Media releases

• Brock research leads to Choir Nation benefit event

  Monday, August 08, 2016 | By Brock University

  MEDIA ADVISORY: R00166 – 3 August 2016

  Collaboration between a Brock University researcher and a Canadian musician has led to an upcoming concert raising funds for charity.

  Todd Green, assistant professor, Department of Marketing, International Business and Strategy, has long been examining the challenges facing Canadian musicians as a result of the onset of digital music.

  In March 2015, Green moderated a Goodman School of Business panel discussion at Brock called Music Matters, where a handful of industry professionals discussed the ongoing issue. On the panel was Murray Foster, bass player for Canadian folk rock band Great Big Sea.

  “His mandate is to make life better for struggling musicians,” Green said. “He was looking for a way to connect musicians with corporations.”

  In January, the two launched Choir Nation, a company that helps corporations form company choirs and sing music as team-building exercises. While it’s a for-profit company, part of the goal is to raise money for charity, which led to the Choir Nation Benefit Concert being held Aug. 16 at Lulu Lounge in Toronto.

  The event will raise money for Momentum Choir, a non-profit, performance-based choir for individuals with emotional, developmental or intellectual disabilities; MusiCounts, a music education charity; and Unison Benevolent Fund, a charity providing counselling and emergency relief services to the Canadian music community.

  “Todd and I are both passionate about music, and we see Choir Nation and our benefit concert as extensions of that passion — creating new opportunities for people to sing in a choir, supporting local musicians and contributing to three music-related charities that we both strongly believe in,” Foster said. “Music is incredibly important to mental well-being, and choir singing is really fun — Choir Nation is a vehicle for us to bring these benefits to as many people as possible.”

  Foster will host the evening, which will include musical performances from Devin Cuddy and Miranda Mulholland, who will both sing with backup choirs formed by Choir Nation groups from two Toronto-based companies.

  There will also be a large silent auction with signed memorabilia from Canadian bands, ticket packages and a Ron Sexsmith-autographed guitar.

  “I’m thrilled with how the research we’re doing at Brock has led to an event like this that will support three excellent music-related charities,” said Green, adding Brock students are also gaining hands-on learning experience through working with Choir Nation.

  For more information visit facebook.com/choirnation.

  For assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

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  Categories: Media releases

• That’s the spirit: Brock’s wine research centre adapts to serve a flourishing liquor industry

  Friday, July 29, 2016 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE:  R00164 – 28 July 2016
   

  Answering the needs of Ontario’s boom in craft distillers, Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) has taken its grape and wine analytical services and continuing education courses, and adapted them for the liquor industry and consumers.

  With Ontario easing some of its more rigid rules around liquor production, craft distilleries have been proliferating across the province, catering to consumers who are drawn to niche specialty products.

  When Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission last year removed the minimum volume of 5,000 litres that distillers must produce each year in order to have a retail store, it opened a door for a new generation of entrepreneurs. 

  But while the new distillers may be deft at developing small-batch spirits, they lack the kind of services and product support that the big players have in-house.
  CCOVI, which has been providing research support and other services to grape growers and wineries for 20 years, sees the move to distillers as a natural evolution. 

  “Expanding our analytical services and educational offerings to the distilling industry further draws on the expertise already available in CCOVI,” said CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis. “The spirits industry is growing, and we’re in a position to provide services that support this growth and the jobs it creates.”

  Services critical to distillers include ethanol and methanol monitoring in addition to other specialized analyses. Responding to these needs, the CCOVI Analytical Services laboratory now offers testing packages tailored to the spirits industry.

  Some distillers are already taking advantage of CCOVI’s analytical services. Craig Peters, who is Chief Vodka Officer at Oakville’s Maverick Distillery, said the high cost of equipment inhibits the ability of small distillers to do all required testing in-house.

  “CCOVI’s lab is a terrific resource,” said Peters. “The results we get are timely, reasonably priced and we’re very pleased with the results every time.”

  Beyond lab services, CCOVI is also expanding its continuing education offerings to include Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s (WSET) spirits courses to address the growing needs of this sector. These new courses start in August and offer a hands-on introduction to the world of spirits for consumers and for industry professionals looking to expand their knowledge.

  CCOVI course instructor Elsa Mcdonald, who has a specialization in spirits, is the Director of Wine Education for Constellation Brands, an MW Candidate with the Institute of Masters of Wine and CAPS graduate. “She will be a valuable resource to add to our WSET team” says Barb Tatarnic, Manager of Continuing Education. “In terms of the program itself, we’re very proud to offer an internationally recognized certification with a focus on spirits to the industry”.

  The WSET Level 1 award in spirits is a one-day course running Monday, Aug. 15 (go to the website for registration deadline), while the WSET Level 2 award in spirits will run in a condensed two-day format on Sept. 12 and 26. WSET Level 2 award in spirits will also be run on-line.

  Registration deadline for the Level 1 course is Aug. 3. To register for the WSET courses, go to ccovi.ca/ce/courses 

  For more information:
  * Kaitlyn Little, Marketing and Communications Officer, Brock University, klittle@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x4471
   
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  Categories: Media releases