Biltmore Theatre to host 2022 Oshawa Music Awards

Published September 29, 2022 at 9:43 am

Hill Kourkoutis

The first woman to ever be nominated for and win a JUNO Award for Recording Engineer of the Year is being honoured tonight at the Oshawa Music Awards as the Industry Leader Award recipient.

The accomplishments of Hill Kourkoutis, a renowned producer, songwriter, composer, mixer, multi-instrumentalist, artist, mentor, and teacher who grew up in Greenwood in north Pickering, will be showcased at the Biltmore Theatre at the OMA’s fifth annual ceremony celebrating music in Durham Region.

Her production, mixing, and songwriting credits cover a broad roster of releases — from Leela Gilday’s JUNO-winning album, North Star Calling, Digging Roots’ Top 30-charting ‘SKODEN,’ Cassie Dasilva’s viral hit ‘Unsolicited Contact,’ to SATE’s JUNO- and Polaris Prize-nominated release, ‘The Fool’ — and she also co-wrote and produced the theme song and end-title song for Universal Kids’ Remy and Boo as well as Disney’s Dino Ranch.

As a musician, Kourkoutis has shared the stage with artists such as The Weeknd, Serena Ryder, Martha and the Muffins and Tara Slone, and was also the guitarist on stage for CTV’s The Launch’s house band.

“Hill’s accomplishments to date exemplify the essence of the OMAs’ Music Industry Leader Award,” said OMA Director Tony Sutherland. “Her work speaks volumes and no doubt will inspire rising stars in Durham Region, across the country, and around the globe.”

“We are thrilled to be recognizing Hill this year and welcome her to this illustrious group.”

For her part, Kourkoutis said she was “deeply honoured” to be this year’s recipient of the Music Industry Leader of the Year award. “Growing up in Durham provided me with an incredible start to my music career; it is where I took all of my music lessons, wrote my first songs, started my first bands, recorded my first demos, and received the support from my family, teachers, and peers that allowed me to follow my dreams.”

“The foundation that was established in the Durham community was integral to my growth as a creator, and I feel much gratitude to the OMAs,” she added. “Receiving this honour from my peers in my hometown where it all started means the world to me.”

In addition to Kourkoutis, the 2022 OMAs will honour artists across multiple categories — including Songwriter of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist or Band of the Year, Emerging Artist or Band of the Year, Single of the Year, Durham Song of the Year, Music Video of the Year, Music Producer of the Year and Music Teacher of the Year.

The 2022 Oshawa Music Awards will also once again distribute Lifetime Achievement Awards marking distinct work within the local community.

‍This year’s recipients are Durham Girl’s Choir and Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo fame.

Launched in 2018, previous Oshawa Music Award recipients include Shawn Mendes, Crown Lands, Tania Joy, Three Mile Islanders, Zaftig, Skye Wallace, Hollowsage, and Mogens Galberg; returning OMA winners Lindsay Schoolcraft and Gal George Gjurin are also up for 2022 nods.

Excuses Excuses are nominated in the Artist or Band of the Year category

NOMINEES:

Artist or Band of the Year

Excuses Excuses (“Far From Perfect”)

Jadea Kelly (“Driveway”)

Lindsay Schoolcraft (“New World”)

Single of the Year

Excuses Excuses (“Far From Perfect”)

Jadea Kelly (“Happy”)

Valdii (“3 Years (Casino Stereo Remix)”)

Songwriter of the Year

Cameron Tania (“Helium”)

Dead Defined (“Rise and Stall”)

Hunter Sheridan (“Ambrose”)

Music Video of the Year

The Crease Rule w/ Production Haus (“Ed Was Honest”)

Delon Om and BenAnthony Lavoz w/ Delon Om (“Delequente (Delinquinte)”)

BUSM w/ The North Brothers (“Smile”)

Emerging Artist or Band of the Year — Presented by Spark Centre

Anthony Brown (“This is Anthony Brown – EP”)

Cameron Tania (“Helium”)

Delon Om and BenAnthony Lavoz (“Delequente (Delinquinte)”)

Album of the Year

Tania Joy (“I Will Stand”)

Valdii (“The Mirror”)

Wayne Madder (“Unconditional”)

Durham Song of the Year — Presented by Durham Region Economic Development and Tourism

Cameron Tania (“Helium”)

Gal George Gjurin (“Shine”)

‍Music Producer of the Year — Presented by 360insights

Dsymphony (“Delequente (Delinquinte)”)

Gal George Gjurin (“Shine”)

Lindsay Schoolcraft (“Stolen Light”)

Music Teacher of the Year — Presented by Durham College

Amanda de Boer

Durham Girls Choir

Emily Snellings

‍The public was invited to vote for their favourites in each category, save for Music Producer of the Year and Music Teacher of the Year. Public voting at https://www.theomas.ca/ closed August 9.

The 2022 Oshawa Music Awards are presented by Durham Region Economic Development and Tourism, 360insights, Spark Centre, Trent University Durham GTA, and Durham College.

Greg Keelor was honoured by the OMAs this year with a Lifetime Achievement Award

 

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