AlgomaTrad founders win prestigious folk music award

Folk Music Ontario is pleased to share that Samir (Sam) Baijal along with Pat O’Gorman and Julie Schryer are the recipients of the 2024 Estelle Klein Award. Named after the long-time advocate of Canadian Folk music and one of the initial founders of the Canadian Folk Festival scene, Estelle Klein, the Estelle Klein Award honours the work of an individual or group that has made significant contributions to Ontario’s folk music community.

Nominated by members of Folk Music Ontario and selected by a committee that includes the board of directors and invited stakeholders, the Estelle Klein Award is divided into two separate areas of recognition, The Community Builder Award, and The Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Lifetime Achievement Award: Samir Baijal

Sam Baijal has been an advocate, supporter, and champion of the Ontario Folk music community throughout his career, and is in particular an advocate of a more diverse, more welcoming, and more inclusive Folk and independent music community.

Baijal is the Artistic Director of Hillside Festival (a role he has served in for 26 years) and the Coordinator of Programming at the University Centre at the University of Guelph.

Baijal has dedicated his career to advocacy for live music programming and is recognized as one of the foremost pioneers in creating programming for a major Canadian music festival inclusive of racialized, gender-diverse, and Indigenous artists, well ahead of its time.

“Samir has been a driving force in promoting cultural diversity, environmental sustainability, and musical excellence in the Ontario folk music community through his roles at Hillside Festival and the University of Guelph," said Folk Music Ontario Executive Director, Rosalyn Dennett. "He has been a steadfast mentor and advocate of artists and live music workers through his board service and event participation. Congratulations, Samir! Your vision for a greener, more vibrant, and inclusive Folk music community is beautifully honoured by the Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement Award”.

Community Builder Award: Pat O’Gorman and Julie Schryer

Pat O’Gorman and Julie Schryer are recognized as both musicians and through their work with AlgomaTrad, their charitable organization dedicated to building community through the celebration, sharing, and learning of traditional music, dance, arts, and heritage craft.

In addition to musicians based in Celtic traditions from Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and the Maritimes, they have brought Indigenous, African, and Klezmer musicians to share their traditions.

They have worked tirelessly for 20 years to bring the absolute best in traditional music to northern Ontario in the form of concerts, dances, workshops, festivals, a summer camp devoted to teaching, and now they are currently developing the year-round, environmentally-sustainable AlgomaTrad Centre on St. Joseph Island.

"It is with great joy that we honour Pat O'Gorman and Julie Schryer, whose dedicated work through AlgomaTrad has significantly enriched the cultural fabric of northern Ontario over the past 20 years," said Dennett. "Pat and Julie have played a crucial role in revitalizing the traditions of this region, and their passion and efforts in building a vibrant musical community are truly commendable."