From student to teacher: Nunavik Rocks fosters Kathy Aputiarjuk’s musical talents

It was 2018, and Kathy Aputiarjuk was travelling from Kangiqsualujjuaq to Kuujjuaq to participate in a music workshop.

“There was this poster at my school, and our teacher was very adamant for us to go to this program,” she said.

The program she attended was a singing workshop. Since then, she’s gone on to release a four-song self-titled EP last year, taken the stage as a musician, and is teaching Nunavik’s upcoming musicians through the program that fostered her own talent.

The program, Nunavik Rocks Music, offers music and singing lessons to Nunavimmiut, especially youth. Those who participate often go on to perform at local festivals.

Aputiarjuk said in an interview that it was “mind boggling” to become a teacher with Nunavik Rocks after being a student. She started in December.

“Teaching was another challenge for me, but it taught me that I know what I’m doing well and also what I’m not doing well,” she said.

Aputiarjuk has also taken the stage at festivals across the region, including this year’s Aqpik Jam in Kuujjuaq that wrapped up Aug. 16.

“It was one of the best performances I’ve done. I was comfortable on stage, not feeling unsure because Nunavik Rocks had my back,” she said.

Tyson Schallmann, the program director for Nunavik Rocks since April 2024, said he was first approached by his good friend, Willis Tagoona, to come aboard the program as an instructor.

“He approached me knowing that I’m not only a professional musician, I was a music educator as well. I’ve been teaching drums for probably close to 25 years or so,” Schallmann said.

Tagoona helped launch Nunavik Rocks in 2016 as part of the Kativik Regional Government’s recreation department.

At first, it was marketed to children ages 8 to 12, but Schallmann said that over the years there was an influx of younger participants ages 5 and up.

As a result, this year he hired a music animator to work with the younger children.

“We’re trying to start as early as we can to offer the kids the chance to feel real music, actual musicians playing with them,” he said.

The program also offered free private music and voice lessons in Kuujjuaq from Aug. 9 to 15. Some of the children who learned music with Nunavik Rocks took the stage at Aqpik Jam.

Nunavik Rocks is planning to bring the program to other communities such as Inukjuak and Salluit, said Schallmann.