Nominee Information – Board of Directors 2018

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: NOMINEE INFORMATION

There are seven nominees on the ballot this year. Please take a minute to read through their information, as it will play an important role on how you vote at our AGM on Tuesday, June 5th. Thank you!

Peter Chapman (780) – Stony Plain Records

Vision for Alberta Music:

“Alberta Music fosters a thriving Alberta music industry. It connects Alberta-based musicians and songwriters to the local professionals who can enhance, enliven and ease their ability to create cultural capital. The organization provides exposure of that art to fans locally, nationally and globally through showcases and education opportunities, creating meaningful musical engagements in people’s daily soundtracks.

The organization shares knowledge and skills with other provincial bodies across Western Canada, and beyond, to maximize creative efficiency.

The organization successfully campaigns with other arts organizations for continued and enhanced local, provincial and federal government support for all parts of Alberta’s music industry.

The organization shares these resources and opportunities with members equitably.”

Professional Biography:

“Peter Chapman is the operations manager at Stony Plain Records, the Edmonton-based blues and roots record label started by broadcaster Holger Petersen over 40 years ago. Joining the label in 2006, Chapman has relished helping artists to focus on their art by taking on the administration of manufacturing, distribution, copyright registration, physical logistics, and royalty payments.

He is also heard Thursday mornings on CJSR, Edmonton’s campus radio station, on his National Campus and Community Radio Association award-winning, eclectic music show. Since 2007, he has proudly showcased many local artists amongst Canadian and international talent.”

Amanda Gregoire (780) – AG Marketing

Vision for Alberta Music:

“My vision for Alberta Music is to serve on the board and help facilitate and continue to support the growth of Alberta’s music industry. I believe in the talent that our province has to offer and would love to see infrastructure and opportunity in place so artists and industry professionals can continue to work and live in Alberta and not feel the need to move to greater metropolis’ such as Vancouver or Toronto. I also would love to see more opportunities for artist to be showcased globally, so industry is inclined to build more of a base of out Alberta.”

Professional Biography:

“An Arts and Cultural Management graduate, Amanda has over a decade of experience in the music industry. A large portion of her career was spent doing marketing and promotions for Union Events, one of Canada’s largest independent concert promoters. Amanda began working independently in 2016, providing event management and marketing solutions for national and international companies such as ConcertWorks, Starlite Room, AEG, Goldenvoice, Toothblackner and more. Amanda’s professional experience expands from club level events and helping new artists get noticed, to national tours and festivals. She has also done volunteer work with Factor, Harvard, and the Juno Awards serving as an Industry Juror. Never a musician herself, Amanda’s real passion has always been working behind the scenes connecting artists to their fans and seeing the precious interaction and celebration of one of the greatest things in life, music.”

Kristen Olson (403) – Givergy

Statement Outlining Your Vision for Alberta Music:

“Alberta Music has succeeded in so many areas in supporting musicians including facilitating workshops, providing one-on-one consultation and music contests to help further expose and support their music career like 95.3 Project Wild. What I would like to see with Alberta Music is more of an online presence in sharing music to the masses. I’d also like an option to offer members to view the download sessions if they’re not able to make it, for example having it taped or recorded for members viewing only.  Secondly, I was inspired when Women in Music Canada came to speak at one of the AB Music download sessions and from this I’d like to see more women representatives sitting on the board. Having more women represent AB Music would be a great alignment to help implement change for women in music across all sectors.”

Professional Biography:

“Born and raised in Saskatchewan, now Calgarian for nearly 9 years. Kristen Olson has been involved in the Music industry in Calgary and in Alberta in many different ways. Her love for music started over a decade ago with her passion for singing and performance in music and theatre. She participated in a competition through CMT Canada where she had to manage and promote her own music. It was then that she realized there was more areas in the music industry that she loved outside of primarily performing. She has volunteered with AB Music in different capacities for the last two years helping out with the download sessions and onsite at the Wild 953 Project Wild. Kristen was involved with Revv 52 for 7 years and her highlight performance with them was in New York City at Carnegie Hall in 2016. Through her stage experience she became more and more interested in the business side of music and how it’s all puzzled together. She was looking to combine her Communications and Media degree with Music to satisfy both of her passions. Kristen is a Promoter Representative and Production Assistant for Tooth Blackner Presents. When she’s not working concert events she’s an Event Manager for Givergy, a company that helps fundraise for foundations and has worked with; Stars, Children’s Hospital, Ronald Macdonald House and the Miracle Gala to name a few. “

Adam Oppenheim (403) – Stampede Entertainment Inc.

Vision for Alberta Music:

“My vision for Alberta Music is that our provincial music industry is celebrated. That individuals are confident that their career in the music industry can be fostered here at home.  That our music infrastructure is such that we attract some of the very best and brightest to work and create here. That our creative output and industry professionalism is heralded locally, nationally and internationally.”

Professional Biography:

“”Adam Oppenheim is the President of Calgary concert promotion company Stampede Entertainment Inc. (“SEI”).

In 2003 Adam started his first music venture, Funk Lotion Promotion (“FLP”), in his dorm room at the University of Alberta. Throughout its three-year history FLP toured Alberta artists across Canada, promoting over 100 concerts and events.  In 2007 Adam began his work with Stampede Entertainment Inc., and has proudly promoted concerts including Garth Brooks, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Usher, Shania Twain, KISS, Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, George Strait, The Tragically Hip, The Roots and James Taylor.  Adam initiated SEI’s artist development program, ensuring Alberta musicians the opportunity to open for music’s very biggest stars. To date this program has resulted in the showcase of Alberta talent to over 100,000 concert attendees.

Adam holds both a Juris Doctor from the University of Calgary Faculty of Law and a Master of Business Administration from the Haskayne School of Business. Adam’s legal practice included entertainment law, providing counsel to bands, managers, promoters and festivals. Although he left the practice of law to focus on the music industry full-time, Adam remains an active member of the Law Society of Alberta.”

Megan Owen (403) – OCL Studios

Statement Outlining Your Vision for Alberta Music:

“My vision for Alberta Music is expansive but focuses on two major tenets.

First, I want to help Alberta Music move towards 50-50 gender parity for all sponsored programs and events, as well as its board. I previously got Carly Klassen in touch with Across the Board 50/50, which is an organization based out of Toronto asking all boards of arts-focused organizations to have gender parity on their board by 2020. I want to be a part of this movement. I also want Alberta Music to move towards equal representations for every showcase, professional development opportunity, and show for which they responsible for selecting participants. I believe that Alberta Music needs to lead by example, and this is the best way to demonstrate that we will fight for equality in our industry.

Second, I think that Alberta Music provides a wealth of resources and opportunities for artists in our province. An important priority to move towards now would be placing the same amount of investment into other industry professionals. If we do not continue building up the rest of the industry, artists will continue to leave because they will have to. If we provide growth opportunities to producers, engineers, musicians, publicists, and managers (in addition to many other roles) we can grow the entire industry together.”

Professional Biography:

“Megan Owen is the Studio Manager at OCL Studios. Born and raised in Calgary, AB, Megan is a lifelong music lover and has recently committed herself to learning more about the industry. Recently, she spent eight weeks at the Canada’s Music Incubator Artist Manager program in Toronto, which solidified her foundation of industry knowledge.  As she continues to grow as a music industry professional, Megan is passionate about education and community building. A firm believer in the Alberta music scene, she aims to use the OCL Studios facility to provide growth opportunities for music creators and professionals.”

Allison Pfeifer (780) – Government of Alberta

Vision for Alberta Music:

“I believe Alberta’s music industry has a competitive advantage, as our arts community is close-knit and this enhances our ability to collaborate with other cultural organizations and industries, including the technology and tourism sectors. I am interested in exploring alternate revenue sources and funding models for artists. It is my hope that we can build infrastructure to provide more services for artists, including managers, publishers, studio and performance spaces. I would like Alberta to become a hotbed for nurturing artists. It is my vision that promoting music as an industry which helps diversify the economy will help generate interest from domestic and international partners and sponsors to pursue trade and investment opportunities.”

Professional Biography:

“Born and raised in Edmonton, Allison Pfeifer has worked in various genres of music as a grants consultant, arts administrator, and programming and production manager. After earning both a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Commerce degree in business law and economics from the University of Alberta, Allison obtained a Master of Arts in Music Business from New York University. During this time, she worked as Licensing and Royalties Analyst at TVT Records/TVT Music Publishing and also in the publicity department of Nettwerk Music Group’s New York office.

The close-knit Canadian music community drew Allison back to Vancouver, where she was Product Manager and Assistant Label Manager at Bodog Music, an indie label, management and publishing company. In addition to managing day-to-day operations and tours of several bands, Allison was responsible for promoting the Bodog brand through various label showcases, special events for bands on the Warped Tour, and was involved with the Bodog Battle of the Bands and Bodog Fight television shows.

Upon return to Alberta, Allison was an Arts Development Consultant at the Government of Alberta’s Arts Branch, overseeing the Alberta Foundation for the Arts grant programs in music, sound recording, arts festivals, arts partnerships and arts presenting for seven years. During this time, she programmed and produced the inaugural Alberta Arts Days (now known as Alberta Culture Days); advised Alberta Music on the Untapped Alberta project; produced the AB2: Alberta’s Playlist compilation; and produced artist showcases at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, 2012 London Olympics, and PEI 2014. She has been a regular jury member for FACTOR, Alberta Showcase, Peak Performance Project and Project Wild.

In 2014, Allison took a secondment to the Cultural Industries Branch as Lead, Cultural Industry Strategy Development, where she was responsible for developing the Cultural Industries Action Plan. In 2016, Allison moved to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade where she is currently Director, Mission and Visits Planning.”

John C. Reid (403) – Canadian Music Centre, Prairie Region

Vision for Alberta Music:

“Having been involved professionally with many different genres of music over the past 48 years (jazz, classical, blues, rock, funk, Latin, Broadway, pit orchestras, etc.), I believe that I could help Alberta Music achieve a broad genre inclusivity in its purview.”

Professional Biography:

“John C. Reid is the full-time Prairie Regional Director of the Canadian Music Centre. Successful projects include: establishing Western Canadian Music Awards for Outstanding Classical Composition and Recording, founding of classical music showcases at the WCMAs and JUNO Awards, founding of Emerging Composer Award (with WSO/NMF), founding of Prairie Sounds imprint on Centrediscs (winner of four WCMAs and one JUNO), 30-year Canadian music radio program on CJSW 90.9 FM in Calgary and cjsw.com.

As a performer (sax/flute/clarinet) Reid has worked with: Tommy Banks 1988 Olympic Orchestra, Tom Jones, Sam Moore (Sam and Dave), Bob Hope, Gino Vanelli, Dizzy Gillespie, Diana Krall, Lesley Gore, Joan Rivers, Lou Rawls, Jeff Healey, Fifth Dimension, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, P.J. Perry, Harry Connick Jr., and Hugh Fraser, among others.

John Reid has been teaching music courses part-time at the University of Calgary since 1984 in courses including: Jazz History, Music and Life of James Brown, Salsa Music & Latin Music, History of the Blues, The African Effect in Music, History of Funk, New York City: Broadway Musicals, Jazz, and Culture (travel study), Music and Culture of Cuba (travel study), Chicago Blues Festival (travel study), New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (travel study).”