National Music Centre's yearly gala goes virtual

The National Music Centre, within Studio Bell, in Calgary's East VIllage

Calgary — There's still music in the Calgary air. You just  need to log on Friday night to hear it.

That's because the city's musical hub, the National Music Centre (NMC) is set to present its annual fundraising gala as a virtual event on December 4 at 7:00pm.

The 2020 NMC gala, titled “RISE UP! A Celebration of Resilience” is much different than previously planned. Rather than welcoming guests into the impressive downtown campus, the entire event was instead filmed in the Studio Bell Performance Hall and the King Eddy to be released digitally.

Hosted by CCMA Award-winning country artist Brett Kissel and Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inducted broadcaster Jackie Rae Greening, the event is set to not only include performances by many Canadian musicians most with special ties to the NMC's current and past programming but also contains an educational element.

Andrew Mosker, NMC President and CEO said the re-imagined virtual event will recognize and celebrate resilience and innovation as an organizational theme for 2020 and beyond.

“COVID-19 has forced those who work in the music sector to adjust to ever-changing new realities," Mosker said. "NMC has done this knowing the vital role that music has played in healing and bringing people together during the pandemic, and how music can play a critical role in the recovery of our city, province, and country after the pandemic is over."

Since the start of the pandemic, NMC has pivoted to bring its programs online and keep audiences connected through music, launching the virtual NMC Learning at Home series that features lessons on science and sound, in addition to its first-ever online exhibit, Speak Up!, honouring 13 powerful Indigenous voices in music.

The National Music Centre has also continued to find opportunities for artists to perform live, bringing a wide array of musical genres into homes through livestream programs and partnerships, such as Alberta Spotlight, Stingray Classical Live from the King Eddy, and more.

Jann Arden, Brett Kissel, Corb Lund, Tanika Charles, Louis-Jean Cormier, Celeigh Cardinal, Jan Lisiecki, and the Marcus Trummer Band as well as Amber Marshall of CBC’s long-running CBC series Heartland are all set to make appearances.

NMC supporters are encouraged to tune into the virtual event on December 4 at 7:00 pm MT, and to make a donation to support the future of NMC at studiobell.ca/gala2020.

NMC is a non-governmental, non-profit registered charitable organization that relies on earned revenue and donations to keep sharing and developing Canada’s national music story from its home base in Calgary.

Mosker said this gala is essential to ensure a sustainable future for National Music Centre and its programs that bring people together through the power and spirit of music. “Our operations have shrunk considerably over the time that the pandemic locked us down," Mosker said,  "yet we have continued to program and offer programming to the community.”

“The 2020 Rise up NMC Gala is very important to continuing the operations of the NMC," he added. "Every year at this time when we raise dollars at this gala it is always to further the programming that we have here.”

The free online-only event features performances by Jann Arden, Brett Kissel, Corb Lund, Tanika Charles, Celeigh Cardinal, Louis-Jean Cormier, and more.

Viewers will be able to take in the gala for free at 7:00 pm MT at studiobell.ca/gala2020 and on NMC’s Facebook, Vimeo, and YouTube channels.