The East Coast Music Association (ECMA) appointed its new Chief Executive Officer, Blanche Israël, a Moroccan French Canadian cultural strategist and professional musician who has called Dartmouth, Nova Scotia home since 2019. She began her new role on Friday, March 1, 2024. Join East Coast DNA host Darcy Walsh for a chat with Blanche Israël as we approach ECMA 2024. Israël has had various roles in the arts sector and brings a unique blend of experience to the position. As a consultant for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, she developed a comprehensive Cultural Export Analysis, and for the Halifax Regional Municipality, she consulted on the Performing and Visual Arts Venues Needs Assessment. In addition, her work with Music Nova Scotia as a Board Member and her touring and recording experience with JUNO Award-winning artist Jeremy Dutcher, has provided Israël with a broad perspective and understanding of the music industry. Israël’s skills in strategic finance, partnerships, and understanding of legal requirements in arts organizations are further highlighted by her successful operation of proScenium Services. Through this venture, she generated over $10 million in public and private revenue and supported a wide range of artists and organizations. Israël is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Arts Management program, holding an Honours Bachelor of Arts. She has been recognized with numerous awards and bursaries, including the CultureNEXT Bursary from the Canadian Arts Summit and the Orpheus Prize in Humanities from the University of Toronto. “We are thrilled to welcome Blanche to the East Coast Music Association. Her diverse background and deep understanding of the Atlantic Canadian cultural landscape makes her an ideal leader for our organization,” says Debbie Mullins, Chair of the ECMA Board and elected representative from Cape Breton. “We are confident that Blanche’s innovative approach and passion for music will greatly contribute to the growth and success of our music community.” “I am deeply honored to lead the East Coast Music Association as its new CEO. This role combines my love for music and my commitment to cultural strategy in a region that has been my home and inspiration,” says Israël. “I look forward to working with our amazing artists and stakeholders to elevate Atlantic Canadian music and showcase our rich cultural tapestry to the world.” Under Israël’s leadership, the East Coast Music Association is set to embark on a journey of renewed growth and innovation, strengthening its position as a key player in the Atlantic Canadian music scene. www.ecma.com Opening music "Empire" by Michael S. Ryan accompanied by Blanche Israël on cello Closing music "Physios and Love" by The Public Service (George Woodhouse) accompanied by Blanche Israël on cello Subscribe to @eastcoastdna for more music + arts coverage throughout the year.

Join East Coast DNA host Darcy Walsh for a chat with Dyson Knight, Baha Men lead singer, as he releases a solo single through NSCC’s Music Business Program. At Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), everyone in the Music Department is aware of a Bahamian student who has achieved international fame in the music industry. Dyson Knight, integral member of Grammy award-winning group Baha Men (memorable for their international hit single Who Let the Dogs Out?), is enrolled in the college’s Music Production and Engineering program, and he is releasing his new single Feeling The Magic today. Knight ended up at NSCC due to a convergence of circumstances: “I went through a series of challenges post a near fatal car crash in 2021. I felt a strong need to reevaluate my life. One of the things I wanted to act on is my transition from being a frontline singer of Baha Men to taking a role as an engineer/producer/manager of the band. So, although daunting, I decided to move to Canada to study Music Production and Audio Engineering at NSCC in Dartmouth. I ultimately chose this school because it allows me to be with my older children who live in Halifax.” Knight has been mostly flying under the radar ever since he arrived in Canada, but that’s about to change, as he is set to make waves with the release of his new single Feeling the Magic. This release came out of a contest held every year by the Music Department at NSCC. The Producer Challenge is a competition in which Music Production students are divided into teams tasked with writing and recording a song in one week. The songs are then evaluated and judged by a panel of local music industry people, and this year’s first-place prize was to have the winning song be commercially released by NSCC’s Music Business class. This Music Business program, offered at the Ivany Campus in Dartmouth, NS, is a graduate certificate program, led by industry veteran Evan Newman. It began last year, where the inaugural class launched the Lulo Music Group. The team of producers which included Knight won the contest with a song called Feeling the Magic. The song was written and sang by Dyson, and because the finished product was a collaborative effort among students, it nudged Knight to explore avenues a bit outside of the Caribbean pop that has mainly been his calling card so far. The result was Feeling The Magic, a change of style for Knight, but still a reflection of his continued dedication to creating captivating music. The song is an upbeat funk-disco track with an infectious bass line that will invite you to dance. It has an encouraging and optimistic message, and it evokes positivity and carefree energy. Feeling The Magic is out today. Subscribe to @eastcoastdna for more music + arts coverage throughout the year

NOVAFest 2024: Back and Bold! Join East Coast DNA host Darcy Walsh for a chat with Kelsey and Willum on this year's events. NOVAFest is a month-long music festival celebrating local acts, held at venues across Halifax and Dartmouth, running April 23 to May 23 in 2024. This event is organized by the NSCC Music Arts, Production & Engineering and Music Business students. https://www.eventbrite.ca/cc/novafest-2024-3260249 00:00 Intro featuring Origami Workshop 00:15 Interview with Kelsey and Willum 24:29 Andre + Kelsey live The students of NSCC Ivany Campus are thrilled to announce that NovaFest will be returning in 2024 — the festival’s third consecutive year since its re-launch in 2022. NovaFest is a month-long music festival held at venues across Halifax and Dartmouth, running April 23 to May 23. This year’s NovaFest will be bigger and bolder than ever, featuring headlining acts: The Mellotones, Roxy and the Underground Soul Sound, Acid Wash, WolfCastle, Kayo, aRENYE, shanii22, BASYL, Noel Morgan and the Salty Groove, and Origami Workshop. Many of these talented, wave-making artists can trace the roots of their careers back to NSCC’s music programs, with their hard work laying the foundations for the successful careers ahead. NovaFest is organized by and showcases the talents of NSCC Ivany Campus students from the Music Arts, Music Production and Engineering, and Music Business programs. This festival provides a platform for these emerging artists, performers, and industry professionals to showcase the skills and talents they’ve spent the past one to two years honing under the tutelage of NSCC’s dedicated faculty. It also provides students with the practical experience of organizing and operating a large-scale event from the ground up. NovaFest bands will perform original music, standards, and covers, encompassing a wide range of musical genres such as rock, pop, jazz, R&B, latin, and funk. NovaFest will run shows all over Dartmouth and Halifax, with events in some of the cities’ most popular venues, including: Pacifico, the Oasis, Gus’ Pub, The Garden, Radstorm, Halifax Central Library, with a grand finale on May 23rd at the Light House Arts Centre for Spark Creativity. The festival will also include a massive collaboration with Halifax Regional Arts (formerly known as AllCity Music) which takes place from May 9th until May 11th at the Bellarose. The students of the Music Arts and Music Production and Engineering programs follow in the footsteps of the many talented alumni who are now prominent members of the Nova Scotian music industry, including Good Dear Good, Neon Dreams, Lindsay Misiner, and Modern Philharmonic. The Music Business students follow in the footsteps of last year’s immensely hard-working and successful crop of talent, which includes Music Nova Scotia’s “Emerging Industry Professional” award winner, Nik MacDonald. Inspired by the accomplishments of these alumni and given the reigns, this year’s team is ready to boldly continue the tradition of NovaFest, building on the work of those who came before them to: ● Deliver a shining preview of the promising future of Nova Scotia’s music scene ● Empower these students as some of them take their first steps into the Halifax music scene as artists and professionals ● Provide the region of Halifax and the province of Nova Scotia with a unique, exciting festival whose continued legacy will inspire excitement. NovaFest is a celebration of the creativity of the NSCC Ivany Campus community and students, and it promises to be an unforgettable experience for all who attend. With the wide variety of passionate voices, perspectives, musical genres, and venues participating in the festival, there’s sure to be something for everybody. We look forward to seeing you this spring! For more information on NovaFest 2024, including ticket sales, show lineups, and festival updates, please visit our official social media accounts, linked below: https://www.facebook.com/novafestofficial/ https://www.instagram.com/martsnovafest/ Subscribe to @eastcoastdna for more music + arts coverage from Canada's East Coast.