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2024: Year of the Arts

MusicNL is the Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador!

Staff & Directors


Leonard Pecore, Interim CEO

Leonard is a Board Director with a focus on leadership, entrepreneurship, business development, governance, and an appreciation of interpersonal relationships. Leonard is a Corporate Director on several boards. The list features the Marine Institute of Memorial University’s Industry Advisory Board, the Institute of Corporate Directors Newfoundland Chapter, LearnSphere, the Atlantic Canada Aerospace & Defence Association (ACADA), and Genoa Design International Ltd.

Leonard graduated from Acadia University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts and joined the Canadian Military as a Naval Officer in 1987 where he completed 10 years service. Leonard founded Genoa in 1995 and retired from operations in 2022. He possesses a Diploma of Technology in Naval Architecture, a Master’s Certificate in Project Management, and is an ICD.D Certified Director. Leonard’s passion for music has lead him to his current role as Interim CEO of MusicNL.

leonard@musicnl.ca


Mariana Castro-Carvajal, Programs Manager

Regional Educational Coordinator, FACTOR

Mariana@musicnl.ca | 754-2574 ext. 4

Originally from Mexico City, Mariana is a musician and researcher graduated from the Ethnomusicology program at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Brandon University, Manitoba. As a pianist and singer, Mariana has conducted several children’s music projects and a seniors choir. She is a dedicated scholar and an enthusiast of the connections between music, belonging, and stories. With a passion for music and research, Mariana strives to learn ways in which music could contribute to social justice and change. She is thrilled to join the MusicNL team.


Talk to Mariana about: Funding Programs.

Book an Appointment HERE


Sarah Newell, Marketing and Communications Manager

sarah@musicnl.ca | 754-2574 ext. 3

Sarah is a musical artist originally from Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. She is a Memorial University Alumnus, having completed her Bachelor of Music in 2018 and her Bachelor of Music Education in 2020. Sarah has been working in the music sector for over 7 years and is currently the co-lead vocalist and saxophonist of the alternative pop band, With Violet. Sarah wears many hats in her professional life. You may find her in a studio teaching saxophone, or centre ice at Mary Browns Centre where she is the in-stand host for the Newfoundland Growlers Hockey team. 

Sarah’s history in the arts paired with her passion for business gives her a unique approach to any project. 

Talk to Sarah about: Newsletter items, marketing, events, New Music Friday, and opportunities.

Book an Appointment – sarah@musicnl.ca


Manizheh Mohammadi, Project Coordinator

manizheh@musicnl.ca | 754-2574 ext. 5

Manizheh is a commercial expert with over eight years of experience in import and export with an extensive international shipping background. She completed a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management. Manizheh is originally from Iran and recently moved to Canada. She is really hard working and truly believes that practice makes perfect.

She is really interested in art, especially music, and believes that music is a universal language that connects nations all over the world.


Talk to Manizheh about: Booking inquiries for Play on Gower (Gower Street United Church) and to connect with HarbourVOICES! staff.

Book an Appointment – manizheh@musicnl.ca


Ben Champman-Smith, Youth Ventures Project Coordinator

Toronto born Ben Chapman-Smith is a Musical Artist / Music Educator / Audio Engineer. Ben has been working in the music industry in one capacity or another for more than a decade. He cut his teeth in Toronto playing with a slew of bands and as a solo act, working as a music teacher, and as a promoter / booker before moving to St John’s Newfoundland in 2018. Since then Ben has graduated CNA’s Sound Recording and Production program, worked as the musical director of School of Rock, received public recognition for his work in bands like The Order of The Precious Blood, and Slowpoke, and much more.

Helping others reach their musical goals has always been a calling for Ben and he is grateful to MusicNL and excited for the opportunity to contribute to Newfoundland’s music Industry. 

Talk to Ben about all things Youth Ventures!

ben@musicnl.ca


Becky Davis, Export Coordinator, Canadian Folk Music Awards

Becky has been involved in the creative community in NL. After graduating from University of Kings College/Dalhousie Theatre program, Becky worked as a Stage Manager with several productions through Resource Centre for the Arts at the LSPU and also touring with several productions across NL. She left her home province to pursue other opportunities and made Yellowknife, NT her home for 15 years. In those years she emersed herself deeply in the Northern arts community, acting in short films, and children’s theatre productions. She sat on the selections commitee for a number of years for Folk on the Rocks (Yellowknife’s summer music/arts festival) where she also performed as a musician and volunteered as an emcee. She produced and stage managed numerous musical tribute concerts, in which she also performed, and was part of the Snowking Winter Festival crew as a builder and coordinator. She has worked in many different fields supporting and coordinating for local businesses in the North. Upon her return to NL, Becky has become a member of IATSE 709 gaining her hours in the LX department, working in film and television.  Becky is excited for this new opportunity as she has always personally supported the local music industry, and is eager to grow within MusicNL  to provide professional and nurturing support for artists.

becky@musicnl.ca


Angela Warren, Festival Manager, HarbourVOICES!

Angela Warren is the K-9 classroom music teacher, choir director and drama specialist at Lakecrest Independent School in St. John’s, Newfoundland, a member of the Shallaway faculty and the owner and operator of Cantabile Vocal Enrichment Studio. Receiving a Master of Arts in Music Education, with a concentration in choral conducting, and a Mastery Certification in Orff Pedagogy from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, Angela also received her Bachelor of Music and Music Education Degrees from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

As active presenter and clinician for national, provincial, and local music conferences, Angela is passionate about offering workshops in the Orff-Schulwerk pedagogy to music teachers in the K-6 setting. Angela is also the co-author of  two music education resource books for the elementary music classroom: The Book Tree and Riddle I Day. In her free time Angela enjoys hiking, travelling, cooking, spending time with her puppy, Molly, as well as well singing in the internationally acclaimed choir Lady Cove.

Angela is very excited to be working with HarbourVOICES! this year as Festival Director and looks forward to welcoming the choral world to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Talk to Angela about: HarbourVOICES! International Festival of Collective Singing Traditions

info@harbourvoices.ca


Kerri MacPhee, Project Manager, HarbourVOICES!

Dr. Kerri MacPhee is a musician, conductor, teacher, and administrator who holds degrees from Texas Tech University, Memorial University, and Mount Allison University. Dr. MacPhee was the first RBC Emerging Artist Resident Conductor of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and is a founding-member and current Communications Officer for the Newfoundland and Labrador Band Association. She is currently the Musical Director for the Tenacious String Orchestra in St. John’s, NL.

An avid administrator and project manager, Kerri enjoys the multifaceted challenges of large scale arts projects. In 2018, she was the producer and project manager for “…float… Sight & Sound” an immersive outdoor arts experience with visual installations, live actors, and exquisite choral music, administered by Choral Canada, Jillian Kieley, and Shawn Kerwin, Co-Creators.

In her musical life, Dr. MacPhee has enjoyed many conducting and adjudicating placements, particularly during her time completing her doctorate at Texas Tech University, and as a staff member of the 400-person Goin’ Band from Raiderland marching band. She is also a Lieutenant(Navy) in the Canadian Armed Forces, and is active leader in the cadet music and marching band programs. Kerri has also been an Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador since 2016. 

Talk to Kerri about: HarbourVOICES! International Festival of Collective Singing Traditions

manager@harbourvoices.ca


Directors

Nigel Jenkins
Chair

Nigel Jenkins is a graduate of the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, with a Certificate in Entertainment Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. Nigel is an artist manager and record label owner based in Steady Brook, NL. Through his company, Laughing Heart Music, Nigel has worked with artists like Classified, Heather Rankin, Ben Caplan, Hillsburn, The Lytics, and many others as a manager, label owner, and consultant. Nigel has sat on the boards of the Halifax Pop Explosion Music Festival and the Halifax Urban Folk Festival. He was nominated for the 2019 East Coast Music Award for Artist Manager of the Year and the 2018 Nova Scotia Music Week Artist Manager of the Year Award. 


 Mary Beth Waldram

Vice Chair

While working in the music industry for the past thirteen years, Mary Beth Waldram has organized and supervised large-scale events, created successful grant proposals, and helped artist’s both in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Mary Beth is a graduate of Memorial University’s School of Music and NSCC’s Music Business Program. Afterwards going on to work with many Atlantic Canadian music festivals including Halifax Pop Explosion and Lawnya Vawnya and The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, managing bands and booking tours for Atlantic Canadian artists. Mary Beth currently resides in St. John’s Newfoundland currently working with Lawnya Vawnya, NL Folk Festival and many local artists. 


Derrick Sturge

Treasurer 

Derrick Sturge is the owner of St. John’s, NL-based Pharos Music Inc. Derrick is a graduate of the Music Business program at The Berklee College of Music in Boston, holds the Chartered Accountant (CA) and Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designations, and an MBA from the University of Durham.  Derrick has been a drummer for many years and has experience recording and playing live. Through Pharos Music, Derrick provides artist management, business, and label services to a diverse group of independent artists in the country, pop, folk, jazz, and rock genres.

Derrick is a Member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of Music NL. Derrick is also a member of the East Coast Music Association, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), the Music Managers Forum of Canada, the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA), Friend of The Guild of Music Supervisors of Canada, and The Recording Academy’s Grammy U – Nashville Chapter.

Derrick / Pharos Music were nominated by Music NL in 2022 and 2023 for “Industry Professional of The Year”, in 2022 for “Company of The Year”, in 2023 for “Event of The Year” and in 2023 Derrick was nominated by the ECMA for “Artist Management of The Year”.


David Smallwood
Director

What do you do when you retire from a business you’ve owned for twenty odd years? You start a new career of course. My life has taken me from being President and Founder of Academy Canada to research for the Forestry Sector to CEO of the Rotary Arts Centre. Along the way I’ve been involved in raising money for our 1999 Canada Winter Games, to being Event Chair of the ECMA event hosted by the City of Corner Brook in 2009, along with a 40 year career on the Board of Directors of Theatre Newfoundland Labrador and other community and government organizations.  

In 2012, the late Tina Dolter and myself dreamed a dream of a new arts facility for our city. By 2015 we were able to open the Rotary Arts Centre and it is that facility and its programming that has brought me to this new position as a Board member of MusicNL. A challenge for sure but as with most things in our arts’ communities, a lot of fun.


Krista Vincent

Krista Vincent started her musical career in the town of Lewisporte, NL. She went on to become a dedicated specialist in the performance and interpretation of contemporary music, with a career spanning three continents as pianist, composer, educator, adjudicator, and arts administrator. Krista holds music and ethnomusicology degrees from McGill University, the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and Memorial University. From 1999-2007 Krista was based in the Netherlands where she was active as an electronic music composer and performer. She has held arts management roles with Canberra International Music Festival in Canberra, Australia, Kittiwake Dance Theatre, Kiwanis Music Festival of St. John’s, and was the Executive Director of the Tuckamore Festival from 2014-2023. She is currently working in a policy role for the Government of NL and an MBA candidate at Carleton University, Ottawa. 


Lindsey Wareham
Director

Lindsey is a lawyer and registered Canadian trademark agent practicing with Cox & Palmer in St. John’s. Lindsey graduated in 2016 from Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. Her practice focuses on general commercial law and intellectual property law matters, serving clients across a broad range of industries, including technology, hospitality and the arts. Before practicing law, Lindsey practiced classical piano performance and received her B. Mus (Hons) from Memorial University in 2012.


Ayon Shahed

Director

Ayon is strategic leader with over 10 years of experience in the health, housing, technology, social enterprise, homelessness, and public policy arenas. With extensive strategic planning and facilitation experience, Ayon brings a critical focus to ensuring strong communication and inclusive spaces that embrace divergent and convergent thinking. He is currently supporting the growth and impact of community care initiatives and actively developing an innovation pipeline for new ventures. He has also served on a range of boards and committees, including the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, the St. John’s Tool Library, and the City of St. John’s Affordable Housing Committee; he is currently the Chair of Housing Committee for the Catherine Donnelly Foundation and a member of MusicNL’s strategic planning team. Earlier this year, Ayon completed the Strategic Innovation Programme at the Oxford University Saïd Business School. In 2015 he was named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 Under 40, and in 2019 he received an Engineering Excellence Award from Queen’s University. 


Heather Stamp-Nunes

Director

Heather is founder of Leadership Matters Inc, an executive coaching and organizational development firm based in St. John’s, NL specializing in strategic planning, governance and leadership strategy, executive coaching, group facilitation and mediation. Heather’s leadership practice is built on deep academic training, executive certifications, and over 20 years’ experience as a manager, consultant, and executive leader in strategy, people, and organizational development. In addition to her governance, strategic planning, executive coaching, facilitation and conflict resolution work, Heather is an instructor in the Marine Studies Master’s Program in the School of Ocean Technology at Memorial University’s Fisheries and Marine Institute, as well as a frequent instructor in the Centre for Higher Education Research and Development Program at the University of Manitoba. She is a business graduate of St. Francis Xavier University, holds a MEd from Memorial University, a Masters of Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors at the University of Toronto. Currently, Heather serves on the boards of TFNL and the ADR Atlantic Institute. She has served on other boards at the province and national level including St. John’s Board of Trade, ICF Atlantic and the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education.