A Memorial faculty member and composer is up for two Junos at this year’s awards show.

Dr. Andrew Staniland, an associate professor of composition and electronic music with Memorial’s School of Music, received a Juno nomination for classical composition of the year, Dark Star Requiem.

“Happily surprised”

Dark Star Requiem also landed a nomination for classical album of the year for performers Tapestry Opera, Gryphon Trio and Elmer Iseler Singers.

“It’s amazing. I was very surprised to get one, let alone two . . . happily surprised,” said Dr. Staniland, who is putting the finishing touches on a ballet for the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, Ont., where the Juno hardware will be handed out on April 2.

Funding assistance

To make the contemporary classical album, Dr. Staniland received funding from the Office of the Vice-President (Research) as part of an annual program to assist School of Music faculty with music recording costs.

“The VPR recording fund is instrumental in helping Memorial music faculty to get their music out there,” he said. “When you want to record a CD, you pretty much have to bear the cost . . . it still remains an important way to disseminate your music.”

Memorial connections

Two other musicians with connections to Memorial were also nominated for Junos.

Memorial alumna and jazz singer, Heather Bambrick, received a nomination for vocal jazz album of the year for You’ll Never Know.

Former School of Music faculty member, Dr. Kati Agócs, was also nominated in the classical composition of the year category for the album The Debrecen Passion.

The 46th annual Juno Awards show is scheduled to air April 2.