Performing Artists

A Northern Ontario Singer-Songwriter who has been making a name for himself in and around Sault Ste. Marie for the past year. His energetic acoustic shows and audience engagement have made him into one of the north's most accessible and unique up-and-coming acts. His passion for bringing live music to the Sault and surrounding areas is matched only by his commitment to bringing the highest quality solo act possible. Garnering a loyal following, he is certain to bring a warm, familiar, and joyful music experience to any celebration. 

I write songs, poems, fiction, and nonfiction, and have performed with guitar and voice for forty years. My nonfiction and poetry have been fairly widely published. Since 1993, I have released nine albums of original music. Three books of poetry have been published, most recently Even the Weapons (BuschekBooks, 2014). My writing has been published in The Globe and Mail, Relix, Contemporary Verse 2, The Dalhousie Review, Public Works Magazine, and many other publications. 

Renée Baillargeon is a bilingual actor, director, performer who has worked across Canada from the Victoria Symphony in B.C. to the Grenfel Players of Newfoundland and south in America from ArtPark in New York to the "Stage It" Festival in Florida. She was the Director of Playwrights Niagara from 2012 to 2021 when she moved to the Soo. A regular contributor to  wwwtheatreartlife.com and Tiny Theatre (Florida) She has been a working theatre faculty professor at several Universities including McMaster, Niagara University NY, Memorial Nfld and Brock University. She holds theatre degrees from the University of Windsor, the "Université de Paris III" and "L'Ecole Jacques LeCoq".

Founded in 1974, Algoma Festival Choir (AFC) is an adult, mixed-voice choir comprised of community members, and governed by an elected Board of Directors. AFC performs annual shows three times per year: twice during the Christmas season and once in the spring. The choir also partners with other music organizations and groups within Sault Ste. Marie, attends community events, and performs at various retirement homes. AFC is currently under the musical direction of Stephen Mallinger, with piano accompaniment provided by Michael Connell.

Holly is the owner of Language Artisan, a boutique language services provider that provides Portuguese to English translation, grant-writing, and copywriting.

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Her passion for language and writing started as a musician. Though she performs infrequently now, she started my career as a vocalist, performing jazz and Brazilian music in Portuguese. Holly has lived and performed in the US, Brazil, the UK, and moved to the Sault in 2022 with her partner, guitarist Matt Warnock.

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Holly has worked for over 12 years as an arts administrator in higher education, non-profit organizations, and music conservatories. At Lead Guitar, a charity that provides free in-school music education to low-income schools, Holly raised more than $2 million to support services to 6,250+ students across 6 U.S. states.

She would love to support local non-profit organizations, individual artists, and small businesses by writing persuasive grant proposals to help you thrive.

I am a passionate jazz guitarist and dedicated educator. I'm thrilled to guide online students on their jazz guitar journey at Matt Warnock Guitar.

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I've played over 2,000 gigs worldwide, including Canada, US, Brazil, England, France, Belgium, Latvia, Estonia, Nepal, and New Zealand. I've also shared stages with jazz greats like Slide Hampton, Darmon Meader of New York Voices, Stefon Harris, and Randy Brecker.

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But teaching has always tugged at my heartstrings. I taught my first jazz guitar lesson at 17, and it kindled a lifelong passion.

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Since then, I've led over 8,000 one-on-one lessons and 500+ workshops. I've also taught at institutions like Western Illinois University, University of Illinois, and Western Michigan University. The total? A whopping 12 million online students and counting.

I've dedicated my career to simplifying complex jazz concepts and breaking musical barriers. I hold degrees from McGill University (Bachelor's in Jazz Guitar Performance), Western Michigan University (Master's in Jazz Performance), and University of Illinois (Doctorate of Musical Arts). Each has shaped my understanding of jazz guitar and pedagogy.

I recently launched my debut solo jazz guitar album, "Homecoming." It reflects my 25-year journey back home to Northern Ontario. The album's tracks tell my story—reconnecting with my roots, family, and beauty of Northern Ontario.

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"Homecoming" is available on:

Spotify
Apple Music
Amazon Music 
YouTube

I'd be honored if you'd take a listen.

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Visit www.mwgcourses.com

I was in the Underground House Music Industry for around a decade, I have spun in the guvernment complex, Comfort Zone, Footwork (now Coda), Ryze, Lily and many other establishments in Toronto since 2006. I have multiple releases on Beatport and have worked beside many notable Canadian and International artists. I was picked up by Inc. Entertainment back in 2011, a very niche group of DJs in the city. I also ran a very popular after hours named Stacked Sundays. Looking to connect with like minded people. 

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