Regina-based Dara Schindelka’s First Grant Propels her Musical Career to Celestial Success

“The voice of an angel and the power of a freight train.” – Most artists would pay a fortune for being described like Regina’s Dara Schindelka is by her peers. Schindelka, a folk singer-songwriter, took advantage of our Sound Recording Grant to produce her first full-length project, Saturn Returns. It’s an album that has momentum she says she’s been able to capitalize on as her work continues to take her across the province and the country.

“As a travelling musician this means that I have shows that take me to every corner of Saskatchewan this summer. I played in 22 different communities in Saskatchewan by the end of 2022 and am already looking forward to this next year! The ability to utilize a Sound Recording Grant like this means that the hard work I put into my music and career has the ability to flourish and grow.”

The album, which she says is meant to “…prepare you for the unpredictable journey of life”, was rooted in Regina. It was recorded at Ever Rising Recording, run by producer Colin Hubick, and then sent to Walt Jeworski at Blue Door to mix and master the tracks. The artist, who had previously produced an EP and a few singles in the last couple of years, says that the money allowed her to collaborate with local musicians, significantly improving the success of the final product.

“Having this grant meant that I was able to have top notch musicians playing with me on the recording and was able to hire professionals in every area of the recording, producing, manufacturing and promotional part of this project! The album exceeded my expectations when it came to the show of support from media across Saskatchewan and I have new followers from every corner of the province!”

That media coverage included an in-depth interview with CBC Radio, North Sask Music Zine, and she was repeatedly featured by SaskMusic. By the end of 2022, Saturn Returns placed number six on SaskMusic’s list of best albums of the year. Out on the road, Schindelka would perform in Regina and area plenty, but also travelled to North Battleford, parts of Ontario via ContactOntour, Katepwa Beach, White City, Rocanville, Elbow, Balcarres, Radville, Montmartre’s All Folk’d Up Music Festival, and a host of other locations. Schindelka isn’t kidding when she calls herself a troubadour.

Throughout her career, she’s been focused on connecting with fans. Whether that’s out on the road, at showcase performances held at places like Casino Regina, or via live streams that she’s been involved in through organizations like the Prince Albert Multicultural Council, Schindelka is endlessly keen to keep making music and continue sharing meaningful experiences with people of all ages. We’re glad that Saturn Returns could come to fruition and become another key step in her journey as a professional artist.

To find out more about her work, including her previous EP that was recorded while she was teaching in La Ronge, you can visit her website at daraschindelka.com. It may be early in the year, but Dara’s already got performance dates booked in Regina and Edmonton.

If you’re looking to find a new audience for your music—or burst back onto the scene with a new project— take a look at our grant guidelines to see if your work might be a good fit. The project needs to include at least six songs, run at least 30 minutes, and be created with the intention of commercial release in order to meet the minimum requirements. Recent recipients include Dump Babes and Universal Honey. If you’re recording a shorter work, we also have streams dedicated to single sound recordings (1-3 songs) and EPs (4 to 6 songs and shorter than 30 minutes). If you’re looking at our Market Travel Grant, recording in studio can only reach so far, that stream is dedicated to opportunities connected to showcases, festivals, and conferences, and exhibits.

By John Loeppky.