Jaelem Bhate remembers the moment he realized music wouldn’t be an easy path.
A number of years ago, he switched from pursuing a science degree to studying music academically, transferring to the University of British Columbia’s School of Music. That same year, he failed his first pop quiz in music theory.
“My path to music up to that point had been unexpected, and that pop quiz promised that my future music and the arts would be equally as surprising,” he told CBC’s Mainstreet P.E.I.
Bhate, who is now the conductor and music director of the Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra, recently received another surprise. He was awarded the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Orchestra Conducting from the Canada Council for the Arts, an honour he didn’t even know existed until he won.
“I guess in many ways, my professional and personal background and heritage embody the spirit of the Canadian mosaic,” he said.
“To receive this award brings a sense of belonging to the Canadian arts community, and is an affirmation, in my view, that diversity is a strength.”
The award, created through a private bequest to honour the late Canadian conductor Jean-Marie Beaudet, has been given to promising young orchestra conductors since the late 1980s. Bhate is the last recipient as the fund has now been fully dispersed.
The award comes with a $20,000 financial prize, and for Bhate, he said it’s a reminder of the need for more funding in Canada’s arts community in order to continue showcasing Canadian culture, stories and history.
Michelle Chawla, director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts, said a peer jury chose Bhate for the award.
“He reflects, you know, what Canadians are excited about. He’s an incredibly talented, visionary professional in the field,” she said.
Chawla echoed Bhate’s concerns about growing pressure on the arts sector, noting that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the council has seen a sharp increase in funding applications. That demand has made grants harder to obtain for the people and groups applying.
She said the surge speaks to two key realities.
“One is that Canada is full of incredible talent. We have artists from coast to coast to coast and communities big and small, who are just brilliant and they deserve support,” she said.
“But we also see⦠a lot of precarity. It’s very difficult for artists to make a living. It’s very difficult, you know, generally these days, in terms of our economy, so we’re seeing this rise in demand.”
Chawla added that the council is currently working with provincial arts councils in all four Atlantic provinces to better understand regional challenges and funding needs, so that artists can be properly supported.
Especially now, with so much global economic uncertainty, Chawla said investing in the arts has both cultural and economic significance.
“The arts and culture sector contributes $63 billion to our GDP, which I don’t think too many people are aware of,” she said.
“850,000 people [are] working in cultural occupations across this country. We know that arts and cultural tourists spend three times more when they’re in communities.”
But beyond the numbers, Chawla said the value of the arts runs much deeper.
“The arts contribute to our cultural, social well-being, our sense of community, our sense of belonging, our unity as Canadians, our sense of identity. So we’re really seized with this moment of demonstrating why investing in the arts will bring tremendous returns on so many levels.”
As music director of the P.E.I. Symphony Orchestra, Bhate said he is always mindful of the importance of using public funding wisely and creating programming to serve the Island community. A major part of that work is ensuring the symphony’s programs are inclusive and accessible.
“That is really the work that’s going to continue over the next few years, and justifies our funding from the council,” he said.
Bhate said he plans to use the $20,000 award to fund new artistic projects, whether that means conducting-related initiatives, composing new works, or supporting recording projects.
He said winning the prize has been a long journey, one he couldn’t have completed without the support of friends and family.
Through all the ups and downs, he said, his passion for music has kept him going.
“Whenever you start to second-guess yourself and say, ‘Is this really worth all the blood, sweat and tears?’ I put on whatever music is on my mind,” he said.
“And when you really remind yourself of why you’re doing this â for the art, for the music â then that has a tendency of pushing some of the doubt out of my mind and allows me to keep going the way that I have been.”
