Canadian Music Week

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canadian Music Week (or CMW) is an industry conference and music festival held over four days in various venues throughout Toronto. The annual event began in 1960 as National Week for Music to commemorate the Silver Jubilee (or 25^th anniversary) of the creation of the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Associations (CMFTA).

The event was a success, and was re-christened as Canada Music Week in 1961. The CFMTA, which sponsors the CMW, is an umbrella organization for registered music teachers' associations from every Canadian province. The annual event, held during the third week of November (to coincide with St. Cecilia's Day, which honours the patron saint of church music), exists to encourage and promote Canadian music, musicians, and music teaching.

[edit] Notable participants

CMW is often described as "Canada's largest annual entertainment event dedicated to the expression and growth of the country's music, media and entertainment industries." The event features obscure and unknown independent musicians, along with several up-and-coming performers as well as notable producers and performers.

Some of the notable personalities that have participated at the event include:

Alan Parsons, veteran producer;
Hollowphonic, an ambient, post-rock unit;
Seymour Stein, chair of Sire records;
Trapt, a nu-metal rock outfit;
The Exies, an indie rock band.

[edit] Canadian Indies Hall of Fame

Canadian Music Week also honours important independent and alternative artists with its annual "Canadian Indies Hall of Fame" program. Artists who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame include Parachute Club, The Pursuit of Happiness, Martha and the Muffins and D.O.A.