Music Publishers Canada Announces 2021 Award Recipients: Diane Pinet (Bloc-Notes Music), Fanshawe College Music Industry Arts Program
Toronto, ON – Music Publishers Canada is proud to announce the latest recipients of its Music Publishers Canada 2021 Publishing Company Legacy Award , and its 2021 Industry Builder Award which celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of major figures in the Canadian music publishing industry.
Congratulations to Diane Pinet (Bloc-Notes Music) on her 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award – Publishing Company Legacy Award. Diane was presented her award by long-time colleague and friend, Tony Tobias (Pangaea Media & Music).
Adapted from Tony’s remarks:
“In 1985, Bloc-Notes Music was born. As she learned earlier, in the music publishing business, you need to think globally. She started travelling regularly to Paris and expanding her network and connections. She wanted international credibility so she spent a lot of time in France negotiating. And finally she had her first big success. She landed a sub-publishing deal to represent the Virgin France catalogue. Bloc-Notes Music was now on the move. This led to other major deals, including becoming the sub-publisher for the Warner Chappell France catalogue and a partnership with BMG Music.
These big companies were turning their catalogues over to Bloc-Notes Music because of their trust and respect for what Diane was building. You see, this small indie music publisher based in Montreal knows her market intimately. And the giants of the industry know this. They recognized that she was an expert on the Quebec music industry which, as we and the advertising industry know, is a completely separate market in North America.
In the 1990s Diane took on the administration of the Cirque du Soleil music catalogue when Cirque was flying high on Broadway. She opened offices in her own building on Saint-Denis Street and surrounded herself with loyal staff. She expanded her family of writers, the best of the best. She was building a strong independent music publishing company that would have a solid foundation of valuable copyrights and a roster of both legacy and new songwriters. Bloc-Notes Music has become a family of strong creators and Diane Pinet is humbly the head of that family; nurturing her writers every day…
Over the last 25 years, Diane has gained well deserved recognition in the Canadian Music Business for her contributions to the wellbeing of the industry. When the Canadian Music Publishers founded the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, Diane played a critical role in negotiating the bridging of the French and English dynamics, both in the governance of the organization and the induction structure.
Diane has been a member of the board of directors of SOCAN and CMRRA; and is currently a member of the board of Music Publishers Canada; the CMRRA Canadian Publishers Committee; the board of the National Music Centre; and the CMW Advisory Committee. And I can say with certainty, Diane is one of the most respected music publishers in the international music industry.”
On behalf of Music Publishers Canada, please join us in congratulating Diane Pinet on this achievement!
Music Publishers Canada is also proud to have awarded Fanshawe College’s Music Industry Arts Program with its Industry Builder Award.
“Fanshawe College’s MIA program is renowned for its music industry studies where students are inspired through creativity and innovation. They are mentored by accomplished professors with real world experience combined with cutting-edge facilities. Since the early 1970’s, MIA has continued to empower students, helping them realize their creative and career potentials and are so deserving of the 2021 Music Publishers Canada Industry Builder Award.” said Gary Furniss (MIA Alumnus), President, Sony Music Publishing Canada.
Music Publishers Canada CEO Margaret McGuffin, Sony Music Publishing Canada’s Gary Furniss and Tom Wilson were honoured to surprise the program with the news by dropping into their Share The Land live stream performance.
New this year, Music Publishers Canada has unveiled a new format for its award – a custom paddle made by Tom Wilson (Modern Mohawk artist, writer & musician published by Sony Music Publishing Canada). You can see more of Tom’s art here, but please keep an eye out for more on Tom’s artistic process in the coming months on our socials/newsletter!