Serena Ryder, one of Canada’s most talented singer-songwriters will perform at the National Arts Centre this Saturday, May 30 at the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala. Ryder won the Juno award in 2014 for best Artist of the Year and best Songwriter of the Year.

Ryder will be honouring Sarah McLachlan, who is winning one of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Achievement by singing McLachlan’s beloved ballad, “I Will Remember You” with Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Serena Ryder to the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards,” said Virginia Thompson the Executive Producer of the Gala.

“Serena is one of Canada’s most exciting young artists and we want to hear her perform for the first time ever with Canada’s remarkable National Arts Centre Orchestra.”

Ryder’s recent album, Harmony, was certified platinum in January 2013 in the United States. In Canada, Ryder became the first Canadian artist to be ranked number one on the CBC Top 20 chart just days after the release of Harmony.

Her song “What I Wouldn’t Do” is currently featured in the promotional video for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Ryder has performed at Luminato, the Calgary Stampede and on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

 PHOTO: https://pandyamonium.app.box.com/s/4klz2k3zjapr9n36jw1qf09fefhrgrk4

 The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala presented by Enbridge on May 30, and hosted by the internationally acclaimed actor Colm Feore, will pay tribute to lifetime achievement award recipients Walter Boudreau (composer, conductor and artistic director); Atom Egoyan (film and stage director, visual artist and screenwriter); Diana Leblanc (actress and director); Sarah McLachlan (singer-songwriter and humanitarian); R. H. Thomson (actor, director, producer and arts advocate); NAC Award recipient Jean-Marc Vallée (filmmaker); and Michael M. Koerner, C.M., recipient of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts. The evening will feature special guests offering tributes, performances and a few surprises!

 Tickets for the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala and the NAC Gala are available at the NAC Box Office and through Ticketmaster, 1‑888‑991‑2787 or http://www.ticketmaster.ca.