Poppies, Shuttlecocks, Music, Parents, & Crafts

Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Canada and other Commonwealth countries on November 11.  The day relates to the end of the First World War in 1918, when hostilities in Europe ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month".  The day is set aside for people to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty.  Around 7,000 Aboriginals (Inuit, Métis, First Nations) participated in the First & Second World Wars and the Korean War.

            

Iqaluit's Remembrance Day Service took place at the 795 Cadet Hall on a cold, but bright, Sunday morning.  The Parade Square had been converted into a large seating area, with enough blue chairs to seat about 250 people.  A wooden display at the front was set up for the many wreaths that would be hanged.  Slowly, the hall became filled with people, including visiting dignitaries, politicians, RCMP officers, Rangers, Veterans, and Legion members.  Of course, the air cadets of 795 Iqaluit Squadron were there to act as wreath layers, hold flags, and to stand guard next to the wreath display.  I took a position at the back to take photographs.

            

The ceremony began with the playing of O Canada followed by the Last Post, One Minute Silence, Lament, and Reveille.  The Last Post & Reveille bugle calls were played by Flight-Sergeant Neigo-Akavak on the trumpet.  The Lament was played by a piper whose name I do not know.  Next was a reading of the famous poem 'In Flanders Field' by Flight-Sergeant Bychok.  The poem was written by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae in 1915.  The wreath laying was the longest part of the ceremony; some 54 wreaths were presented.

            

The Iqaluit Community Choir, conducted by Eva Paul & Peter Workman, sang two songs: "In Memorium", composed by Bill Douglas with lyrics by Tennyson; and "For That Tomorrow" - music & lyrics by Nigel J.C. Turnbull.  The ceremony concluded with the playing of "God Save the Queen" followed by the March Off of the Colours.  The audience quickly filed out of the cadet hall because the Legion was hosting a free lunch next door.  The cadets got to eat first while everyone else had to wait in line.  As always, the food was delicious, especially the prime roast. 

            

Inuksuk High School played host to a territorial wide badminton tournament on the weekend of the November 17 - 19.  Teams from all the communities came to participate.  School on the Friday was pretty crowded, with students and teachers having to navigate around piles of luggage.  I'm not sure what the final results were but I'm sure that some Inuksuk High students won some medals.  The trip back home for some visiting teams took longer on Monday because their towns were suffering from blizzards.  Several teams had to even fly to Yellowknife first before hopping on a connecting flight.           

            

On Monday, November 19, the students of Inuksuk High were treated to a one-hour concert by Canadian folk & blues singer-songwriter Suzie Vinnick.  She is originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but is now based in Toronto, Ontario.  She has won 5 Maple Blues Awards for Best Female Vocalist, and has been nominated for two Junos.  What some of you may not know is that she also sang the famous 'Always fresh. Always Tim Hortons' jingle for the last five years.

            

Taking centre stage, Suzie Vinnick played several of her well known songs on acoustic guitar and told her story of becoming a professional musician.  While I listened and watched, I made a mental note of reminding my Grade 10 guitarists that her blues playing was exactly what they were learning in class.  She also took time to answer questions from students.  They were pretty generic but one student asked her if she could make up a song on the spot.  So she did . . . about him and it turned out okay.  After the performance, she signed a few autographs and posed for some pictures.  As a gift for Inuksuk's music program, she gave me a copy of her latest album Me 'N' Mabel.       

            

The big news of the week for students was the issuing of midterm report cards.  I did my best to not use any teacher jargon when I wrote my comments.  I also tried to stay away from using provided comments and write something that applies just to that student.  The main complaint from parents is that report cards are hard to read & understand because they're filled with teacher jargon - confusing words/phrases that don't really say anything.  In a way, teachers are forced to do this because they can't be blunt and tell a parent that their child can't learn or they're perfect in every way.  Most of my students were happy with their marks while others were concerned. 

            

Parent teacher interviews took place on Thursday, November 22 for the entire day.  Because of this, the students had the day off.  I was hoping to meet the parents/guardians of all my students but I had to settle with much less.  I was glad to have some visitors, otherwise, I would have fallen asleep in my office.  The parents that did come wanted to know how their child was doing in class and what could they do to improve their marks.           

             

Friday was an In-Service Day for all high school teachers meaning there weren't any classes.  Including Saturday & Sunday, the students of Inuksuk High had a four-day weekend.  An In-Service Day is the same as a Professional Development (PD) Day down in Ontario.  The schedule was filled with staff & department meetings.  Roles of the Guidance Counselor, the introduction of a new Grade 10 social studies module on the Residential School System, and putting forth suggestions towards improving/adding to the newly renovated library were specifically discussed.

            

The high school was alive and jumping this morning (Saturday) because of a large craft fair.  The cafeteria, main foyer, and gym had all been set up with tables and chairs the night before for the many sellers who would be selling their merchandise.  When I arrived at 11am, the parking lot was full of cars and all three areas inside were swarming with people looking for a good deal.  Admission for adults was $2; children got in free.  The goods being sold were from the following categories: food, clothing, jewelry, arts & crafts, portraits, literature, toys, and music.  It felt like the entire town was taking part in the event because I met many familiar faces.  What was even more surprising was the amount of money I spent.  All I can say is that bringing $100 was not enough.  But I'm glad that I did my part in supporting local sellers. 

            

And finally, there's only two weeks to go until the Christmas Concert.  There's still much to do: finding other acts, advertising, and putting together a program.  All the pieces have been selected and introduced to my students; all they need to do now is practice them like there's no tomorrow.  The lunchtime practices with both bands will be starting this week.

Halloween & Midterms

The Halloween festivities began on October 30 at the 795 Iqaluit Air Squadron Cadet Hall.  The regular training night was substituted with a scary themed party and many cadets & officers were wearing costumes.  Cadets who didn't arrive in costume had to wear their dress uniforms.  Unfortunately, my costume was still 'in the shop' so I had to make do with my formal attire.  Plus, the cadets think I'm scary enough as it is.  I joined the party a little later because I was busy checking to see if everything was ready for the Halloween concert the following day at the high school. 

            

The entire ground floor of the cadet hall had been transformed into a haunted house of sorts, with scary decorations, borrowed from the Legion Hall next door, covering every inch of the white walls.  I didn't notice the big black spider hanging over the main entrance until much later.  The canteen was serving an interesting menu: Witch's Brew, Spider Eggs in Goo, Maggots & Bugs, and Worms in A Bun.  The food had been prepared by the new administrative clerk, Master Corporal Benning.  Even though the food wasn't what their titles implied, I decided to forgo a taste. 

            

The cadets participated in a variety of games, such as: gummy worm eating contest, bobbing for apples, and eating donuts dangling from strings without using your hands.  I stood off to the side taking photographs and was surprised by the cadets' appetites.  At the end of the night, the cadet hall was swept clean and everyone went home with large amounts of candy.

            

I was nervous when I walked into Inuksuk High School on the morning of October 31.  Today was the day.  Halloween Concert D-Day.  Weeks of planning and lunchtime practices would be put to the test 30 minutes before lunchtime. 

            

Many students and teachers had arrived in costumes.  My costume, a green gambling jacket with a roulette table collar, was pressed and ready to go thanks to Renata, the drama teacher.  To help me keep my mind off the upcoming concert, I chose to forgo wearing my costume for the first two periods.  I dismissed my second period English class early so that they could help me set up the stage with chairs, music stands, and instruments.  My junior and senior musicians were also dismissed early from second period; they assembled in the music room with their instruments and music.  After tuning everyone in the music room, we all proceeded as a group to the main foyer.

            

It wasn't until we got to the stage that I realized that I was missing something important: a microphone.  With no time left, I would have to rely on my loud voice, the kind I used when I called drill when I was an army cadet.  With all my musicians seated, and the main foyer filling with students, I began the Halloween concert.

            

We started with a lively rock arrangement called "Dr. Rockenstein".  This arrangement by Steve Hodges combines many memorable 'scary' musical motives and a rocking drum beat.  The only memorable motive I recognized was "In The Hall of The Mountain King".  "Dr. Rockenstein" was followed by "Hedwig's Theme" & "Harry's Wondrous World", two themes from the famous Harry Potter films, composed by John Williams. 

            

The tone of the concert took on a more scarier tone with the next piece: "Ghost Ship".  Michael Story was inspired by the mystery surrounding the merchant vessel Mary Celeste to write the arrangement.  The last arrangement the band played was "A Rockin' Halloween", a collection of famous tunes: "Ghostbusters", "Werewolves of London", and "Scooby-Doo".  The band was also supposed to play an arrangement of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" but the scores didn't arrive in time to be rehearsed.

            

I decided to finish off the concert with a solo of my own.  On an electric keyboard set to Church Organ, I played the Toccata from J.S. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor".  Even without the use of a pedal, it still sounded alright.  With students & teachers applauding, my musicians and I took a bow before the lunch bell rang.  (I also breathed a sigh of relief).   Before I dismissed my juniors & seniors for lunch, they helped me put away the chairs, music stands, and instruments.  While this was being done, I received personal congratulations from teachers, students, and the principal.  I was glad the concert was a success but my only regret is not having someone photograph and/or film the entire concert with my digital camera.            

Afternoon classes were cancelled because student council had organized Halloween activities for everyone.  The first was a crazy relay race in the gymnasium.  Putting on a brave face, I participated and managed not to fall over (you had to start by spinning in a circle ten times).  My team didn't win but the race was fun nonetheless.  The next activity was a Best Costume Contest.  Categories were: Most Original, Scariest, and Funniest.  Costumes were judged according to audience applause.  What came next was the cupcake eating contest.  I was surprised by how competitive it got.  There are some students who can pack a lot of cupcakes; I think someone got to six without vomiting.

            

After Halloween, the next concern of the school year was midterms, scheduled for November 7 - 9.  Midterms can be broken down into 4 stages for teachers: preparing, administering, correcting, and recording.  A lot of time is required to make these stages work and what's even more challenging is finding the extra time to prepare review lessons, the following unit and writing your next blog post.  Thankfully, I was able to make it all work. 

            

Teachers received extra time to prepare their midterms because classes were cancelled on Friday, November 2 due to adverse weather.  A blizzard had rolled into town and the school buses weren't running.  Speaking of weather, more snow continues to fall on Iqaluit with every passing day and the days are getting shorter and shorter.  Night now arrives at 3:30pm! 

            

All my classes this semester had midterm exams.  The English midterm looked at the short story & poetry units, and the novella Of Mice & Men.  As for my three music classes, the midterms were split into two parts: performance & theory.  The performance tests were mostly positive but the theory results were mixed.  My students are getting the concepts but at a slow pace.  I'm doing whatever it takes to make music theory as fun & interesting as possible.  Every musician should know music theory.

            

With midterms now complete, I can now look at planning forthcoming lessons in music & English.  The next big concert is the Christmas Concert on December 11.  I already have most of the music and will be introducing it to my students shortly.  I'll also be looking at incorporating Inuit throat singing & drum dancing.

            

Speaking off topic, I was glad to see the re-election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.  He will do well in his second term.  I was a little worried during the campaign because it appeared as if Mitt Romney would actually win.  Hard to believe that 4 years have passed since Obama won the most powerful seat in the world.  At that time, I was touring Brisbane, Australia with my older brother.  (You can read about here).   

            

And lastly, with Remembrance Day just around the corner, I just want to thank all of Canada's veterans, of previous & current conflicts, for defending freedom with their lives.  Lest We Forget.

NACO Tour - Part 2

The educational workshops continued the following day in the afternoon (Sunday, October 28).  The first was a two-hour film score composition workshop for my top music students.  The workshop took place in my music room and was led by Canadian composer Alexina Louie.  I was just as excited as my students were because I had to study Alexina Louie and her compositions when I was completing my piano studies with the Royal Conservatory in 2009. 

            

When my students were seated, I assisted Alexina with her presentation.  After introducing herself, Alexina explained how she became interested in music and made a career in musical composition.  She then turned to the film industry and described how important music plays in films (emotions, tension, replacing silence, etc).  Before getting into the fine details, she highlighted the important fact that a film composer needs to write what the director wants.  In very few cases, can the composer write what (s)he wants; the director has the final say.

            

Adding music to a film happens during the last stage of film making, known as post-production.  This is when the hours of 'raw' film footage is reviewed, cut, and spliced to make a final cut.  If needed, special effects are added.  As Alexina explained, the film score composer sits with the director and reviews the final cut of a film.  They 'discuss' (sometimes directors are not open to compromise) which scenes would benefit with the addition of music.  Film scenes are timed to the second (even milliseconds in some cases) and the composer must make sure that the musical fragments are the right lengths.  Sometimes, music can transition between scenes but the director must approve.  Once everything has been worked out, the composer then proceeds to write the required musical passages and use the leftover money from the budget to hire musicians and technicians to record the music.

            

To emphasize her points, Alexina showed several clips of films for which she wrote the music.  She also elaborated on the specific kinds of music one should write for certain scenes.  For example, it would be unwise to write loud music for a scene where characters are talking softly to each other.  She also added that the only time a composer is able to write a full piece is for the end credits.

            

At my request, Alexina focused on composition techniques during the second half of the workshop.  When it comes to writing music, my students find melody writing and the use of chords challenging because they don't know where to start?  Alexina put their minds at ease by writing a melody with them and harmonizing it with basic chords.  At the end of the workshop we posed for a photograph outside of the music room.

            

The Brass Workshop began just thirty minutes later at the 795 Iqaluit Air Squadron Cadet Hall.  I got quite an exercise speed walking down to the location from the high school, making sure I didn't slip on the snow covered ground.  The workshop featured Karen Donnelly (principal trumpet), Lawrence Vine (principal French horn), and Donald Renshaw (principal trombone) of the National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO).  I was surprised to learn that Karen had attended the same high school as my mother in Regina, Saskatchewan.  To benefit from the presence of a professional trombonist, I invited my three high school trombonists to attend the event.  I was glad to see them all there.

            

The one-hour workshop began with a short recital, where the musicians showcased their virtuosity and the musical ranges of the instruments.  I can't remember all the pieces that they played but I do know they played 'When The Saints Go Marching In' and finished the recital with the 'William Tell Overture'.  After the recital, the students were split into two groups: Karen Donnelly worked with my two advanced trumpeters, Rachel & Newkinga; and Donald Renshaw worked with my three beginner trombonists, Jason, Mike, and Will.  I alternated between the two groups, snapping photographs.

            

Unfortunately, the end of the workshop came too quickly and the lessons had to be cut short.  My trombonists definitely would have benefitted from an extra hour with Mr. Renshaw because his knowledge of trombone is far in excess of what I knew.  I made sure to suggest a two-hour workshop to NACO planners for the next time the orchestra comes to visit Iqaluit.     

            

The final highlight of the NACO visit was the Student Matinee Concert at Aqsarniit Middle School on Monday, October 29.  The concert was organized to celebrate the musical genius of Antonio Vivaldi, a world renowned Italian composer from the Baroque Era.  ("If it ain't Baroque, don't fix it!)  What made this performance so important was that the orchestra would premiere the winter themed piece my students wrote with Tim Brady back in mid-April (read about it here).  I received permission from the principal to excuse myself and my four young composers from second period to attend the morning concert.  We were chauffeured to the middle school by taxi.  Upon our arrival, we made our way to the gym where the entire school was assembling.  We took our seats next to the school choir.  The choir and the Iqaluit Fiddle Club would be performing alongside NACO.  The entire concert was covered by various media outlets.                   

            

After the principal introduced everyone, the concert got off to a good start . . . until Antonio Vivaldi appeared.  NACO guest conductor Arild Remmereit had to stop the music and tell the 300 year old composer that he was interrupting the concert.  [Spoiler Alert] Actually, it was NAC actor John Doucet dressed as Vivaldi but the students didn't know that.  An embarrassed 'Vivaldi' apologized and sat off to the side while NACO played the 'Spring' concerto from his Four Seasons.  Afterwards, Vivaldi was lectured on life in the North and even received lessons on how to throat sing. 

            

NACO continued the concert by performing an excerpt from Alexina Louie's Take the Dog Sled.  She was, of course, in attendance to explain how she wrote the piece and to receive an applause from the schoolchildren.  Darlene Nuqingaq and her Iqaluit Fiddle Club joined in with NACO to play Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy'.  Thereafter, NACO accompanied the school choir as they sang 'Amazing Grace' in Inuktitut. 

            

Simeonie Keenainak, the retired RCMP turned accordion superstar, was next to take centre stage and just as I thought, the second he started playing, everyone was clapping along.  In Vivaldi's case, he was dancing and even got several students to join him.  There was one point in the performance where the clapping almost threw off the orchestra but Arild Remmereit was able to keep everyone in time.

            

Finally, the moment came.  I stood at the back of the gym and let my four composers, Jason, Anika, Maleetoo, and Newkinga stand in front of the student body and describe the kind of music they wrote for the piece.  Jason focused on fear & anxiety, the kind one feels when standing on a moving glacier.  Anika's section was more upbeat, reflecting all the fun winter activities that take place in the North (ie. sledding, building snowmen, and having snowball fights).  Maleetoo's passage drew inspiration from the sounds of skidoos and the footsteps of people walking on the ice.  And Newkinga's section dealt with walking & hunting on the land, and having to deal with traffic congestion in Iqaluit.

            

I have to admit that despite the musical passages being different from one another, Tim Brady did a fantastic job of arranging the students' ideas into a well flowing arrangement.  When the final note was played, Vivaldi led the middle school in applauding my students. 

            

NACO finished off the concert with the 'Winter' concerto from Vivaldi's Four Seasons.  As for the 'real' Vivaldi, he thanked everyone for letting him visit Iqaluit & the North, and that he learned a lot about Inuit culture & language.  As the students listened to James Ehnes play the violin solos, Vivaldi made his exit . . . into the male change room.

            

Before my students & I left the gym, Jason was briefly interviewed by Neco Cockburn of the Ottawa Citizen.  While we waited for our taxi at the school's main entrance, I asked each of them about how they felt hearing their own written music played by a professional orchestra?  They all agreed that it was exciting and a little nerve-wracking because they didn't know how everyone would react.

            

Overall, the Iqaluit part of NACO Tour was a success.  The general public were treated to wonderful classical & Inuit music and students were able to learn from some of the best musicians in Canada.  Personally, I was glad to play host to NACO & its featured guests.  NACO and its entire entourage would leave in the afternoon, flying to Yellowknife and then to Whitehorse several days later, putting on the same performances & workshops.  By the end of it all, the October 26 - November 4 Tour would touch the lives of 6,000 people.

End of NACO Tour Mini-Series

NACO Tour - Part 1

The National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO) was founded in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1969, to coincide with the opening of the National Arts Centre (NAC).  Since then, NACO has been the resident orchestra of Canada's capital and has toured all over the world.  Since 1999, Pinchas Zukerman has served as the orchestra's Musical Director. 

            

As stated on its website, NACO "has long played a national role with performances, teaching, and partnerships across Canada".  For the 2012-2013 Season, the orchestra embarked on a Performance & Education Tour of Canada's northern territories (Yukon, Northwest, & Nunavut), from October 26 to November 4. Specifically, the orchestra visited the three territorial capitals: Iqaluit, Nunavut; Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; and Whitehorse, Yukon.  In total, around 50 educational workshops were organized and around 20 performances took place.  The workshops focused on "cultural exchanges and learning through dialogue."

             

Due to travelling & shipping expenses, NACO was sending a 'skeleton crew' of musicians: 4 first violins, 4 second violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, 1 double bass, 1 clarinet, 1 bassoon, 1 trumpet, 1 horn, 1 trombone, and 1 percussionist.    

            

The orchestra was led by guest conductor, Arild Remmereit, who  just began as Music Director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.  Remmereit was born in Norway and studied conducting in Vienna.  He also studied with famed 20th century American composer & conductor Leonard Bernstein between 1987 & 1990.

            

Also travelling with NACO were: James Ehnes, Alexina Louie, Akinisie Sivuarapik, and Evie Mark.  James Ehnes is a Canadian concert violinist who began his violin studies at the young age of four.  Since then, he has performed in over 30 countries and has been honoured with numerous awards, including 6 Junos, a Grammy, and a Gramophone Award.  In 2010, he was made a member of the Order of Canada.  For this trip, he would be performing on his 300 year-old Stradivarius.

           

Alexina Louie is a well known Canadian composer of Chinese descent who has written many pieces for orchestra, piano, and films since 1972.  For the tour, she composed Take the Dog Sled, a seven-part orchestral & throat singing piece that explores life in the North from an Inuit perspective.  As well, NACO had hired her to run several workshops on writing music for orchestras & films.

               

Akinisie Sivuarapik, and Evie Mark are both Inuit throat singers who have showcased their talents all over the world.  They would perform throat songs of their own and provide the vocals for Take the Dog Sled.  Akinisie is from Puvirnituq, and Evie is from Ivujivik.  These villages are located in a semi-autonomous area of northern Quebec called Nunavik, meaning 'place to live'.

            

It wouldn't be a successful tour without the presence of the media and NACO did everything it its power to make sure that the entire excursion would be accurately documented and presented.  The National Arts Centre's own media team as well as a reporter with the Ottawa Citizen newspaper also came along for the trip. 

            

Before the arrival of NACO on October 26, I was in frequent contact with NACO planners who were putting together the tour schedule.  My music room would be used for several workshops and the orchestra needed to borrow music stands and a conductor's podium for the main concert on the 27th.  "No problem," I replied.

            

The first workshop I attended was a one-hour teleconference (audio & video) event between the Iqaluit Fiddle Club and Ottawa's OrKidstra Program on Saturday, October 27.  The teleconference was happening in my music room so I decided to attend as an observer.  Both clubs focus on stringed instruments and teaching young children (ages 9 - 14).  The Iqaluit Fiddle Club is led by Darlene Nuqingaq.  Members of OrKidstra, led by Roberta Caroline, would communicate with the Iqaluit Fiddle Club from the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. 

            

The program of the teleconference included: learning names; performing Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' as a group; learning how to throat sing; and sharing stories of life in the North & how important music plays in the lives of young minds.  Despite a one & a half second delay in the transmission, the teleconference was a success.  Each member of the Iqaluit Fiddle Club received a free OrKidstra t-shirt.            

            

The main event of the Iqaluit leg of the tour was the evening concert at Nakasuk Middle School, that also took place on the 27th.  Tickets were free but attendants were encouraged to donate to the Qaggiavuut Society.  The group comprises of Nunavut artists (mostly based in Iqaluit) who are advocating and pushing for the building of a performing arts centre in Iqaluit.  I guess having the sold out concert in a middle school gym made the case even stronger.

            

I took a seat at the back of the gym and gazed at the small stage that was filled to the brim with chairs and the musical stands from my classroom.  The perimeter was occupied by TV cameras, and refreshment & gift stands.  As the seating area continued fill with people, I noticed several of my students in attendance with their families.  The concert began with a lighting ceremony and a vocal piece by Sylvia Cloutier & Madeleine Allakariallak.  This was followed by NACO performing three movements from Edvard Grieg's Holberg Suite, Op. 40.

            

Before Intermission, Simeonie Keenainak, a retired RCMP officer turned accordionist, took to the stage and played two pieces with the orchestra: Avaala (Song for the Seal) & Aqsarniit (Northern Lights)  I'm not sure what it is about accordion music, but it has a serious 'grip' on the Inuit.  The second Keenainak (a musical icon in the North) started playing, everyone was clapping along and tapping their feet.  Looking around the gym, I even spotted several people dancing.  Keenainak had to play an encore.

            

After Intermission, Alexina Louie was introduced to the audience and invited to explain about her experiences writing Take the Dog Sled.  Louie explained that the most difficult part of the writing process was incorporating Inuit throat singing because there is no established form of notation.  Despite this, the piece was well received by the audience and she received an extended applause.

            

The evening ended with a classic: Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, Op. 8.  With James Ehnes playing the solo violin parts, NACO performed the Spring & Winter concertos.  After the last note was played, James & the orchestra received a standing ovation from the crowd.          

            

While walking home in the cold winter evening, I hoped the Qaggiavuut Society would succeed in persuading the right people to build a performing arts centre in Nunavut's capital.

To Be Continued . . .