Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance

Rossini Opera Festival Nova Scotia/Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance (“LAMP”) is the very fortunate recipient of generous support from the Wilson Foundation at a time when we (and many other organizations around the world) needed it most.

In 2020 and 2021 live music was canceled all around the world. Artists found themselves isolating in their homes, interacting only with the people they lived with or, in some cases, small groups of close friends we referred to as “bubbles” here in Nova Scotia. Arts organizations faced considerable financial struggles as funders and sponsors made the understandable decision to direct their financial gifts to medical research, and housing/food crises: the world was in serious trouble and people, quite rightly, rushed to their aid. This meant there were less funds available to support cultural and artistic institutions, including LAMP.

LAMP was unique in that we are a small organization, in a small town, in a small province, with a premier at the time who took immediate control of the pandemic within our provincial boarders. Though frustrating for the general public at the time, this meant a controlled spread of COVID-19 and therefore there were artistic possibilities available here which were simply not available anywhere else in the world. Because of that, and with the support we received from the Wilson Foundation, we were able to host over 75 emerging young artists at LAMP staying in long-term accommodations in Lunenburg; ran our first-ever winter residencies and concert series; we supported more Atlantic Canadian artists through our bursary program and collaborated with more masterclass coaches and faculty from Nova Scotia than ever before. The pandemic had far-reaching impacts, including on household finances and mental health. We felt if an hour of beautiful music could help sooth someone's mind it was our obligation to try to make that happen. Our most significant accomplishment is the nearly 60 socially distanced, yet deeply intimate, live performances connecting LAMP’s emerging young musicians with our beloved community all offered on a pay-what-you-can model to ensure everyone who wanted (or needed) music, had access to it. This was possible due to the support of the Wilson Foundation.

LAMPs ability to remain open had such a profound impact on the artists who were here, pianist Anna Han created a mini documentary about that shared time here. https://youtu.be/gHD2WeMBGd8?si=AA2cPiMMOyGzSPtB

Without the Wilson Foundation’s belief in LAMP and their incredible support, particularly in a year that deprived young musicians the world over of arts education and performance prospects, these young artists, these great stars of tomorrow, shared a life-changing, unforgettable experience in Lunenburg. They won’t forget your generosity. And neither will we.