SHORELINE WEEK

Wednesday, February 9, 2005

Local Teacher Nominated for Third CMW Award

Herman Secondary School teacher Steven Langlois is hoping to make it “three-for-three” after recently being nominated for a Canadian Independent Music Award for the third straight year.

“Étienne”, Langlois’ stage name, was nominated for Canada’s Favourite Children’s Artist.

Last year, he won the award in the same category and in 2003, he won Favourite Album of the Year.

Unfortunately, due to concert scheduling, he has never been able to accept the previous two awards in person.

However, he is hoping his third nomination will be just as lucky since he plans on being at the award show for the first time this year.

This spring, Langlois will be touring from Inuvik to New Zealand in his upcoming 2004 World Tour.

Despite traveling the globe, Langlois is best received in his hometown.

The response in Essex-County was so overwhelming, that he added four extra performances in Windsor, resulting in six shows at the Capitol Theatre.

Langlois is hoping that this popularity will help him secure the CMW Award as voting for the winner will be conducted on-line.

This is the second year that the organization has allowed fans to choose their favourites.

To be this popular with kids, one might wonder, “Do their parents approve of this music?”

This answer is, “Of course”.

When they sing Étienne songs, they are singing about grammar.

Yes, grammar – verb conjunctions, prefixes, suffixes, adjectives, vowels, alphabet, vocabulary.

Kids are actually getting excited about learning and not even realizing that they are getting an education.  This is the magic behind the music of Étienne.

Langlois, began developing music to use in his own classroom for the hard-to-reach intermediate students over a decade ago.

By using hip-hop, rock and rap, students are entertained while learning vital literacy and language skills in English, French and Spanish

Langlois maintains a very busy schedule.  He has just released his second English album (Grammar Jams 2), teaches, presents workshops and keynote addresses at major educational conferences, and is set to embark on a seven month world concert tour, “en francis”.

Concerts are very loud and energetic.  Students arrive wearing Étienne concert tees and temporary tattoos, carrying posters and CDs, hoping for an autograph.

Langlois likes to make students the real stars of the show by having them come up on stage and dance pre-rehearsed routines.

After a concert in Pittsburgh, one fan wrote, “That was one of the most fun, energy-filled concerts I’ve ever been.  The students of our school are a very unenthusiastic bunch of kids.  For example, pep rallies are awful.  However, you had the house jumping.”

Canadian Music Week is Canada’s largest annual entertainment event dedicated to the expression and growth of the country’s music, media and entertainment industries.

Sponsored by MTV Canada, the award show is now in its fifth year.