In 2022, the 19th Valley Arts Award will be presented at the Festival Finale concert of the Deep Roots Music Festival.
2022 Valley Arts Award
The Deep Roots Music Cooperative is happy to announce Roger Taylor is the 2022 Valley Arts Award recipient. The Valley Arts Award stands in recognition of a person who has made a significant long-term contribution to the arts in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley.
Roger Taylor has often been lauded for his promotion of the arts and music in Nova Scotia including being awarded the Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship, Queen Elizabeth Medal, NS Department of Education Arts Education Award, Windsor Volunteer award, CTV Maritimer of the Week, and now the Deep Roots Music Cooperative’s 2022 Valley Arts Award.
This Windsor, NS resident graduated from the University of Bristol (UK) with distinction in musical composition. Since then, he has done work here in the Valley as a composer/arranger, conductor, music educator, and now is the music director at St John’s Anglican Church in Bedford.
We hurriedly arranged to present the Valley Arts Award to Roger Taylor at our Red Cross Benefit, when we knew that Hurricane Fiona was stealing our weekend. Roger Taylor was so gracious and warm – it felt great to honour a person who has done so much to build the music culture in the Valley.
As a music educator, Roger has taught both general and instrumental music (band and string instruments) at all levels, elementary, middle school, high school and university and has tutored for the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Roger has founded and conducted several choirs and instrumental ensembles; including the Hensley Chorale; the Valley Community Concert Band, the Dorian Hall Baroque Ensemble and the Four Seasons Orchestra (FSCO). He and his wife Nina also founded and directed Windsor’s Dorian Hall Academy of Music for over 26 years.
Roger continues to compose and arrange music for orchestra, band and choirs and has several symphonic pieces being considered for performance by orchestras in Canada and the United States.
Deep Roots is so pleased to be adding Roger Taylor’s name to the growing list of Valley Arts Awards.
The Valley Arts Award stands in recognition of a person (and sometimes, as in 2020, a team!) who has made a significant long-term contribution to the arts in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. Specific criteria to consider in nominating someone include that the person is or has been a local resident, and they have worked in development and/or promotion of Valley artists, arts events, or culture.
The Valley Arts Award was first presented in 2004 to Jack Sheriff, founder of Theatre Arts Festival International and the Kipawo Showboat Company. Other recipients of the Valley Arts Award include:
- 2021 – Maureen MacLean
- 2020 – Nancy and Fred Chipman
- 2019 – François Côté
- 2018 – Marlene Jackson
- 2017 – Ken Shorley
- 2016 – Keith Ross
- 2015 – Hughie McDonell
- 2014 – Darrin Harvey
- 2013 – Barbara Hansen
- 2012 – Brian Johnston
- 2011 – Marilyn Manzer
- 2010 – Chris O’Neill
- 2009 – John Kavanagh
- 2008 – Jim Morrow
- 2007 – Jack MacDonald
- 2006 – Chet Brown
- 2005 – Lee Lewis
- 2004 – Jack Sheriff
Nominations for 2023 can be submitted, in the form of a letter or e-mail, outlining particulars of the contribution the individual has made to the cultural life of the region, to:
Wendy Elliott – 39 Kent Avenue, Wolfville Nova Scotia, Canada B4P 1V4
Please provide two references, including both name and contact information. The Valley Arts Award is presented during the Deep Roots Music Festival (usually the last full weekend in September), at the Festival Finale on Sunday afternoon.