Western and the Juno Awards

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A number of Juno Award nominees, winners and past judges are connected to Western – as alumni, faculty and students. We're proud of our #purpleandproud Juno Award connections, and were honoured to be an integral part of the 2019 JUNO Awards when they were hosted for the first time in London, Ontario. 

Check out our list here and if we've missed anyone listed on the JUNO Awards' official listing, please contact Rachel Condie at rachel.condie@uwo.ca. 

Western Juno Award Connections

Updated March 19, 2024

Peter Brennan, BMus’75

  • Selected as a JUNO judge
  • In the early 1990s, Peter formed a rock/symphonic ensemble, known as Jeans 'n Classics which became known across the continent

Basia Bulat, BA'06 (English)

  • 2011 JUNO nomination – Best New Artist of the Year
  • 2014 JUNO nomination – Adult Alternative Album of the Year – "Tall Tall Shadow"
  • 2017 JUNO nomination – Adult Alternative Album of the Year – "Good Advice"
  • 2021 JUNO nomination – Adult Alternative Album of the Year – "Are You in Love?"
  • 2023 JUNO nomination – Adult Alternative Album of the Year – "The Garden" 

Patrick Cardy, BMus’75 (1953 – 2005)

  • 1992 JUNO Award nomination – Best Classical Composition – "Virelai"

T. Patrick Carrabré, MMus’83

  • 1990 JUNO nomination – Classical Composition of the Year – "Sonata No. 1, The Penitent"
  • 2009 JUNO nomination – Classical Composition of the Year – "From The Dark Reaches"

Duncan Coutts, BA’93 (Film)

  • Bassist for Our Lady Peace (OLP) since 1995
  • OLP has had 21 JUNO Award nominations and four wins
  • 1995 JUNO Award winner – Best Album Design – "Naveed"
  • 1998 JUNO Award winner – Group of the Year
  • 1998 JUNO Award winner – Blockbuster Rock Album of the Year – "Clumsy"
  • 2003 JUNO Award winner – Rock Album of the Year – "Gravity"

Julia Davids, BMusEd’95, BEd’96

  • Founding member and artistic director of the Canadian Chamber Choir
  • 2016 JUNO Award nomination (with Canadian Chamber Choir) – Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral Performance – "Sacred Reflections of Canada – A Canadian Mass" (featuring 17 Canadian composers whose works were curated by Davids)

Tony Dekker, BA'00 (English)

  • Leader of the indie folk band Great Lake Swimmers, he has also released two solo albums.
  • 2010 JUNO Award nomination (with Great Lake Swimmers) – Roots & Traditional Album of the Year (Group) – "Lost Channels"
  • 2013 JUNO Award nomination (with Great Lake Swimmers) – Roots & Traditional Album of the Year (Group) – "New Wild Everywhere"

Romina Di Gasbarro, BMusA’93 (Classical Guitar), Art Dip’94 (Voice)

  • 2020 JUNO nomination – World Music Album of the Year – "Risorgimento"

Allison Eagles, MMus’02

  • Featured on the Canadian Chamber Choir album,"Sacred Reflections of Canada – A Canadian Mass", nominated for a 2016 JUNO Award

The Elora Singers

  • 2023 JUNO Award nomination for Classical Album of the Year (Large Ensemble) with Radiant Dawn: Music for Advent and Christmas - singers included: Mitch Aldrich, BMus'09, Julia Barber, BMus'08, Katy Clark, BMus'13, Paul Grambo, MMus'06, Jennifer Krabbe, BMus'10, and Kate Wright (Gurnham), BMus'09.

Mike Gnocato, BA'15 (Popular Music Studies)

  • 2022 JUNO Award nomination – Album of the Year – “Wonder” by Shawn Mendes (Mike Gnocato, assistant mixer)
  • 2022 JUNO Award nomination – Pop Album of the Year – “Wonder” by Shawn Mendes (Mike Gnocato, assistant mixer)

Darren Hamilton, MMus’16

Tomson Highway, BMus'75, DMus'93

  • 2015 JUNO nomination – Aboriginal Album of the Year – The (Post) Mistress

Jay Hodgson (Don Wright Faculty of Music professor)

  • 2014 JUNO nomination – Electronic Album of the Year – "Graze, Graze" (New Kanada: NK 42)
  • 2016 JUNO nomination – Electronic Album of the Year – "Concubine, Concubine" (Independent)

Declan Hoy, MFA Candidate, Faculty of Arts & Humanities

  • 2021 JUNO nomination – Alternative Album of the Year – "Pity Party" by Curtis Waters (Declan Hoy, co-producer and co-writer)
  • Produced the SOCAN Viral Song Award winning "Stunnin'" by Curtis Waters

Joel Ivany, BMusA’04

  • Founder of Against the Grain Theatre
  • 2019 JUNO nomination – Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral – "Ayre: Live" (Joel Ivany, producer)
  • 2022 JUNO nomination – Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble – "Messiah/Complex" (Against the Grain Theatre with Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Johannes Debus)

Jeffrey King, BMusEd’93

  • 2007 JUNO Award winner (with the Hilario Duran Big Band) – Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year – "From the Heart"

Catherine Lippitt, MMus’00

  • Featured on the Canadian Chamber Choir album, "Sacred Reflections of Canada – A Canadian Mass", nominated for a 2016 JUNO Award

Simu Liu, HBA ’11

  • 2022 JUNO Awards host
  • 2023 JUNO Awards host

Loud Luxury featuring Joe Depace, BA’14 (Popular Music Studies) and Andrew Fedyk, BA’15 (Political Science)

  • 2019 JUNO nomination – Canadian Breakout Group of the year
  • 2019 JUNO nomination – Fan Choice
  • 2019 JUNO nomination – Single of the Year – "Body"
  • 2019 JUNO winner – Dance Recording of the Year – "Body"
  • 2020 JUNO winner – Group of the Year
  • 2020 JUNO nomination – Dance Recording of the Year – "I'm Not Alright"
  • 2021 JUNO nomination – Group of the Year
  • 2022 JUNO nomination – Fan Choice
  • 2022 JUNO nomination – Group of the Year
  • 2023 JUNO nomination - Dance Recording of the Year "These Nights" feat. KIDDO
  • 2024 JUNO nomination - Group of the Year
  • 2024 JUNO nomination - Dance Recording of the Year "Next To You" (feat. Kane Brown)

Laura Lee Matthie, BMus'94, BEd'95

George McAuley, BSc’96, BEd’98, MEd’10; Mark McAuley, BA'02, JD'18; and Randy McAuley, BA'08, BHSc'12, JD'15

  • Members of the McAuley Boys, along with Ronald (Gary) McAuley
  • 1997 JUNO Award nomination (with The McAuley Boys) – Best R&B/Soul Recording – "In Another Lifetime"

Kevin McMillan, BMus'83

  • 1989 JUNO Award nomination – “Songs of Britten and Vaughan Williams” (John Greer, piano; Marquis Records)
  • 1992 JUNO Award nomination – “Lieder on Poems of Heinrich Heine” (Michael McMahon, piano; CBC recording)
  • 1994 JUNO Award nomination – "Franz Schubert: Schwanengesang" (Lev Natochenny, piano; Marquis Records)
  • 1996 JUNO Award nomination – Best Classical Album (Vocal or Choral Performance) – "Bach: Secular Cantatas" (Les Violons du Roy, Conducted by Bernard Labadie; Dorian Recordings)
  • 1998 JUNO Award nomination – "Exquisite Fires, Bouchard: Songs for an Acrobat" (National Arts Centre orchestra, Conducted by Trevor Pinnock; NAC Recordings)

Victoria Meredith (former Associate Dean of Music and Professor Emerita)

  • JUNO judge

Elizabeth Mitchell, BMusEd’05, PhD'19 (Music Education)

  • Featured on the Canadian Chamber Choir album, "Sacred Reflections of Canada – A Canadian Mass", nominated for a 2016 JUNO Award

Stephan Moccio, BMus’94

  • Artist, composer, performer, producer, arranger, and conductor
  • 2016 JUNO Award winner – Album of the Year – "Beauty Behind The Madness" by The Weeknd (Stephan Moccio, multiple credits, from keyboards to co-writing)
  • 2023 JUNO Award nomination - Instrumental Album of the Year - Lionheart

Charlotte Nediger, BMus’79, MMus’83

  • Principal keyboard player for Tafelmusik since 1980
  • Tafelmusik has released over 80 CDs and has been awarded numerous international recording prizes, including nine JUNO Awards and more than 30 additional nominations since 1987

Kerri Ough, BMusEd’03

  • Member of The Good Lovelies
  • 2010 JUNO Award winner (with The Good Lovelies) – Roots & Traditional Album (Group) – "Good Lovelies"

Angela Park (Don Wright Faculty of Music assistant professor – piano)

  • Co-founder and member of piano quartet Ensemble Made In Canada (piano)
  • 2016 JUNO Award nomination (with Ensemble Made In Canada) – Classical Composition of the Year –"Piano Quartet" by Canadian composer John Burge
  • 2021 JUNO Award winner (with Ensemble Made In Canada) – Best Solo or Chamber Album – "MOSAÏQUE"

Nathan Piche, BMus’11 and Matt Piche, BMus’12, BEd’13

  • Brothers and members of Article One
  • 2009 JUNO Award nomination (as Article One) – Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year category – "Colours and Sounds"

Joe Phillips (Don Wright Faculty of Music lecturer – double bass)

  • 2018 JUNO Award nomination (with Jayme Stone) – Traditional Roots Album of the Year – "Jayme Stone's Folklife"
  • 2016 JUNO Award nomination (with Jayme Stone) – Traditional Roots Album of the Year category – "Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project"
  • 2009 JUNO Award winner (with Jayme Stone) – World Music Album of the Year – "Africa to Appalachia"
  • 2018 JUNO Award winner (with Jayme Stone) – Instrumental Album of the Year – "The Utmost"

Adrianne Pieczonka, BMus'85, DMus'12

  • 2007 JUNO nomination – Classical Album of the Year – "Adrianne Pieczonka Sings Wagner and Strauss"
  • 2011 JUNO winner – Classical Album of the Year – "Adrianne Pieczonka Sings Puccini"

Josh Ross, BA'17(Social Science)

  • 2024 JUNO nomination - TikTok Juno Fan Choice. Former Mustang football player Josh Ross is also set to perform at the Junos on March 24, 2024.

Michael Schade, BMus’88

  • 2007 JUNO award winner – Best Classical Album – "Mozart: Arie e Duetti" (with Russell Braun, Isabel Bayrakdarian, and the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, conducted by Richard Bradshaw; CBC Records)

Tesher (Hitesh Sharma, HBA’17)

  • 2022 JUNO Award nomination – Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Gary Slaight, BA’73 (English)

Scott St. John (Don Wright Faculty of Music consultant and chamber coach - violin)

  • 2011 JUNO winner (with his sister Lara St. John) – Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment – "Mozart"

Jeffrey Stokes (former Dean of Music and Professor Emeritus)

  • JUNO judge

Frazer Sundown

  • Current student in First Nations Studies at Western
  • Featured on Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie’s album Round Dance & Beats, which was nominated for a 2017 JUNO Award for Indigenous Music Album of the Year

Tafelmusik

  • Don Wright Faculty of Music members (and London Symphonia members) Joseph Lanza (violin) and Ron George (horn) performed with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir
  • 2017 JUNO Award nomination – Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble or Soloist(s) with Large Ensemble Accompaniment – "Beethoven Symphony No. 9"
Bry Webb, BA'02
  • 2002 JUNO Award nomination (as lead vocalist of Constantines) – Best Alternative Album

Sharon Wei, BMus’00 (Don Wright Faculty of Music professor – viola)

  • Co-founder and member of piano quartet Ensemble Made In Canada (viola)
  • 2016 JUNO Award nomination (with Ensemble Made In Canada) – Classical Composition of the Year –"Piano Quartet" by Canadian composer John Burge 
  • 2021 JUNO Award winner (with Ensemble Made In Canada) – Best Solo or Chamber Album – "MOSAÏQUE"

Thomas Wiebe (Don Wright Faculty of Music professor – cello)

  • 2022 JUNO Award nomination (with ARC Ensemble) – Classical Album of the Year (Small Ensemble) –"Klebanov: Chamber Works"
  • 2023 JUNO Award nomination (with ARC Ensemble) - Classical Album of the Year (Small Ensemble)
    "Hemsi: Chamber Works"

James Westman (Don Wright Faculty of Music lecturer – voice)

  • Recordings nominated for four JUNOS

Oliver Whitehead (Department of Modern Languages & Literatures adjunct professor)

  • 1985 JUNO Award nomination (with the Oliver Whitehead Quintet) – Best Jazz Album of the Year – "Free for Now"

Contact Information

Rachel Condie
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
519-661-3767
rachel.condie@uwo.ca