NATIONAL MUSIC CENTRE ANNOUNCES NMC ROUGH CUTS, PRESENTED BY BELL

CALL FOR APPLICANTS TO NEW ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM NOW OPEN, CLOSES ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

(September 7, 2021— Calgary, AB) The National Music Centre (NMC) is pleased to announce a new artist development opportunity that will provide free access to NMC’s famed recording environment to produce a new single of original music, and reach new online audiences.

A call for applications is now open for the program, and Western Canadian musicians across all genres and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Interested applicants can apply at studiobell.ca/rough-cuts by September 20 at 11:59 pm MST.

Four selected artists will be awarded a one-day recording session at Studio Bell to produce a single of original material. Each song will be mixed and mastered by NMC’s in-house engineer, Graham Lessard (Basia Bulat, Kevin Drew, Reuben and the Dark, Stars, Timber Timbre), whose recordings have earned multiple JUNO Award nominations. Artists will also be the subject of a podcast-style interview hosted by Lessard and an in-studio music video to be distributed on NMC Amplify, social media channels, and several podcast and video streaming platforms.

The first installment of the NMC Rough Cuts series is available now at amplify.nmc.ca and features JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter Celeigh Cardinal. The four remaining artists who are selected to participate will be announced starting on October 4.

Applications will be vetted in accordance with NMC program values related to quality, diversity of genre, region, representation, and gender-identification to ensure a diverse array of artists and content.

“Thanks to support from Bell, we’ve been able to reimagine our artist development programs in order to serve the immediate needs of artists who are adapting to new realities during the pandemic,” said Adam Fox, NMC’s Director of Programs. “NMC also needs to reach audiences beyond the walls of Studio Bell to serve its mandate, so we’re pleased to bring this new program to life. Music fans from across Canada and around the world are going to hear some brand-new music from some of Western Canada’s most compelling artists, and learn more about the story behind the song.”

Follow #NMCRoughCuts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the series.

About National Music Centre | Centre National de Musique
The National Music Centre (NMC) has a mission to amplify the love, sharing, and understanding of music and is preserving and celebrating Canada’s music story inside its home at Studio Bell in Calgary’s East Village. A registered charity with programs that include exhibitions, artist development, performance, and education, NMC is inspiring a new generation of music lovers. For more information about NMC’s onsite activities, please visit studiobell.ca. To check out the NMC experience online, including video-on-demand performances, made-in-Canada stories, and highly entertaining educational content, visit amplify.nmc.ca.

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Media Contact:
Julijana Capone, Senior Publicist
National Music Centre
T 403.543.5123 | C 403.710.4758
julijana.capone@nmc.ca | @nmc_canada