Another Saint Johner to celebrate! Harbour View High School’s choir director, Mr. Christopher Lane, and the choir he performs with have earned national recognition through a 2026 JUNO Award nomination for their stunning recording Where Waters Meet.
The Canadian Chamber Choir, featuring Sherryl Sewepagaham, has been nominated for Classical Album of the Year (Large Ensemble) at the 2026 JUNO Awards. This nomination arrives exactly ten years after their first nod for Sacred Reflections of Canada, marking another milestone for this remarkable ensemble.
Artistic Director and lead producer Dr. Julia Davids describes Where Waters Meet as the culmination of meaningful relationships fostered over nearly a decade:
“Where Waters Meet represents deep, respectful, and caring relationships amongst exceptionally talented Canadian artists and creators. It demonstrates the incredible power of bringing together artists with diverse perspectives and stories… I am immensely grateful and forever changed by this project.”
This national recognition caps a multi-year creative journey that brought together performers, Knowledge Keepers, composers, and poets from diverse cultural and musical traditions—most notably celebrated Cree‑Dene composer and vocalist Sherryl Sewepagaham, whose artistic vision is central to the project.
Where Waters Meet showcases powerful and deeply meaningful works, including several by Cree artist Sherryl Sewepagaham—”Morning Drum Song,” “Kitôhpintin,” “Kitaskinahk,” “Nitohtamok Askîy,” “Heart of the Water,” and “Nipîy.” The album also features compositions by Hussein Janmohamed (“Sun on Water”) and Carmen Braden (“Where Waters Meet”), forming a rich musical landscape celebrating culture, place, and connection. The album takes its name from Carmen Braden’s five‑movement work, commissioned by the CCC in 2017 and developed through residencies across Canada from 2016 to 2023.
Honouring Indigenous Language, Culture, and Story
Sewepagaham reflected on the impact of hearing her family’s Cree language elevated on a national stage:
“I stand in awe, my heart soaring, to hear my family’s Cree language lifted so prominently by the Canadian Chamber Choir… This JUNO nomination affirms that positive change is not only possible but resonant, and that the Canadian choral field is growing more radiant and true by embracing the essential contributions of Indigenous composers.”
