Our Manager of Online Processing and Claims Administration, Joy Galiatsos, shares with us one of her favourite recipes, her day-to-day after 24 years at CMRRA, and the last concert experience she had before the live music industry shutdown.
You’ve been part of the CMRRA team for 24 years, wow! I’d love to know more about what an average day looks like in your position as the Manager of Online Processing and Claims Administration.
Wow is right! I’ve always enjoyed my work at CMRRA so it really doesn’t feel like I’ve been here for 24 years. Having such an excellent team of people to collaborate with really helps. My current position is a relatively new one. I was promoted late last year and although I’ve worked with the Online Team in the past, things have changed a lot over the years. The huge increase in the number of transactions we see on a quarterly basis is just one of them. My day-to-day actually changes daily. During the pre-invoicing period, I work with our IT Team to ensure that License requests and sales files are loaded and with our Online Team to ensure that recordings are matched and work (song) claims are validated and maintained in our repertoire. Over the past few months, I’ve been involved in the development, integration and testing of CMRRA’s systems with Sound Exchange’s matching platform. I also oversee our web claims portals: CMRRA Direct Unclaimed Works Portal and the CMRRA-SODRAC INC (CSI) Claims Portal along with the associated registrations and royalty claims. There are a lot of different aspects to my job which I really enjoy.
I heard you assembled a CMRRA band called Royality Cheque, can you tell me a bit more about that?
Back in 2015, Re:Sound invited CMRRA to participate in their annual Re:Wind event. It’s a great live event that showcases the talents of staff that work in various Music Industry collectives and raises money for charities including the Unison Benevolent Fund. We had a lot of interest from our staff to perform and after a vote, we decided to name our band “Royality Cheque” (which is a little play on the word “Royalty”). That first year we had an eclectic group of musicians and instruments that included both cello and steel drums. CMRRA have participated in this event for 4 years. Each year had a different theme and different band members along with some really amazing performances. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to participate last year due to Covid but we’ve just been invited to participate again this year for a virtual event. I’m looking forward to the show!
The live music industry has seen its fair share of limitations and hurdles over the last year and a bit due to the global pandemic. Do you think being unable to perform live changed your relationship with music?
I really enjoy singing with the CMRRA band although I’m really not much of a performer otherwise. I love listening to music and I really miss going to see live shows. I think if anything, the pandemic has proven just how much we need live music. That need to connect with the music and people around us is so important. I’ve got so many great memories of going to see live bands and I can’t wait to get back out there. The last concert I went to was Gowan in February 2020 at the Danforth Music Hall during a snowstorm and just before everything shut down. I hadn’t seen him since the ’90s and he put on such an amazing show! He played all his hits including Criminal Mind as well as a couple of new Styx songs.
I think listening to an album on Spotify or Apple Music is great but there is nothing like going to a live show.
The word around town is the office goes crazy for your Baklava. Can you share one of your favourite quick and easy baking recipes for those of us at home?
I really enjoy baking. I can spend far too much time on Pinterest looking for different recipes and finding reasons to make them. I brought in some Baklava once after Easter and I’ve been asked to bring some in ever since. We have small staff appreciation events throughout the year, where we bring in baked goods, including what we call “Pie Day” which is before Canadian Thanksgiving, in early October. These are the perfect excuse to bake.
This is a recipe that my mom used to bake when I was younger, that my Dad really liked. I still like to make it with slight variations each time. It’s so easy and really delicious.
Magic Cookie Bars
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
- 1 cup chopped nuts
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for a glass dish).
- Spray a 9 X 13 pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs and the salted butter until mixed through
- Press the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the graham crumb crust
- Sprinkle even layers of the chocolate chips, coconut and nuts, making sure they are evenly mixed
- Press the toppings down firmly with the back of a spoon into the condensed milk (but don’t break through the crust)
- Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned
- Cool bars completely before slicing into squares or diamonds
- Store covered at room temperature or in a covered container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Enjoy!
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