changement d’adresse,
made in collaboration with Serge Fiori.
Nanette also became the DIVA of Luc
Plamondon’s new rock-opera La légende de
Jimmy, which ran in Paris for 6 months. In
1992, she and Dan Bigras were chosen to sing
Un bateau dans une bouteille, the theme
song of the 350th anniversary of the city of
Montréal. Rock et Romance was named best
rock album of the year at the 1994 Gala de
l’ADISQ. In 1995, the touring concert Rock et
Romance was nominated best rock concert of
the year at the same awards. The song Le
temps de m’y faire, written by Éric Benzy, was
especially popular. In 1997, Nanette played a
part in the film J’en suis and, in 1998, she
appeared in Ladies’ Room, a film produced by
Tony Roman starring John Malkovich,
Lorraine Bracco and Greta Scacchi.
Nanette Workman has just released her
latest album, entitled Vanilla Blues Café.
>
www.nanette.qc.ca.