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INUVIK
Iqaluit came alive with music this month thanks in part to the Music Alive program created by the National Arts Centre (NAC).

From left, Emilia Nevin, Rachel Michel, Ashley Savard, Sylvia Cloutier, Natasha Wisintainer, Molly Ell, Theresa DeMaio, Killaq Enuaraq-Strauss and Crystal Mullin take part in the throat singing workshop held on Jan. 23. - photo courtesy of Mary Piercey

Started in 2005, the Music Alive program made its way to Nunavut for the first time this month. The widely-respected Brass Trio with the NAC orchestra performed a free public concert on Jan. 22 at Nakasuk Elementary School alongside drum dancer Mathew Nuqingaq, throat singers Sylvia Cloutier and Madeleine Allakariallak, as well as the entire Inuksuk High School Choir.

The concert was called Bringing the Qaggiq Back, and was co-presented by NAC and the Qaggiavuut Society for a Nunavut Performing Arts Centre.

The idea for collaboration came when the board members of Qaggiavuut travelled to NAC in Ottawa, in October of last year.

NAC decided to send their Brass Trio up to Iqaluit to start the Music Alive program in the territory. Within the next year, the entire 60 plus members of the NAC orchestra will be travelling to Iqaluit for a concert and workshops.

"They really believe that Nunavut needs a performing arts centre, so they are helping us with these collaborations." said Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, executive director of the Qaggiavuut society. "One thing we have to figure out is how we are going to house everyone, we don't really have the facilities to keep that many people."

The evening prior to the start of Bringing the Qaggiq Back, the Alianait music festival held its first show of its 2012 concert series, which featured Pangnirtung performers Etulu Aningmiuq, Simeonie Keenainak and Tim Evic.

The three musicians also played a special concert on Jan. 23 for students at Nakasuk Elementary school.

The NAC Brass Trio also visited the schools on Jan. 23 and 24.

Carol Horn, a teacher at Joamie Elementary School, said some of the senior students drummed along with the trio to songs that represented a trip around the world.

The trio hosted a workshop for the brass players at Inuksuk High School later in the day, including a tuba master class with the trombonist, Don Renshaw.

Cloutier then did another workshop with the school choir on throat singing.

"We had a fun-filled afternoon of demonstrations, workshops and masterclasses with members from the National Arts Centre Orchestra." said Mary Piercey, music teacher at Inuksuk High School.

A bilingual performance was held on Jan. 24 for the students at Ecole des Trois-Soleils.

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