Woo-hoo! I’m finally friends with Canadian music! Well, it’s more like friends-with-benefits at this point. This past week I had the great honour of receiving the 2021 Friends of Canadian Music Award, an award jointly-administered and presented by the Canadian League of Composers and the Canadian Music Centre. Now in its 27th year, this award is presented to an individual or organization that shows “exceptional commitment, on a national scale, to Canadian composers and their music.” It’s very humbling to be the recipient of an award that has been presented to some of my favourite Canadian musicians, like Véronique Lacroix and Thin Edge New Music Collective. What’s more, the award is shared with an emerging Canadian composer — so it was really exciting to select Maria Eduarda Mendes Martins as this year’s composer co-recipient! (Check out her gorgeous piece for Allegra Chamber Orchestra, Reflections on Ave Generosa.) I’m deeply grateful to my friend, pianist Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa, for nominating me — it’s a wonderful way to end a unique year, especially as we appear to be on the precipice of yet another series of restrictions. Happy (and safe) Holidays to all, and here’s to a New Year full of promise and potential.