It’s an honour that Stonehouse Sound was nominated for a 2019 Nova Scotia Music Award for Recording Studio of the Year! Every year during Nova Scotia Music Week, Music Nova Scotia awards artists and industry in a variety of categories. I attended the awards ceremony (for the first time) this year in Truro, NS. It was a heartwarming event with many of Nova Scotia’s music talent pool in attendance. The sense of community (and humour) was fully on display. Joel Plasket’s studio, New Scotland Yard, won in the category I was nominated in, however I did think up a few words to say if by chance I had won. So here it goes!
“Hi! My name is John Adams, and I’m Stonehouse Sound. I’ve been active in this business of music recording for close to 35 years now. Yup, I just seriously dated myself. Stonehouse Sound was conceived in New York City, realized in Toronto, re-located to Banff, Alberta, then finally landed in Nova Scotia in 2011. Operating in Nova Scotia has allowed me to make my dream come true: to have a studio which didn’t share a wall or ceiling with the room I slept in. It also brought me closer to a community of musicians which is chock full of talent. It feels really wonderful to be recognized by that community of artists and music professionals for my participation in our small but world class music industry out here. Thank you Music Nova Scotia. Thank you Erin Donovan and my kids Norah and Grace for enabling me to make my dream come true. Thank you to all the artists who have come to me with their dreams and entrusted me to help bring them to light.”
2019 has been a busy year for Stonehouse Sound with a wonderful variety of music being recorded in house and on location. Our studio works on a wide range of projects from folk to pop to classical to experimental. Some of the talent which has been through our doors (actually and virtually) in 2019 are Paul Halley, Jennah Barry, Carmen Braden, Joel Miller, Papilio, Colin Nealis, Glenn Patscha, Capella Regalis, Sam Wilson, The Northern Pikes, Geoff Arsenault, Mathieu Gaudet, Robert DeMaine, Peter Takács, Norman Adams, Brandon Auger, Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, King’s College Chapel Choir, Atlantic String Machine, Jérôme Blais, suddenly LISTEN, Eileen Walsh, 5th Wind, Symphony Nova Scotia and many more.
Of course we are often on the road recording music where is sounds best. Highlights include Joel Millers upcoming release “Unstoppable” (Studio Piccolo in Montreal) , Mathieu Gaudette’s Volume 1 of the complete Schubert Piano Sonatas (Palaise Montcalm, Quebec City) and Carmen Braden’s “Songs of the Invisible Summer Stars” (Acadia University Festival Hall).
2020 is shaping up to be another exciting year with sessions in Toronto with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, a new studio recording of Jérôme Blais’ “mouvance” with Suzie LeBlanc, and continued work on an exciting new project with The Northern Pikes.
My next session story will talk about how Stonehouse Sound was approached to record all of the Schubert piano sonatas… that’s 12 CDs in total! Stay tuned!