2011 Peoples Choice Awards

HAMILTON, CANADA (November 2, 2011): September Seventh Entertainment Limited and ArcelorMittal Dofasco today announced the nominees for the 2011 ArcelorMittal Dofasco Hamilton Music Awards. This year’s show will be held in the McIntyre Theatre at Mohawk College on Sunday November 20th and includes 125 nominations in 29 categories. Leading with the most nominations are Dinner Belles (6), Monster Truck (6), Blackie and the Rodeo Kings (5), Alfie Smith (4), Jeremy Fisher (4), Riddim Riders (4), Brian Melo (4), James Hoffman (4), JP Riemens and the Barflies (4), Whitehorse (3), Junior Boys (3), Rita Chiarelli (3), Sharon Musgrave (3), Yiannis Kapoulas (3), Finger 11 (2), Sarah Blackwood (2), the Creepshow (2), Amberley B. (2), Aerith (2), Brandon Pacheco (2), Dawn & Marra (2), Dave Gould (2), Matt Paxton (2), Nicole Christian (2), Rosanna Riverso (2), Susan Wylde (2). Please find a complete list of nominees below.

Songwriter, Ian Thomas, who is best known for writing hits Painted Ladies, Right Before Your Eyes, Hold On and Pilot will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s ceremony.

Music fans can cast their votes in seven People’s Choice categories through an online voting process that begins at 12PM today. Music fans have until Friday November 11th at 11:59PM to cast their votes by visiting www.hamiltonmusicawards.com. The People’s Choice categories include Elementary/Secondary Music Teacher of the Year, Post-Secondary Music Teacher of the Year and Independent Music Teacher of the Year, Musical Event of the Year, Canadian Recording of the Year (Sales over 10,000 units) and Local Group of the Year.

Hamilton Music Award Director, Jean-Paul Gauthier also announced the finalists for the 2011 ArcelorMittal Dofasco Rising Star Search, a showcase dedicated to aspiring new musical talent as part of the 2010 Hamilton Music Awards Festival. The finalists are:

• Allotrope – Parkside/Westdale/St Mary’s/Westmount/McMaster. Allotrope is a six-piece rock group which includes of Jackson Dorie, Adam Gorka, Pat Brown, Christian Gould, James Gould and Andy Song.
• Scott Archi - Pauline Johnson Collegiate. Brantford Scott is an emerging artist on Brantford’s rap scene. He has just finished recording his first demo.
• Sarah Bothello – Bishop Tonnos Catholic Secondary School. 2011 will be Sarah’s second performance in the Rising Star competition. Sarah released a CD in 2010 and continues to excel as a songwriter and performer.
• Alyssa Curto – University of Toronto. Alyssa is currently enrolled in her second year of a Bachelor of Music program at the University of Toronto. Alyssa is in the process of preparing for the upcoming Montreal International Music Festival in May 2012. Her accomplishments include winner Hamilton Teen Idol and winner of the Festival of Friends Talent Competition
• Finesse – Westmount Secondary School. Finesse is a quartet consisting of Julia Bobiak, Kathrin Chelekhova, Candace Walkes and Rosyln Witter. These four young ladies have performed in festivals and events around the world. All four singers are members of Westmount’s Glee Club.
• Illusion Avenue – Westdale Secondary School. This four piece rock band won the Rogers Rock and Roll Challenge. They have performed at clubs throughout Hamilton sharing the stage with Gord Lewis and Jack Pedler.
• Inner Volition – St. Mary Catholic Secondary School. Four piece rock band consisting of Brock Hewitt, Nate Manter, Alex Chiarelli, and Jake Hagey
• Jaclyn Kenyon – Waterdown High School. Jaclyn is a 14-year old singer and songwriter who has already begin collaborating with people like Mike Krompass (Natasha Beddingfield, Smashmouth) and Tom Jackson (Taylor Swift). Jaclyn has recently recorded 3 singles and is hoping to attract major label attention in the near future.
• Christina LeClair – North Park Collegiate, Brantford. Christina has already released her first single, Everyday Crazy. Rogers Centre and Canada’s Wonderland are among some of the venues where she has performed.
• MacKenzie Meyer – Ancaster High School. MacKenzie sings and is a multi-instrumentalist and has been training with vocal coach Ray Lyell for the past year.
• Brandon Pacheco – Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School. Pacheco has garnered over 600,000 hits on his various YouTube videos. He won the 2010 Hamilton Idol competition and has recently recorded a four song EP with songwriter/producer Rob Wells (Justin Bieber).
• Tyco – Pauline Johnson Collegiate, Brantford. Tyco is another young rapper from Brantford. Tyco has recorded a six-song EP and is looking to break onto the Canadian scene in 2012.

The event which is geared towards students has been introduced as part of the HMA’s commitment to developing new talent and ensuring Hamilton’s music legacy continues well into the future.

The ArcelorMittal Dofasco Rising Star Search event will take place at 8PM on Friday November 18, 2011 on the Festival main stage located in the McIntyre Theatre at Mohawk College.

Artists or groups selected to be part of the live showcase will be scored by a panel of music industry judges. Among other things, the artist or group that scores the highest will receive the following prizes:

• Recording session courtesy of Grant Avenue Studio
• Promotional photos courtesy of Kyle Weir Photography
• Publicity campaign courtesy of September Seventh Entertainment (producers of the Hamilton Music Awards)
• Feature story on the thespec.com website
• More prizes to be announced!!

The 2011 ArcelorMittal Dofasco Hamilton Music Awards, Festival and Conference take place over four days from November 17-20, at Mohawk College, Fennell Campus, in Hamilton, as well as venues in the downtown core.

Tickets for all Hamilton Music Awards events are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.ca, all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 1-855-872-5000. Tickets can also be purchased at Picks and Sticks, located at 140 Locke Street South in Hamilton. Tickets will also be available at the McIntyre Theatre at Mohawk College on show day only (subject to availability). Full event details are available throughout this website.

ArcelorMittal Dofasco is Title sponsor for the 2011 HMA’s. Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology is Presenting sponsor and host venue. The Hamilton Spectator, CHCH, Y108 and AM900CHML are Presenting media sponsors. Additional generous sponsors include Tourism Hamilton, Astral Radio/K-Lite FM, Burgeonvest Bick Securities, BMO Bank of Montreal, Hamilton Film & Television Office, The Corktown Pub, Grant Avenue Studio, Loveless Media, Long & McQuade Musical Instruments, Judy Marsales Real Estate, Kyle Weir Photography, PV Labs, Blue Line Taxi, MJM Productions and Studio 410. Community Partners include United Way and an Instrument for Every Child.

For information regarding volunteer opportunities and other event details, please visit the respective pages on this website. Other important details regarding the Hamilton Music Awards including festival schedule and Industry Award nominees will be announced later this week.

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For more information please contact:
Jean-Paul Gauthier
(905) 383-4005
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