Will Stroet Comes to Ottawa

Kids’ CBC star & bilingual musician Will Stroet kicks off Ontario tour in Ottawa

New Will’s Jams episodes air in November

Acclaimed Canadian children’s entertainer Will Stroet, the star of Will’s Jams on Kids’ CBC, kicks off his first two-week long tour in Ontario with a bilingual family concert at Ottawa’s Bronson Centre on Sunday, November 23 at 4 pm.  Rock the Arts Puppets, an Ottawa based puppet company, will be hosting Stroet’s concert.

Catchy and kinetic, Will and his Backyard Band perform a high-energy family show with fun actions and sing-along choruses, featuring music from Stroet’s recent release, “Just Imagine” and the French version, “Imagine,” produced by Juno award-winning musician and producer Steve Dawson. Stroet is up for his fifth nomination by the Western Canadian Music Awards this time for “Best Francophone Recording” for “Imagine.”

Before pursuing a full-time career as a children’s musician in 2009, Stroet taught French immersion music for five years at a Vancouver school. While completing his bachelor of education at the University of British Columbia in 2004, Stroet discovered his passion for writing kids’ music. During his teaching practicum, Stroet used his original and comical songs to teach educational lessons to his primary grade students. These songs are part of Stroet’s first album, “Let’s All Dance,” which was recorded live at his guitar mentor’s studio across the street, largely as an experiment. 

“My guitar teacher and mentor, Rob Montgomery, who is well-known blues musician in Vancouver, gave me 25-hours of free recording time in his home studio as a wedding gift,” recalls Stroet. “I had written a dozen songs inspired by my students, so I decided to take a chance and record my first album. My wife (who is now my business manager) and I organized a successful CD release party to a sold-out crowd of 350 people in Vancouver, and started booking shows in schools, community festivals and libraries in the Lower Mainland.”

What started as a fun side-project has now grown into a successful full-time career for Stroet who has performed more than 1,000 shows for kids across Canada at major festivals, schools and theatres. His short musical television series, Will’s Jams, airs weekday mornings on Kids’ CBC, with the third series  debuting in November. You can also watch the first series of Will’s Jams on Kids’ CBC YouTube site at www.youtube.com/kidscbc.

Kim Wilson, head of children’s programming at Kids’ CBC, had this to say about Stroet’s music:

“There are a lot of kids’ musicians in this country, but I really feel like Will’s music stands out. As a former teacher, he really understands kids, so the music isn’t condescending but rather respectful, empowering, educational and celebratory.”

While Stroet’s earlier songs were inspired by his students, his new inspiration comes from being a father of two girls, Ella (4 years old) and June (4 months).

“I love being a dad. It’s been the best life-changing experience and has really influenced my song writing process. “Just Imagine” and “Imagine” focus on kids’ use of creativity in play and in building an understanding of the world around them. I hope that these albums inspire kids to use their imagination,” says Stroet.

Stroet has won a West Coast Songwriters Award, approval from the Parents’ Choice Awards and multiple nominations from the Canadian Folk Music Awards, Western Canadian Music Awards and Sirius XM Indies for “Best Children’s Recording” or “Children’s Artist of the Year.”

Tickets for the Ottawa concert at the Bronson Centre’s Mac Hall on Sunday, November 23 at 4 pm are $12 or $40 for a four-pack in advance ($15 at the door) and can be purchased online at www.willottawa.eventbrite.ca. Babies 1 year and under are free. Doors open at 3:30 pm. For more information about Stroet and his music, visit www.willmusic.ca.