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