National Music Centre | Centre National de Musique

10/09/2026

Mark your calendars! 🗓️ Grammy, Latin Grammy, and JUNO Award-winning artist Alex Cuba is coming to Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, on Mar. 17.

Cuba blends funk and soul with pan-Latin textures, and his nearly 100 million streams show how far that sound has travelled. It's music that gets audiences singing along – no matter what language they speak.

🔗 Get tickets: bit.ly/4elT10c

10/08/2026

This month’s edition of Synth Soundbath features the Buchla 200 on Oct. 25. It’s a synthesizer tied to Don Buchla’s pioneering 1970s-era designs, and a broader lineage of electronic music that treats sound as a physical, expressive medium.

Bring a yoga mat or blanket and settle in for this deep listening session and education on another fascinating synth.

🔗 Get your tickets: bit.ly/47eJLaq

10/08/2026

"Everybody has a light inside of them." ✨

For Pasqua First Nation rapper Big Tones, stepping into the studio while navigating grief brought a new wave of inspiration. The result is "Shine," a song about the light that lives in all of us and the importance of giving it room to glow.

Captured during the OHSOTO'KINO Music Incubator at the National Music Centre (NMC) in Calgary, watch the full performance on NMC Amplify: bit.ly/4rWhuij

Special thanks to TD for its support of NMC's OHSOTO'KINO Indigenous Programming Initiative.

10/07/2026

The next Liner Notes: Inside the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio tour will focus on Fleetwood Mac’s Mystery to Me, a cult favourite for its atmosphere and strong individual songwriting.

On Nov. 1, hear the album the way it was recorded – inside the legendary Rolling Stones Mobile Studio – with a guided tour through the album's history and the vintage gear used to make it.

🔗 Book your tour at studiobell.ca/whats-on/rsm.

📸: Colin Way

10/07/2026

We told you to plan ahead – and you listened! 🎶 The daytime performance of The Barra MacNeils – An East Coast Christmas is officially sold out.

Good news for last-minute planners: There are still tickets available for the evening show on Nov. 22, but only 20 remain!

Expect soaring harmonies, fiery fiddles, and foot-stomping dancing from one of Canada's most celebrated Celtic family bands.

🔗 Get your tickets: bit.ly/4suYlCN

10/06/2026

Still thinking about what an incredible few days we had at last week’s Alberta Music Cities Convention 2026. 🎶

It was so nice to connect with people from around the world who share our passion for music and its power to bring communities together.

Thanks again to the partners and sponsors who helped make the convention possible: Sound Diplomacy, West Anthem, Alberta Music, the Government of Alberta, CKUA Radio, Spruce Meadows, Calgary Arts Development, Craig Senyk Initiatives, OCL Studios, the Scotlyn Foundation, and Walt and Irene DeBoni.

10/05/2026

SYNC 2026: Sound and Image Conference is coming to Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre (NMC). The conference will bring electronic music, digital art, live visuals, and video together for an event that goes from day until night on Nov. 14. 🎛️

Presented by Oscill8 and NMC, spend the day connecting with artists and industry professionals through workshops, discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on sessions. Then, as the sun sets, SYNC will shift into party modem, with live electronic music and immersive video art. 🪩🎶

🔗 Get tickets: bit.ly/4zlOjrH

10/05/2026

National Music Centre (NMC) extends its condolences to the family and friends of Sass Jordan, who passed away last week.

The Montreal-raised singer was one of the great voices of Canadian rock. Beyond her powerhouse voice, Sass was known for her generosity. She gave her time and talent to numerous charitable causes, including BANC (Benevolent Artists National Charity) and The Andy Kim Montreal Christmas, which have raised funds for many not-for-profits including NMC.

Having graced the stage at the King Eddy many times, as well as NMC’s performance hall over the years, Sass remains a presence in the building today, with a photo of her performing hanging in the Eddy lobby and a jacket she wore on display in NMC’s Idols and Icons exhibition.

Sass absolutely knew how to make you a believer, and we’ll miss her dearly.

Le Centre national de musique (CNM) offre ses plus sincères condoléances à la famille et aux proches de Sass Jordan, décédée la semaine dernière.

Ayant grandi à Montréal, Sass Jordan était l’une des grandes voix du rock canadien. Au-delà de sa voix puissante, Sass était aussi reconnue pour sa grande générosité. Elle a consacré son temps et son talent à de nombreuses causes, notamment BANC (Benevolent Artists National Charity) et Le Noël Montréalais d’Andy Kim, qui ont permis d’amasser des fonds pour plusieurs organismes à but non lucratif, dont le CNM.

Sass est montée sur la scène du King Eddy à de nombreuses reprises au fil des ans, ainsi que sur celle de la salle de spectacle du CNM. Sa présence se fait encore sentir aujourd'hui : une photo d'elle en spectacle est accrochée dans le hall du King Eddy, tandis qu'une veste qu'elle a portée est présentée dans notre exposition Idoles et icônes.

Elle nous manquera énormément.

📸: Baden Roth

10/05/2026

It's World Architecture Day! 🏛️ In honour of the occasion and Studio Bell’s 10-year anniversary, we spoke with the lead architect behind the building.

On the latest episode of the NMC Amplifier podcast, Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture talks about the leap of faith that came with designing a new institution without a blueprint, his approach to architecture, and the musical and landscape influences woven into its design.

Watch the full episode of NMC Amplifier: bit.ly/4jFzDic

10/03/2026

🎸Today is the greatest…day to enter a contest. 🎸See The Smashing Pumpkins live and score a National Music Centre prize pack!

Enter for your chance to win two FLOOR SEATS to the Smashing Pumpkins’ performance on Nov. 3 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, a $100 King Eddy gift card, and an NMC Family Membership so you can explore memorabilia from rock legends past and present.

Enter now at studiobell.ca/enter-to-win – missing this one could lead to infinite sadness.

Enter for your chance to win two floor seats to the Smashing Pumpkins concert on November 3 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, a $100 King Eddy gift card, and an NMC Family Membership so you can explore memorabilia from rock legends past and present.