MASC 35th Anniversary Gala

Internationally acclaimed Juno award-winning singer-songwriter Kellylee Evans has been making waves around the world with her energy charged performances. With six albums to her name and a grueling touring schedule, she was no stranger to the hard work involved in making a successful career.

Yet, after a life-altering lightning strike in 2013 and then a concussion in 2015, the mother of three was forced to halt her busy schedule. The following two years saw Kellylee dedicating her energy to recovering and getting back to making and sharing her music.

Today, when she’s not performing, Kellylee teaches and speaks about her journey to recovery and sharing her inspiring story.

Born in Côte d’Ivoire to Togolese parents, Yaovi Hoyi arrived in Ottawa at the age of 13. During his high school years, he explored theatre and creative writing. In university, he studied business administration, which led to a job in finance. But he realised he was more drawn to music and decided to devote himself fully to his calling. As an artist, he goes simply by the name of Yao.

Poetic, Groovy, Funk by moment and Soul as a whole, Yao with his baritone voice, succeeds in charming us with the warm universe of his sweet poetry and his artistic audacity.
His pictorial writing – casted in great sensitivity – reminds us of the textual richness of French rap by MC Solaar, Abdel Malik or Oxmo Puccino, with an eclectic pop side – where the musical universes intertwine through the textual escapades of this poet.

His first solo album “Généris” was launched in 2011, but it was not until 2013 that he stood out with his album “Perles et Paraboles” (Pearls and Parables); winning 7 nominations at the 2015 Trille Or Awards Gala by the Association des Professionels de la Chanson et de la Musique – APCM (Association of Songwriting and Music Professionals) qui recompense l’excellence au sein de l’industrie musicale francophone de l’Ontario (et de l’Ouest canadien également depuis 2017). That same year, he received the Édith-Butler prize from the Foundation of the Professional Society of Authors and Composers of Quebec (SPACQ.)

His project “Lapsus” in 2016, then introduced him to a wider audience, obtaining 2 nominations at the Trille Or Awards Gala 2017 in the categories “Best author, composer or songwriter” and “Export Ontario (the most successful Ontario artist outside the province)”. He also won that year, the Francophone Music category of the “Canadian Song Writing Competition” with the song “Dans le sang” and obtained an honorable mention for the song “Nomade.”

Just as active behind the scenes as he is on stage, Yao received the Senate’s Commemorative Medal in November 2017, marking the 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada ¬– a distinction aimed at highlighting his achievements as well as his involvement in the community, through his art and his work to promote cultural diversity. And thanks to his work as an artist-educator, he was awarded the 2018 Artist-Educator Award from the Ontario Arts Foundation.

In 2019, with 7 nominations at the Trille Or Awards Gala, he won the top 3 coveted prizes, as “Artist of the year”, “Show of the year”, as well as “Media’s favourite.”

YAO’s most recent show, NOMADE (from the LAPSUS album), with over 150 performances in 7 countries, was featured at the 2018 Coup de cœur francophone de Vancouver. His new show, drawn from his most recent album KINTSUGI, released in 2022, offers us a respite of beauty amidst all the chaos.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with veins of gold – transforming the fissures and the whole piece into a work of art that is both stronger and more beautiful.

In this intensely personal and therapeutic album, YAO explores the themes of suffering, resilience and hope. He uses his talents as a lyricist and performer to transform the pain in his life through an immersion into a sensory, poetic and musical experience.
This show is the artist’s personal performance of the art of kintsugi, or healing of the broken parts of oneself, evoking intimate moments of fragility, vulnerability, and introspection, sometimes raw, sometimes harsh, but always honest and authentic.

Stefan is a news anchor with CTV Ottawa and works diligently to give back to the community. His focus is on minority issues, youth, and the arts. His is also a vocalist and actor, who has performed for diverse crowds in Canada, the United States and Jamaica.

Originally from Hearst in Northern Ontario, Cindy has been working in the field of education for over 20 years. She began her career as a special educator, but has had the opportunity to hold various positions as a teacher, identity-building consultant and assistant principal. She currently holds a teaching position at Consortium Centre-Jules Léger, where she helped develop the oral communication program. For her, learning the arts enables students to develop many skills, such as critical thinking, the ability to express one’s opinion, to relate to others, to deepen self-knowledge and to develop the skills essential to academic success. She is delighted to be joining the MASC team, as she believes she can make a valuable contribution to their vision and objectives.

Verna McGregor resides in her community of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation which is 140 kilometers north of Ottawa-Gatineau. She has remained grounded in the Algonquin language and culture through organizing gatherings with the Elders and recent establishment of the Algonquin Culture Institute.

She is a past manager in personal banking with the Royal Bank of Canada and real estate sales in the Ottawa area. This background also contributed to the empowerment of Indigenous People in Canada by also managing a task force on the issues of access to capital. She has also worked in with the Public Service and various National Indigenous organizations in areas such as economic development, forestry and urban issues. She recently published a children’s book on the issue of smoking cessation.

My name is Randy Blue Kakegamick and I am an Ojibway Cree born and raised in Ottawa Ontario. I am a father and grandfather. Both my parents are survivors of residential school here in Canada. My late father is from North Spirit Lake Ontario and my mom is from Waswanipi Quebec. I have been singing since I was 8 years of age and dancing the grass style for over 5 years now. I am the drum keeper of the SpiritWolf Singers. I have always been around the powwow arena since I was a child and was lucky to receive teachings. I am a graduate at Algonquin College, graduate of Digital Music production, Music Industry, Broadcasting Television and Scriptwriting programs. I love sharing my story of recovery and really incorporate that into each and every performance I do. I have been sober for over eight years now from everything. Meegwetch

Professional dancer and arts educator of Caribbean descent, Julianne Lavertu, has been pursuing her passion for movement since the young age of three years old. She specializes in Afro-Caribbean dance and lights up whenever given the chance to speak about the beauties and complexities of the culture of her ancestors. Julianne has also been a teacher and choreographer at the Cultural Arts Studio since 2018, instructing children from the ages of 3 to 15 to embrace themselves through African and Caribbean culture. She believes everyone should have the chance to claim ownership of themselves and tell their stories through movement, regardless of age, size, fitness or ability.

Claudia Salguero is a Colombian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist and community-engaged artist working with multicultural groups and communities at risk. Working in collaboration with different social institutions, she has created more than 70 community murals in the Ottawa since 2014. Claudia is also a Latin folk and jazz singer who has been raising funds for kids’ foundations in her home country Colombia through her annual sold-out concerts at Canada’s National Arts Centre since 2011. She is also a member of the Arts Network Ottawa’s Board of Directors.

Nicole Bélanger is a visual artist who specializes in directing group murals, both in schools and in the community. Her emphasis is on group efforts at the conceptual and creative level. The murals are directed in a way where she provides guidelines and direction as the project progresses to ensure a quality finished product and a level of acquired expertise for the students. Her community murals have also involved the homeless and health centres. Nicole believes in the energy created by a group effort, and that there is room for everyone to create. Nicole is a visual artist in her own right, working in both painting and sculpture. She is a graduate with a masters degree in Visual arts from Norwich University, U.S.A.

Hailing from Canada’s Capital region, Loop pedal violist, visual artist, composer, and educator Kathryn Patricia Cobbler has crafted a singular niche in music improvisation and classical performance. She obsesses over creating uniquely arresting soundscapes, whether in solo recitals, composing and performing for art installations, and more. Named a CBC Trailblazer in 2021 and a recipient of one of Ottawa Arts Council’s Emerging Artist awards, she has been featured in Canada’s most notable Concert Series, Chamberfest, Music and Beyond, NUMUS Concert series to name a few.

Named one of ‘3 Classical Musicians You Should Know ‘ in 2022, by SHIFTER Magazine and the NAC, Kathryn is a seasoned performer, speaker, presenter and workshop facilitator. As a performing artist and educator, Ms. Cobbler is a performance instructor at Carleton University and an artist on the MASC Artist roster. As a composer, Kathryn has been featured in the Boston based Concert series, Castle of Our Skin’s Black Composers Miniature Challenge, which resulted in the world premier of her piece A Home Called ‘Wander’ for solo viola and spoken word. Most recently, Kathryn Patricia was commissioned by the National Art Gallery of Canada to compose a piece of music for their exhibit, Uninvited: Canadian Women Artists in the Modern Moment. Kathryn Patricia Cobbler holds degrees in viola performance from Western University (B.M.) the University of Ottawa (M.M.) and was a 2022 fellow of the Global Leaders Institute. She is currently a PhD student in Critical Studies in Improvisation through the University of Guelph. Kathryn Patricia performs on a viola by luthier Sibylle Ruppert and a Boss RC-30 loop pedal.

Jennifer Cayley and Jan Andrews founded MASC in 1989, based on a culturally diverse performance series at the National Library of Canada (now, Library and Archives Canada) called The Chance to Give / Une chance à donner. This inspired the creation of Multicultural Arts for Schools and Communities (MASC) to bring their passion for diversity in the arts to local schools and community settings.

JENNIFER CAYLEY
Jennifer Cayley has been a performance storyteller for more than three decades. While her repertoire includes, literary, historical and personal stories, it is the traditional folk and fairy tales along with some of the world’s great epics that are the foundation of her work.

Performance highlights include: touring with Jan Andrews to Rome, Australia, Wales, USA and southern Ontario; appearing at festivals across Canada and in Hawaii; making regular appearances at the Ottawa Storytellers’ Signature Series; telling some of the great epics of the world at Rasputin’s Café, the National Arts Centre and best of all on the shores of Taylor Lake in Lanark Co.

Working with young people in schools and in community settings has been a critical part of Jennifer’s storytelling life. She has worked on the Ontario Arts Council’s Artists in Education roster, with Prologue to the Performing Arts, and the TD Canada Trust Canadian Children’s Book Week Tour.

JAN ANDREWS
Widely recognized as a storyteller who touched her audiences with the depth and power of her work, Jan traveled extensively, telling stories at festivals and concerts across Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States.

A committed member of the Canadian storytelling community, she was the first president of Storytellers of Canada-Conteurs du Canada (SC-CC) and founded the organization’s StorySave project. She also served as Artistic Director of two long-running Ottawa storytelling series, one at the Fourth Stage of the National Arts Centre.

In addition to founding MASC with Jennifer, Jan and Jennifer collaborated on the producing and performing in complete tellings of *The Iliad*, *The Odyssey*, and *The Mahabharata*. Jan told everything from folktales to literary stories, from epic to personal tales. She was a holder of SC-CC’s Story Keeper Award and had recorded two StorySave CDs. Always a groundbreaker, she toured *Written in the Body*, a show drawn from her life as a seventy-something lesbian with gender confusion.

Jan Andrews is the award-winning author of numerous books for children, including The Auction, The Very Last First Time, Stories at the Door and Rude Stories. She has been a Governor General’s Award finalist three times, was the founding president of Storytellers of Canada, and was appointed to the Order of Canada. Jan passed away in 2017.

Claudette Commanda, is Algonquin Anishinaabe from Kitigan Zibi. She has spent over 35 years advancing First Nations culture, rights, and education. A professor, leader, and speaker, she is CEO of two national organizations and recipient of the 2020 Indspire Award. Claudette is an important cultural advisor for MASC regarding our Indigenous programming.

Roslyn Bern is the President of the Leacross Foundation and has been a dedicated supporter of MASC since 2004. Her generous support is key to MASC’s history, present and future success. With her background as an educator, Roslyn has a profound appreciation for the transformative impact the arts can have on young minds. Each year, Roslyn takes time out of her busy schedule to attend the MASC Young Authors and Illustrators Festival. Roslyn’s passion for the arts and her deep understanding of their ability to shape children’s lives are evident in the meaningful connections she builds with both the students and the professional artists who bring their artforms to the festival.

Leacross Foundation’s mission is to educate women and children in society. They try to focus on opportunities for training at accredited institutions in the STEM fields to promote healthy economic independence. They also provide opportunities for creative and artistic endeavours.

Leacross Foundation believes that each individual can succeed, if only, with a little help along the way. They hope that women and girls can participate in whatever career they choose without discrimination or bias.

Bonnie Mabee’s teaching career spanned 28 years; her heart lay at D. Roy Kennedy where she taught for 17 years. Bonnie was a tireless supporter of MASC for over 30 years: as a teacher and once retired, the most enthusiastic volunteer one could ever hope for.

Louis Mercier is MASC’s longest-serving artist, with an impressive 32-year tenure. Over the course of his career, he has led more than 2,000 workshops and performances, impacting over 200,000 individuals.

L’habitant Voyageur Louis Mercier is an ambassador of traditional French Canadian music, having offered over 3000 performances across Canada since 1984. Louis comes from Maniwaki, Qc. a town 100 miles north of Ottawa. Louis’ family passed their traditions down to him throughout his childhood, providing his foundation of square dance, traditional percussion and music, toe dancing, playing the bones, wash boards, spoons and the comb. His passion for his culture led to more study of these life-long folkloric traditions, as well as becoming a teacher of High school mathematics. What motivates Louis is to tell us about our past, how it is alive in the present and how it will mark our future.

Colores Andinos is an original musical exploration into Latin-Andean fusion. Its members come originally from Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru and Canada. In each performance, Colores Andinos has captivated audiences because of its energy, talent and art, playing more than 20 wind, string and percussion instruments from modern and traditional Latin American heritage. But what makes Colores Andinos a unique group is its sound produced by the encounter of different multicultural roots, experiences and musical backgrounds that could only truly happen in Canada.