One of the biggest honors in Canadian music is the Polaris Music Prize. Over 200 members from local and national media select the best album from a Canadian group released over the past year, whittling it down from a long list of forty records to a short list of ten, before finally selecting the winner. Just getting on the short list puts an act among the best in Canada. This year's short list included the group Austra and their first album, Feel it Break.
Ryan Wonsiak is a local connection to the group. Playing keyboards and saxophone, the Yorkton native joined the group a little over a year ago when lead singer Katie Stelmanis saw him playing with another group. They struck up a friendship and eventually she asked him to be part of the band.
"I joined at a really great time. The band had just been signed by Domino Records. I learned all the songs that they had already written. Now, we are collaborating more on new songs," Wonsiak says.
While the success has been unexpected, he believes that when you have someone like Stelmanis in a group, you're going to see good things.
"It has been a whirlwind for me definitely. I didn't expect this much success after joining the band. It was a surprise, but I think Katie, who wrote most of the album, definitely deserves the accolades," Wonsiak notes.
He has nothing but kind words to say about the lead singer and main songwriter, and is glad to be working with her.
"She's amazing! I feel so blessed to be in her band. I really respect her as an artist and am learning so much from her."
The Polaris ceremony was nationally televised and featured some of the biggest bands in the country, including the eventual winners The Arcade Fire.
"It was daunting at first. We had the chance to open for The Arcade Fire in Amsterdam in September, so we got to know them at that time. It was nice to know some of the performers beforehand," Wonsiak notes.
While currently touring Europe, the group is preparing to embark on a North American tour in the coming weeks. He says the reception has been really good overseas, with many sold out shows, but he's most excited about getting the chance to play in his home province.
Wonsiak says he has to give some of the credit to his success to his music teachers along the way, and that without them he might not love music the way he does.
"Yorkton is where I started taking music lessons. My piano teacher, Shani Apland, has had a huge impact on the way I appreciate music. She taught me to put love into everything I play. Being in the Yorkton Regional High School band scene had a similar effect on me. Mark Zawerucha, Larry Pearen, and Laurene Jemieff all nurtured my creative side, and I'll be forever grateful to them."
While the Polaris Prize is one of the biggest in Canada, there have been few Saskatchewan connections. Wonsiak believes it's just a problem of logistics, as there are fewer people per capita than some other places.
"I think Saskatchewan has some of the most creative people in Canada, but maybe are ignored by the broader Canadian music scene because of it's remoteness," he concludes.
