Congratulations to Reed Hammond, the first recipient of The Karen Joy Minish Memorial Award for Vocal Excellence!
Reed began performing in theatre productions at the age of 4. Always drawn towards the stage, she has been performing in vocal and theatrical settings throughout her life. Reed attended Central Memorial High School in the Choir program, performing in the Concert Choir and the auditioned Chamber Choir. This included participation at festivals in Banff and Whistler and a 10-day tour through Europe, including participation in the Young Bohemia Festival in Prague and the Bach Birthday Celebration at St. Thomas Cathedral in Leipzig.
Reed is currently completing the final year of her Bachelor of Music in Integrated Studies, studying under the guidance of Julie Harris and Dr. Laura Hynes. During her studies, Reed performed for four years with the University of Calgary Chamber Choir under the direction of Jean-Louis Bleau and Kathryn Parrotta. She also performed in the Collegium Musicum early music ensemble for the 2021 Fall and 2022 Winter seasons. Reed has participated in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) annual Songfest (2021, 2022, 2023) and the Contemporary Showcase Calgary (2023). Reed completed a Junior Recital in March 2022, marking the completion of her four-year practicum in vocal studies. In 2022, Reed received the Don Wright Award in Vocal and Choral Performance.
I am incredibly grateful and proud to have received the Karen Joy Minish Scholarship. It has been massively encouraging to receive this support during my academic and artistic journey. It is inspiring and highly motivating to see support for people in the arts sector and encourage people in our community to pursue their artistic endeavours. We constantly hear of the world's "artistic hubs", and though Calgary is not a name that often comes to mind for said list, this new scholarship and the Firebird Ensemble show that our community has value and passion and is continuing to grow. I am incredibly honoured to be the recipient of this scholarship. I find myself freshly inspired and eager to be a part of the artistic community in Calgary. thank you so much for this support and encouragement!
Reed Hammond
Reed is currently completing the final year of her Bachelor of Music in Integrated Studies, studying under the guidance of Julie Harris and Dr. Laura Hynes. During her studies, Reed performed for four years with the University of Calgary Chamber Choir under the direction of Jean-Louis Bleau and Kathryn Parrotta. She also performed in the Collegium Musicum early music ensemble for the 2021 Fall and 2022 Winter seasons. Reed has participated in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) annual Songfest (2021, 2022, 2023) and the Contemporary Showcase Calgary (2023). Reed completed a Junior Recital in March 2022, marking the completion of her four-year practicum in vocal studies. In 2022, Reed received the Don Wright Award in Vocal and Choral Performance.
I am incredibly grateful and proud to have received the Karen Joy Minish Scholarship. It has been massively encouraging to receive this support during my academic and artistic journey. It is inspiring and highly motivating to see support for people in the arts sector and encourage people in our community to pursue their artistic endeavours. We constantly hear of the world's "artistic hubs", and though Calgary is not a name that often comes to mind for said list, this new scholarship and the Firebird Ensemble show that our community has value and passion and is continuing to grow. I am incredibly honoured to be the recipient of this scholarship. I find myself freshly inspired and eager to be a part of the artistic community in Calgary. thank you so much for this support and encouragement!
Reed Hammond
