Manitobans will once again be well-represented at this year’s Juno Awards.
Nine musicians from across the province will be vying for some of the highest musical honours in Vancouver next month in various categories. Of these musicians, three of them are up for awards in the fine arts categories.
Less than a year after capturing the eleventh Juno Award of his career, James Ehnes will look to defend his title in the Classical Album of the Year: Solo Artist category. The pride of Brandon is nominated for his recording Williams Violin Concerto no. 1; Bernstein Serenade, which he released with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Stéphane Denève back in April. Ehnes captured the same award alongside Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra for Nielsen: Violin Concerto, Symphony no. 4.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s own Andrew Balfour is looking for his first Juno Award after being nominated along with Vancouver ensemble Musica Intima for their album Nagamo in 2023. This year, Balfour’s compositions are featured on Ispiciwin, the latest album by Calgary vocal ensemble Luminous Voices. They’re nominated in the Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble category.
Winnipeg classical music fans will also recognize the name of Kevin Lau on the Juno nominations list. The Hong Kong-born composer was the composer-in-residence with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra from 2021 to 2023, but his nominated collaboration sees him working on a smaller scale. Lau’s music was recorded by chamber musicians Scott St. John, Rachel Mercer and Angela Park on a record called Under a Veil of Stars, which is nominated in the Classical Album of the Year: Small Ensemble category.
Listen to all of the classical nominees for the 2025 Juno Awards here!
On the jazz side of the Juno Awards, Jocelyn Gould is nominated for the third time in her career. After winning Jazz Album of the Year honours back in 2021 for Elegant Traveler, the Winnipeg guitarist is back in the running with her new record Portrait of Right Now. The record features her partner in life and music, pianist Will Bonness, who also won this category in 2022.
Manitobans from across the province feature in other Juno Award categories. Niverville’s Jordan St. Cyr is looking for his second win in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year category for his latest record My Foundation, while Big Dave McLean – who won his first Juno Award back in 1992 – is nominated once again for Blues Album of the Year. Sebastian Gaskin from Tataskwayak Cree Nation, Brandon’s Boy Golden and The Secret Beach from Matlock are first-time nominees this year for Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year, Contemporary Roots Album of the Year and Adult Contemporary Album of the Year, respectively.
Check out all of the jazz nominees for the 2025 Juno Awards here!
Morden’s Loreena McKennitt, already a two-time Juno winner, is not only nominated for another award this year. Her live recording The Road Back Home is up for Traditional Roots Album of the Year, and she will also be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in May.
The 54th Juno Awards will take place on March 30 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, with Michael Bublé serving as host.