Showcase P.E.I. starts Sept. 30

Island artists to perform for music industry professionals

Music P.E.I. will be presenting the 12th annual Showcase P.E.I., the flagship business development event for P.E.I.’s music industry.

Since 2008, Showcase P.E.I. has helped create over $3,000,000 in work for Prince Edward Island artists.

Between Sept. 30 and Oct. 2, 24 Island artists will perform in 20-minute showcase sets for 50 music industry professionals who have been recruited from around the world. Delegates from Europe, the UK, U.S., Australia and Canada and representing festivals, venues, promoters and agencies, will see some of PEI’s top exporting and export ready artists perform.

The program also includes pre-arranged one on one business meetings and networking sessions. The showcases are for delegates only and are all about creating new business opportunities for the artists. Showcases will take place at various venues across P.E.I. including Victoria Playhouse, Trailside Music Café, The Mack, Watermark Theatre, Beaconsfield Carriage House and Peakes Quay.

Showcase P.E.I. also includes the Artist Exchange Program. This year Music PEI has partnered with Wales and will be bringing internationally touring duo Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita to P.E.I. They have been partnered with P.E.I.’s Acadian powerhouse Vishtèn.

Catrin, the former royal harpist for the Prince of Wales, is one of the UK’s most highly regarded harpists. Her playing partner Seckou Keita, originally from Senegal, is also considered one of the leading practitioners of the African kora. They have been steadily winning fans across Europe and the UK. This will only be their second time to perform in North America.

Members of Vishtèn have made their mark from France to Australia, Louisiana to England. For well over a decade, the power trio of twins Emmanuelle and Pastel LeBlanc along with Pascal Miousse have been bringing their brand of Acadian traditional music to audiences around the globe. Each an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, they bring a contemporary approach to both their original music and tunes that are hundreds of years old.

The Artist Exchange Program includes three days of collaborating, co-writing and recording between Vishtèn and Catrin and Seckou, a showcase during the conference and a public concert at the College of Piping in Summerside on Thursday, Oct. 3. Tickets are available at the College of Piping website.

Vishtèn will travel to Wales, England and Scotland in 2020 to showcase and tour with Catrin and Seckou as part of the exchange.