The Recorder, Vol. XXXII, No. 1 (Nov , 1989)

Canadian Music:

The World's Music in Microcosm

Canada was colonized by the repertoire growing out of the educators cannot be expected to be French and British, and even today heritages of other ethnic groups experts in all the types of ethnic French and British influences re- which make up the Canadian popu- music found in Canada today, but main strong irt Canada, represent- lation. For example, the music of the fortunately, recordings, films and ing the predominant colours in the aboriginal people of Canada - the videotapes are available which the Canadian mosaic. Yet waves of native Indians and Inuit - should teacher can use to present authen- immigrants from all parts of the not be ignored. Teachers should be tic performances of a variety of eth- world have come to Canada, and aware that some Indian and Inuit nic music. In addition, teachers can those immigrants have brought with songs have begun to appear in call on local performers to demon- them their cultural heritages. As a Canadian music education texts' strate their music. Students and result of immigration, the Canadian and some Canadian compositions their parents can provide valuable mosaic has become and is becom- have been based on or inspired by links to their ethnocultural commu- ing increasingly complex and native music. Teachers should also nities. varied, and Canadian music now be aware of the richly varied ethnic A recent conference at the represents, in a very real sense, the make-up of their communities, and University of Toronto on rnulticul- world's music in microcosm. should seek ways of including in tural music education emphasized their music programs examples of The music which Canadian chil- that there are important social as the music of the various ethnocul- dren hear in their homes, commu- well as aesthetic justifications for tural groups found in Canada. nity centres, and churches, and the including the music of Canada's music being composed in Canada, The teacher must, however, pro- various ethnocultural groups in the grows out of the varying ethnic ceed with caution and sensitivity, for curriculum. "When we educate in backgrounds of Canada's people. it is a disservice to present ethnic music, we are constructing an Music educators have a responsibit- music which is not authentic in con- important part of society's view of ity to help their students understand tent or style of performance. Music itself ... When we fail to teach and appreciate the rich diversity of Canada's music.

The teacher seeking to include Canadian music in a program of study, may well choose to begin with Canadian folk music. He or she will quickly discover that the cur- rently available collections of Canadian folk songs focus on the heritage of Canada's two founding peoples, the French and the British. There are ·abundant examples of fine folk songs, particularly from Quebec and the Maritimes, which have grown out of our French and Reproduced with permission of the author and the British heritages. There are also many Canadian compositions which co-editors from Vol. XXXII, No.1 (Season 32) of The have been based on this folk mater- Recorder, the journal of the Ontario Music ial, and these compositions can pro- Educators I Association. vide challenging material for per- forming and listening. But the teacher should seek additional (JIlI,11I1I ,\/IN( /(/U(dWr;· AS.S()Cldlion

about all music, we are not just influenced by their British heritage, cerned to preserve the individual ignoring musical form's and modes while Claude Champagne's music details of the Canadian multicultural of expression. We are ignoring the reflects his French background. mosaic, while at the same time help- people for whom these forms and Srul Irving Glick's compositions ing students understand and appre- expressions are meaningful. "2 The reveal his Jewish roots, while ciate that it is al/ the details which conference, co-sponsored by Alexina Louie's music grows out of together form that mosaic. As stu- OMEA and the University of Toronto her Chinese-Canadian heritage. Yet dents gain understanding and Faculty of Music, provided opportu- at the same time, many composers, appreciation of Canadian music, nities for teachers to participate in like composers in much of the they may also gain insight into the music-making sessions led by per- Western world, have moved toward world's music. formers from eight local ethnocul- more experimental styles, and have tural groups. Included in the pub- shown "a stronger allegiance to the Patricia Shand lished proceedings of this confer- international school of experimental Co-ordinator ence are useful lists of resource music."> John Weinzweig's serial Music Education Division materials (books, recordings, films) compositions, Barry Truax's elec- Faculty of Music which were distributed to confer- troacoustic music, and R. Murray University of Toronto ence participants. Schafer's aleatoric pieces are obvi- ous examples. The music written in When teaching music composed 1. For example, Reflections of Canada, Vol. Canada since World War \I "is in Canada, teachers should make 1 (Oakville. Ontario: Frederick Harris, astonishingly rich. Every modern 1985) their students aware of how this trend is represented and many com- 2. Multicultural Music Education: The 'Music music, like our folk music, grows out Means Harmony' Workshop (Toronto: posers strive for wide diversity of the Canadian multicultural Institute for Canadian Music. University of within their own output. "4 Toronto. 1989). p. vii. Copies of this book mosaic. Many of Canada's com- can be purchased for $10.00 from CMEA. posers have written music which In developing music programs 16 Royaleigh Ave.. Rexdale, Ontario reflects their own ethnic back- which reflect the wide diversity of M9P 2J5. 3. Timothy J. McGee. The Music of Canada ground. For example, Healey Willan folk and composed music in (New York: WOW. Norton, 1985), p. 114. and Godfrey Ridout were clearly Canada, teachers should be con- 4. Ibid., p. 115-116.