The Royal Conservatory's Angela Schwarzkopf Wins Classical Album of the Year at the 2020 Junos

Published on June 30, 2020

RCM alumni also nab prizes for top Jazz and Alternative albums

Dr. Angela Schwarzkopf, faculty member at The Glenn Gould School (GGS), took home a major prize at the 2020 JUNO Awards, as did two Royal Conservatory of Music alumni.

Schwarzkopf won Classical Album of the Year for detach, an album showcasing compositions by Canadian composers, featuring Schwarzkopf on harp, along with Michelle Colton and Étienne Levesque on vibraphone. She is the first harpist to win a JUNO in 25 years.

“Angela is a shining example of the talent of our faculty at The Glenn Gould School,” said Dean James Anagnoson. “On behalf of the school, I would like to congratulate Angela for this well-deserved achievement.”

Schwarzkopf was the first harpist to receive a Doctorate of Music in harp performance in Canada. She is also a member of The Royal Conservatory College of Examiners.

Ernesto Cervini, an RCM alumnus, won Jazz Album of the Year: Group for the Ernesto Cervini's Turboprop Abundance album, while Stefan Babcock, also an alumnus and a member of the band PUP, took home the prize for Alternative Album of the Year for Morbid Stuff.

Fifteen additional alumni and faculty of the Royal Conservatory were nominated for JUNO Awards in 11 other categories ranging from Blues Album of the Year to Group of the Year.

The JUNOs celebrate artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of Canadian music. They took place in a virtual ceremony this year on June 29.

Full list of Royal Conservatory nominees:

Kobra Paige (alumna)
Jasio Kulakowski (alumnus)
Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year – Evolution by Kobra And The Lotus

Melissa McClelland (alumna)
Blues Album of the Year – The Northern South Vol. 2 by Whitehorse

Kent Nagano (alumnus)
Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble – Chopin: Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 by Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, conducted by Kent Nagano feat. Charles Richard-Hamelin

Yannick Nézet-Séguin (Honorary Fellow)
Classical Album of the Year: Large ENSEMBLE – Sibelius 1 by Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Jan Lisiecki (alumnus)
Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble – Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos by Jan Lisiecki with Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

Angela Schwarzkopf (GGS Faculty and RCM Examiner)
Classical Album of the Year: Solo Or Chamber – detach

James Ehnes (Honorary Fellow)
Classical Album of the Year: Solo Or Chamber – Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Op. 12

Rose Bolton (RCS Faculty)
Classical Composition Of the Year – The Coming of Sobs

Diana Panton (alumna)
Children’s Album of the Year – A Cheerful Little Earful

Jane Bunnett (alumna) & Maqueque
Jazz Album of the Year: Group – On Firm Ground / Tierra Firme

Ernesto Cervini (alumnus)
Jazz Album of the Year: Group – Abundance

Elizabeth Shepherd (alumna)
Vocal Jazz Album of the Year – MONTRÉAL

Joel Cassidy (alumnus)
Pop Album of the Year – HERE WE GO! by Walk Off the Earth
Group of the Year – HERE WE GO! by Walk Off the Earth

Stefan Babcock (alumnus)
Alternative Album of the Year – Morbid Stuff by PUP

Jeremy Schmidt (alumnus)
Alternative Album of the Year – Destroyer Black by Mountain

Patrick Watson (alumnus)
Songwriter of the Year – Wave
Adult Alternative Album of the Year – Wave

Meghan Patrick (alumna)
Country Album of the Year – Wild As Me