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Ten local artists nominated for Catholic Unity Awards
By Rebecca Bostic, The Catholic Sun
October 4, 2007
Catholic musicians from around the world gather annually to honor the achievements of fellow Catholic artists at the Unity Awards.
This year the United Catholic Music and Video Association will be presenting awards Oct. 6 at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix.
Nearly 20 Catholic musicians will perform to celebrate those nominated in more than 30 categories.
“The Unity Awards itself is one of the greatest events in the Catholic marketplace to come and see a showcase of the best Catholic artists in the industry,” said Phil Stein, chief executive officer and president of the UCMVA.
“It is a mini-concert of talent from all over the world,” he said. “The price of admission alone is worth the performances you will see at the event.”
A number of local Catholic musicians are nominated for a variety of awards. Nominees Kurt and Julie Carrick and Jaime Cortez will perform. Tom Booth, Craig and Kristen Colson, Carlos Weaver, Matt Maher, Paul Carrick and Jenny Pixler are also local 2007 nominees.
“Our world needs beauty,” Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted said in reference to the Unity Awards.
“But beauty requires training, discipline, cultivation and support,” he added. “At a time when much of our popular music fails to inspire, how important it is to support Catholic musicians who combine both faith and expertise, a love for music and love for Christ.”
Kurt and Julie Carrick’s love of Catholic music inspired them to bring the Unity Awards to Phoenix by donating the cost of the Orpheum Theatre through their non-profit organization, Carrick Ministries.
“It’s a lovely reunion,” Julie Carrick said of the celebration. She’s only missed one Unity Awards show since its inception in 2000.
The Carricks have worked closely with others in the Phoenix Diocese to promote and prepare for this year’s awards ceremony. They mention Bishop Olmsted as particularly helpful in defining what a Catholic musician is.
“Bishop Olmsted asked what musicians are agreeing to in their personal lives that shows they are walking the spiritual life they are required to if you are claiming to be a Catholic recording artist,” Julie Carrick said.
“It was like watching bells and whistles go off. It was like, ‘Yeah, we do need to be doing that,’ and that has been brought forward,” she said. “So just bringing it here to Phoenix was enough to ring in a better focus of who we are as Catholic musicians and how we are living that life.”
While certain standards apply to the musicians who are professional members of the UCMVA, the organization is open to any Catholic who is interested in joining.
The UCMCA was formed “to provide an umbrella for the top record companies and organizations within the Catholic marketplace to come together, united, to help further the Catholic message,” Stein said.
“We chose to host the Unity Awards, an event that would highlight and showcase top talent throughout the world,” he said, “to provide an opportunity for individuals to nominate and vote for these artists.”
Professional members initially nominate their peers. Once a list of nominations is complied, then the general UMCVA membership, along with professional members, vote for a winner. The top three nominees have their names read the night of the Unity Awards, with one receiving the actual award.
Ted Kendzia, one of the nominees, will be performing this year.
“I enjoy being with my peers and having the opportunity to celebrate much success in a field that places much of its focus on another kind of success — the use of the songs at worship and in private spirituality,” he said.
Kendzia is just one of many performers that Kurt Carrick believes others should come out to see.
“In order for you to hear everybody’s music, you’d really have to dot the countryside, and globe, but it’s all coming here to Phoenix,” Carrick said. “I mean it’s a tremendous honor to have everybody coming here, but the opportunity to hear people perform live, their music that they do in their region or concert circuit” is the real benefit.
Stein suggested that attending the Unity Awards shows support to the nation’s foremost Catholic musicians.
“The UCMVA and the Unity Awards offers you the opportunity to support Catholic artists, producers and designers from all over the world,” Stein said. “By being a part of the UCMVA you are helping the Catholic marketplace grow and reach more people.”
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