New Nunavik music program hits all the right notes

Drum students Suzie Tukkiapik, Willie Nalukturuk, Leo Qipita Ilimasaut, Timothy Oovaut and Darren Idlout practice their drum skills last October at the Kuujjuaq Forum. (PHOTO COURTESY OF KRG)

Guitar instructor Josh Goldman works with Aupaluk musician Moses Cain on his acoustic guitar last month in Kuujjuaq. Cain says playing music helps him relieve stress. (PHOTO COURTESY OF KRG)

Drum student Willie Nalukturuk, left, gets some help from instructor Tyson Schallmann during a Nunavik Rocks workshop in October 2016. (PHOTO COURTESY OF KRG)

Moses Cain has travelled throughout the Nunavik region, mostly by invitation from communities who want his band to play local festivals or gatherings.

The Aupaluk musician has played acoustic guitar for about 16 years—he plays a bit of keyboard and accordion, too—though he’s never taken a formal lesson.

That’s the case for the vast majority of Nunavik’s musical talent; musicians learn how to play from family and friends by sitting in on jam sessions or community square dances.

But Cain has always wanted to take his skills to the next level.

“I play mostly gospel and some country songs as I hear them on the radio,” Cain said. “But I wanted to learn more new keys which I didn’t know of, and I wanted to learn more new tricks as well.”

A couple communities farther south, Willis Tagoona works as the arts and cultural advisor at the Kativik Regional Government’s recreation department.

He used to be a music teacher at Jaanimmarik high school until funding for the school’s music program was cut.

There aren’t many music programs in the region, he said. Some schools offer a music program if there’s a qualified teacher, and the Youth Fusion program also delivers music programming in some communities.

“It’s something that’s been on my mind for years,” Tagoona said. “I was fortunate to grow up with music around me and I wanted to give other Nunavimmiut the same opportunity.”

Tagoona helped launch Nunavik Rocks in 2015, a series of music workshops offered through the KRG.

Tagoona’s background—most Nunavimmiut will know him as the long-time guitarist, drummer and vocalist with the Kuujjuaq band Angava—lends itself well to the program, which is still running as a pilot project.

In 2016, Nunavik Rocks offered a guitar and a drumming workshop, both hosted in Kuujjuaq.

Cain was one of six guitarists to take part in the four-day December workshop. He said he learned a lot in those four days from instructor Josh Goldman, through the workshop didn’t feel long enough.

“It was good [and] it was very important for me,” he said. “It’s good to be a musician—it’s a lot of help to relieve stress in life, it’s [my way of] talking to the world.”

Last October, Darren Idlout of Inukjuak registered for Nunavik Rocks’ drumming workshop in Kuujjuaq.

In fact, Idlout wasn’t a drummer before he signed up; he played back-up guitar in his friends’ local band called 10-20.

“It’s the first time I took a music lesson. I’ve always wanted to,” said Idlout. “And I’ve been playing guitar for awhile, so I wanted to learn something new.”

Within a few days, Idlout said he’d learned some basic rhythm and could play a steady beat. Since he left Kuujjuaq, he continues to practice on a drum set at Inukjuak’s recreation centre.

“Now I can be the back-up drummer too,” he laughed.

For Tagoona, the goal is to continue to offer sessions to students until they are ready to become music instructors in their own communities.

Nunavik Rocks also hopes to teach the skills needed to host music events and festivals at home—often Nunavik villages have to bring in technical stage expertise when they host those kinds of event.

Tagoona plans to offer a lighting and audio skills workshop in 2017.

“There’s a lot of talent in Nunavik, and there’s a lot of potential,” he said.

For more information about upcoming music workshops, contact Tagoona at wtagoona@krg.ca for more information.

Participants of Nunavik Rocks’ December guitar workshop pose for a photo together at Kuujjuaq’s Kattitavik town hall. (PHOTO COURTESY OF KRG)