“When your audience is open-hearted and ready to go along for the ride with you, that’s when you can make magic together.”

We’re delighted that local singer-songwriter Shannon Linton has organized a concert guaranteed to enchant audiences at NFOTA this year. Over the past few months, Shannon has brought together emerging and established singer-songwriters for mentorship and collaboration. The results of these pairings will be showcased on Friday, September 13, the opening date of this year’s Northumberland Festival of the Arts. We asked Shannon to share what we can expect this year.

What is the magic when senior artists connect with younger, aspiring musicians? 

The magic flows both ways, which is very cool. Young artists, of course, have lots of questions and are looking for advice or to be taught a new skill from folks with more experience. And for the more experienced artist, it is inspiring and energizing to work with someone with a fresh perspective, someone who maybe doesn’t know the “rules” and might do surprising and wonderful things. Also, there is no saying that a less experienced artist is any less skilled, so the collaboration can be surprising in that way, too.

Do you plan to have the mentored musicians on stage with their mentors? Or will that depend on the comfort level of the mentees?

All of the musicians are experienced enough to want to perform in the concert, so yes, they will all perform. Whether or not they collaborate onstage with their mentors will be up to each pairing, but I am hopeful at least one pair will be able to make that happen!

 What’s the best thing about performing live?

 Connecting with other musicians in the performance of a song is incredible. There’s nothing else like it. Sometimes I actually laugh out loud on stage or break out in a silly grin when someone I’m singing with hits a really satisfying harmony or plays a surprising solo that delights me.

A very, very close second is connecting with the folks in the audience. In fact, it might even be a tie because the energy an audience creates absolutely makes or breaks a performance. When your audience is open-hearted and ready to go along for the ride with you, that’s when you can make magic together.

What difference have you noticed between before COVID and now post-COVID – as a performer and as a resident of Northumberland County?

Personally, I developed a deeper, richer connection to the local music and art community through, and then after, COVID. Before that, I believe I had, like many people, my eyes set on more distant horizons. But I came to realize I was most happy at home, and that the arts community here is as vibrant and talented as anywhere in the world, so I began really reaching out more to people within this community.

I was also more focused on choral music prior to COVID, without a lot of connection to the folk and pop music communities. I would say I am now balanced between the two areas, as I’ve delved further into my songwriting and performing career since 2020.

For the music community as a whole, I think COVID has made it a lot harder to make a living, which was already nearly impossible. I see bigger-name indie artists taking gigs that I don’t believe they would have taken before COVID because they need to pay the bills. Touring is phenomenally expensive, nobody buys music anymore, and I do think everyone except the massively famous acts is having a tough time making any money as a musician.

For more information about our Together We Can concert, and to purchase tickets, please visit our website www.FestivaloftheArts.ca            

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