Midland Makes Music

On this episode of Midland Makes Music we’re joined by singer and songwriter Emma Reynolds. She’s currently studying Musical Theatre Performance at Sheridan College, where she enjoys taking classes on singing, dancing, and acting all day long.

Recently, she was asked to perform at a couple of seniors' homes. The past two years have been especially difficult for the senior community, and she wanted to bring joy to the healthcare workers and the residents. She would set up outside under a tent and sing, if only to provide them with a break in routine and 30 minutes of an enjoyable experience.

Emma has been singing and dancing since she was very little, but it was an opportunity to see Wizard of Oz as a child that attracted her to musical theatre. She loves how music theatre brings together her favourite disciplines: singing, dancing, and acting. The next year, she auditioned for Annie. Following this, she’s made many happy memories performing in various roles, some of which have been alongside her brothers and sisters.

Toronto is much busier and bustling than Penetang, so busking in downtown Toronto is an experience Emma looks back on fondly. She also plays at various farmers markets, restaurants, coffee shops, and festivals in different areas around Midland, Barrie, and Toronto. Every opportunity has helped her learn more about herself and her music.

Emma has recently started writing and composing her own music, and she finds it’s an expressive way to relieve stress. Emma also plays various instruments such as the guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, and the mandolin, which she incorporated into her recently released album titled No Looking Back. The best place to learn more about Emma and her music is her Instagram where she shares updates and new music regularly.

Find out more about Emma Reynolds:

Today we’re joined by Joelle Kontos. She has participated in the The Midland Y's Men's Music Festival most of her adolescent life, beginning in childhood. Joelle has always loved to sing, and this inspired her to pursue her studies of Opera at Western University. She gained her Bachelor of Music in Performance and a Master’s in Performance and Literature.

For all six years of her academic career, Joelle studied under Jaclyn Short. Although she went into her schooling confident in her singing abilities and music theory, her love for operatic singing was really built up over time at university. For the first two years she focused on technique, and jumped into performing during year three.

Joelle has poured a lot of energy into learning other languages inside and outside of the classroom to be able to fully develop her skills in opera. If she had to choose a favourite composer, she would have to say Bizet. She’s always felt drawn to French composers, perhaps due to her French heritage.

Outside of lessons and rehearsals, Joelle makes time to sing on her own for at least one hour each day. Then, of course, there is plot study, language study, diction, and more to work on. The only way to hone your skills in music is to practice, so Joelle emphasizes investing time if you want to be your best.

Over the last two years, Joelle has been restricted in opportunities to both travel and perform. She’s used this time to focus on her training and better her skills. She also took a few months off of singing for vocal rest. She’s looking forward to upcoming auditions and programs she can enter once again.

Find out more about Joelle Kontos:

Today we are going to be talking with Dylan Lock, a well-known musical artist in the Midland area. He reveals a lot about the beginning of his music journey, which began at a young age, to where he is in his career now as a serious songwriter and performer.

Dylan first got into music at a young age, and initially he was drawn to the piano. He would listen to music tapes, learn the part, apply it, and then refer back to the tape and continue on. He has always enjoyed playing by ear, and still does to this day. After high school, he started playing in bars and restaurants full-time.

He is specifically skilled on the keyboard, but he’s also comfortable playing the guitar, harmonica, and the drums - and even possesses an accordion, which he would like to be better at playing. He’s willing to try any instrument he’s willing to get his hands on.

Over time, the places that Dylan has found information have varied. All of the songs he writes have come together from many different influences, especially what he grew up listening to. He’s been writing a lot of original music and will be releasing plenty for years to come.

Dylan believes the future of his music includes recording, producing, and doing all the behind-the-scenes work as an artist himself. He has taught himself a lot about musical engineering and producing, and a benefactor who wrote him a cheque that helped him bring his studio to life. Now he’s ready to get into writing mode and start creating.

Find out more about Dylan Lock:

Today we are going to be talking to Marg Raynor, founder of the Metis folk band the Red Hot Stove Pipe Band. Marg joins us to discuss the Metis cultural connection in Ontario.

The name of the band came from the fact that, in their practice area workshop, there was a wood stove. The name just stuck. The band began when two distant cousins, Marg and Basil, met for the first time and shared music with each other. The feeling was comfortable, like being at a kitchen table. The band itself is those two cousins at its core, with the occasional guest appearance by other musicians.

A large contingent of the Metis people had worked with the British in the war of 1812 and made their way to the area as one of the earliest groups of people. The main influences in Metis music are sounds like the fiddle and hand drum from the French influence and drumming on the Native side.

When it comes to special venues, Marg recollects when the band played at the home of Louis George Labatte, built in the 1800s and standing at Thunder Beach. The band held an event at Thunder Beach, a rendezvous, in the area and were able to arrange for that house to be open to the public.

The pandemic put a halt to the lineup of summer gigs the band had lined up in the summer of 2020, but throughout the crisis, Marg and Basil have continued to create. They were able to participate in virtual live events and also have appeared on multiple French radio stations. Looking to the future, the band has begun performing again and is looking to spread the word through the Metis community.

Find out more about the Red Hot Stove Pipe Band:

Welcome to the Midland Makes Music podcast. In our first episode, we are going to be talking to Nicole Lefaive, a member of Ariko in the Lafontaine area of Ontario. Nicole joins us today to discuss how the band got started and the genres their music encompasses.

Ariko is a family band. Nicole’s father was a music teacher in the area, and she and her two sisters would join him on stage to perform. When Nicole was in elementary school, they began to get their own gigs as a band. They would play all over the area, performing traditional French-Canadian songs, and expanded their repertoire over time by writing their own music.

When it comes to musical influences, it isn’t bands that have influenced their sound, it’s genres. From bluegrass to jazz to traditional French-Canadian, all these sounds and genres combine to create the sound of Ariko.

For Nicole, the band’s greatest achievement was performing a showcase at the Contact Ontario event. Going in, they never thought much would come from it, but they ended up winning a prize that allowed their band to tour schools around Ontario. Being able to show children traditional music they had never heard before was a highlight. A few years ago, the band played at the Mariposa Folk Festival, which Nicole had been going to since she was young. She touts this as one of her favourite venues that she has played at.

Due to the pandemic, the band has been performing a lot less. They did do some virtual performances, which are still fun, but the atmosphere isn’t the same. As for the future, the band has lots of new music and is hoping to record it soon.

Find out more about Ariko: