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The Bach Elgar Choir (BEC) of Hamilton is a large concert choir established in 1946 as an amalgamation of the Elgar Choir (founded in 1905) and the Bach Choir (founded in 1931). The BEC is currently led by artistic director Alexander Cann.

The Polaris Music Prize was founded by Steve Jordan in 2006 and is awarded annually to the Canadian artist or group who creates the best full-length album. The mandate of the Polaris Music Prize has been likened to that of the UK’s Mercury Prize; all genres of contemporary music are eligible, and albums are judged on artistic merit rather than on commercial success. The winner is announced at the Polaris Music Prize Gala held each September in Toronto . The original cash prize of $20,000 was increased to $30,000 in 2011 and to $50,000 in 2015. Shortlisted artists have often performed at the Gala, which is broadcast live on CBC Radio 3 and YouTube.

Barbara Lally Pentland, composer (b at Winnipeg 2 Jan 1912; d at Vancouver 5 Feb 2000). One of the first Canadian composers to use avant garde techniques, she studied at the Juilliard School of Music, New York City, and the Berkshire Music Center, Mass.

Patrick Laurence Perry Wedd, organist-choirmaster, music director, harpsichordist, composer (born 4 January 1948 in Simcoe, ON; died 19 May 2019 in Montreal, QC). Patrick Wedd began his career as an organist-choirmaster at the age of 12. He held positions at churches throughout Southern Ontario, in Vancouver from 1970 to 1986, and in Montreal until his retirement in 2018. Wedd performed extensively in Canada and the United States. His recitals included premieres of works by Thomas Baker, Alex Pauk and Jerome Summers. He gave inaugural recitals on the first Casavant organ in Adelaide, Australia, and the Gabriel Kney organ at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall. As a composer, he had works commissioned by the Vancouver Chamber Choir, the British Columbia Choral Federation, the Vancouver Bach Choir and the Tudor Singers of Montreal.

Pentland, Barbara. Composer, pianist, teacher, b Winnipeg 2 Jan 1912, d Vancouver 5 Feb 2000; ATCM 1931, composition diploma (Juilliard) 1939, honorary LLD (Manitoba) 1976; honorary LL D (Simon Fraser) 1985.

Shadrach Kabango (a.k.a. Shad, Shad K.), rapper, singer, songwriter, radio host (born 18 July 1982 in Kenya). Witty, passionate and earnest, Shad is a Juno Award-winning rapper known for his sharp, socially conscious lyrics. His playful musical style blends rap and hip-hop with rock, R&B and other genres. In 2008 and 2010, the National Post named him the best rapper in Canada, and in 2013 CBC Music ranked him No. 2 in their list of the 25 Greatest Canadian Rappers Ever. Paste magazine hailed him in 2013 as “Canada’s most talented, genuine musical artist and one of the industry’s finest poets.” Shad has been nominated for the Polaris Music Prize four times (2008, 2010, 2014, 2019) and hosted CBC Radio One’s flagship talk show q from April 2015 to August 2016.

Barbara (Jean) Collier. Soprano, b Stratford, Ont, 27 Feb 1940; ARCT 1959, BA anthropology (Trinity, Toronto) 1962. She studied voice 1956-9 with Gordon D.

Barbara Custance. Pianist, teacher, b Vancouver 20 Jun 1909, d there 8 Apr 1985; LAB 1923, honorary ARAM 1948. After early training in Vancouver she went to England in 1924 on an AB scholarship, studying at the RAM with York Bowen, Claude Pollard, and Frederick Moore.

Barbara Jean Clark (b Woodcock). Choral conductor, teacher, singer, b Napanee, Ont, 9 Nov 1937; BA (Carleton) 1971, ARCT voice (Royal Conservatory of Music) 1973, hon LLD (Carleton) 2006.

Canadians composed thousands of songs between 1914 and 1918, many of which were intended for the home front. Hundreds of these songs were directly related to the First World War. Popular songs expressed themes such as patriotism, national identity, sentimentality and gender roles and expectations. While early songs stressed patriotism and images of an ideal soldier to encourage recruitment, sentimental songs became more popular by the end of the war, reflecting the loss and sacrifice of Canadians on the battlefront and at home. There was also a shift from songs that supported Britain and the British Empire to those that expressed a Canadian identity.

The Canadian Music Hall of Fame was established in 1978 by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) to honour individuals or groups who have made an outstanding contribution to the international recognition of Canadian artists and music. It is presented annually at the Juno Awards.

Barbara Franklin (m Perkins). Soprano, actress, b Regina 14 Jun 1929, d Toronto 15 Feb 2009; LRCT 1954, Artist diploma (Toronto) 1954.

Descendants of Russian immigrant tobacco farmer Yechiel (Ekiel) Bronfman and his wife, Mindel, members of the Bronfman family have owned and controlled huge financial empires built from the profits of the family liquor business (see Seagram). The best-known members of the family are Samuel Bronfman, founder of Seagram and president of the Canadian Jewish Congress (1939–62), and his descendants. Samuel’s wife, Saidye Rosner Bronfman, was an influential philanthropist who supported the arts in Canada and was awarded the Order of the British Empire for organizing work on the home front during the Second World War. Sons Edgar and Charles Bronfman ran Seagram for decades, while grandson Edgar Miles Bronfman Jr. oversaw the sale of Seagram to Vivendi. Charles was also co-founder of the Historica Foundation of Canada and Heritage Minutes, as well as chairman and principal owner of the Montreal Expos. His sister Phyllis Lambert is a well-known architect who founded the Canadian Centre for Architecture. Their cousins, Edward and Peter Bronfman (sons of Allan Bronfman), developed a financial empire in their own right. The family has given generously to several charitable organizations and been involved in the Canadian Jewish Congress and World Jewish Congress.