March 6, 2004

Norwich teachers wins Canadian music award

Free Press Staff

A London-region high school teacher has been honoured as favourite children’s artist at the Canadian Music Week Awards in Toronto.

Steven Langlois, who perfors as Etienne, is a French teacher at Norwich District high school and is a B.A., B.Ed. graduate from the University of Windsor.  The London-based performer has been teaching for more than 10 years, while performing almost full-time on the side.

Voting for the awards was conducted online by fans.

He began composing music to use in his own classroom for intermediate students. “You have to use their styles of music if you want to keep their attention,” says Langlois.

Langlois’ recording C’est le temps, won the CMW best children’s album award in 2003.

He has just released his new English album (Grammar Jams), teaches, presents workshops and addresses at major education conferences and is on a five-month North American concert tour for franco-phone audiences.

Etienne’s tour plays Lond on April 29-30 at Centennial Hall.

Canadian Music Week (CMW) is Canada’s largest annual entertainment event dedicated to Canada’s music, media and entertainment industries.  About 350 acts will perform at 30 downtown Toronto clubs during the four-day festival.  It ends tomorrow, with every province represented.

 The conference portion offers professional development for about 2,000 delegates who are divided into executive and beginner classes.  Sessions include how to pitch theme music for TB, as well as industry speed dates, where company reps spend eight minutes each with spiriting musicians.