News Article

CNA instructors nominated for provincial award


10/24/2002 3:16:53 PM


CNA instructors Neil Bishop and Wade Pinhorn are pleased to be in the company of nominees for the Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador’s (MIANL) first ever Music Educator of the Year Award.

October 24, 2002

Two instructors from the Bay St. George campus of College of the North Atlantic (CNA) have been nominated for the Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador’s (MIANL) Educator of the Year Award.

Neil Bishop, Coordinating Instructor for the Recording Arts program, and Wade Pinhorn, Coordinating Instructor for the Music Industry and Performance program, have both been nominated in this category. The two work closely together at the campus in their respective programs.

“I think it’s great that two instructors of CNA’s Applied Arts programs have been nominated for this award – it says a lot for the programming,” says Pinhorn.

“I couldn’t be happier to be nominated along with my co-worker, and for these sister programs to be recognized in the music industry.”

Bishop echoes the sentiment, and is particularly pleased that the acknowledgment is from industry peers.

“This nomination comes from those within the industry, so the recognition is nice,” he says.

“What we’re doing here with these programs is important to the future of the music industry, so it’s great to be included in this award category.”

The Music Educator of the Year Award is actually a new category to the MIANL, and will be presented for the first time at the 11th Annual AGM Conference and Awards Show, to be held November 15- 17 in St. John’s.

Denis Parker, Executive Director of the MIANL, says that this new category is a way to pay tribute to those who devote their careers to music education.

“The MIANL is always looking for ways to recognize the infrastructure in the province, and education is a huge part of it,” says Parker.

“We have a mandate to build relationships with educational institutions within the province – both in high school and post-secondary education. CNA has been very supportive of the MIANL, and we’ve worked hard to build this relationship,” he says.

“We’re very pleased to see these two professionals from CNA nominated for the Educator of the Year Award.”

Pinhorn says this award has been a long time coming to the province. He believes that the MIANL is ahead of the music industry in the country, with regard to this new award category.

“To my knowledge, no other music association in Canada – even nationally with the Junos, and in the Atlantic region, the ECMAs – includes this type of category in their awards,” he says.

“But musical education – whether it be formal training or through mentoring, such as with traditional and blues music – is the backbone of the industry.”

Bishop adds that there are many unsung heroes in the industry in Newfoundland and Labrador who have been around for a long time, and who deserve a nomination.

“They shape our lives. Many people have gone on and had careers in the music industry because of a teacher that recognized natural talent and encouraged it,” he says.

Other nominees include Susan Quinn, Sonny Hogan, duo Gary Johnston & Denise Lear, and Korona Brophy – all from the St. John’s area.

Pinhorn says that he is honoured to be in the company of such professionals, and he feels that there will be no losers on awards night.

“It doesn’t matter who wins it. The fact that this award exists is momentous, and I am happy to see educators recognized in the music industry.”

The award, along with the Recording Arts and Music Industry & Performance programs’ Steele Communications Scholarships, will be presented during the conference weekend at the MIANL Industry Luncheon sponsored by College of the North Atlantic.

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Stephen Lee
Communications Manager
(709) 643-7929

or

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Public Information Officer
(709) 643-7928