The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra were among the Manitoba artists who won big at the 2025 Western Canadian Music Awards. Nominated in two categories, the MCO took home the honours for Classical Artist or Ensemble of the Year. They claimed the award over the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Vancouver Chamber Choir, the Turning Point Ensemble, and Luminous Voices out of Alberta. The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra did beat out the MCO in the Classical Composer of the Year category with their recording of Afghanistan: Requiem for a Generation by B.C. composer Jeffrey Ryan, conducted by former Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra conductor Bramwell Tovey. The MCO were nominated in that category for their recording Glenn Buhr Violincello Concerti 1 & 2, which they recorded with cellist Ariel Barnes. The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, meanwhile, captured the Jazz Artist of the Year trophy. Similar to the MCO, also beat out three BC stalwarts in the genre – Raagaverse (a 2025 Juno Award nominee), Peggy Lee & Cole Schmidt and Jon Bentley – as well as Alberta’s Montuno West for the honour. Local artists won eight of the annual awards which were presented at the BreakOut West music conference here in Winnipeg, the most out of any other province. Winnipeggers Big Dave McLean and Leaf Rapids claimed Blues Artist of the Year and Roots Artist of the Year honours, respectively. Jade Turner from Misipawistik Cree Nation won Country Artist of the Year while Brandon-born Field Guide won Rock Artist of the Year. On the global music side, Tommyphyll won the Afrobeats Artist of the Year award with Kelly Bado claiming Global Artist of the Year. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BreakOut West (@breakoutwest) Manitobans were also recognized ahead of the 2025 WCMA's with other honours. Chantal Kreviazuk was inducted into the WMCA Hall of Fame while Cross Lake's Ernest Monias received the WCMA Heritage Award. The Kevin Walters Industry Builder Award went to Winnipeg's John Scoles for his work at the Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club. Haisla First Nation hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids were the most awarded group of the night, capturing three separate awards for Rap & Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, Songwriters of the Year and Video Director of the Year for the music video for their song “BBE”.