Music Graduate Colloquium: J. Alex. Young (Brandon U.)

Presented by Graduate Studies in Music, the Don Wright Faculty of Music Graduate Colloquium series includes lectures by distinguished guests, Western faculty members, and senior graduate students on all fields of research and creative activity in music.

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J. Alex. Young (Brandon University). “Indigenous Perspectives of Musicianship: Creativity, Presence, Education and Understanding”

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All are welcome to attend. No advance registration or tickets required. End times are approximate. 

Abstract

Indigenous storytelling is a means of connecting our spirituality to our culture and our past to our present. I view story and song as equally significant within my Cree culture, and as an Indigenous person, storytelling is tied to my expression of self within my music. I take great care in sharing my cultural background through music as Indigenous musicians operate in a time where the simple act of presence holds high standards. The cultural erasure of residential schools has resulted in pale transcriptions of Indigenous culture and music. These misrepresentations of our culture and people have resulted in convoluted and disrespectful views of Indigenous people. Therefore, present-day Indigenous people walk a line between these representations and reality. With slow and careful steps, we aim to cease false representations of our people.

Every act an Indigenous person undertakes reflects our people and our culture. Our spirituality permeates every aspect of our lives and the objects we create, but non-Indigenous observers of our culture often disregard or are unaware of this concept. Thus, Indigenous musicians have taken on the responsibility to use every opportunity to share as one to teach. Musical creativity and expression are hence inseparable from education and practice. Indigenous ancestors teach and guide our practices. Furthermore, our present-day practices teach and guide those yet to come. Indigenous musicians hope to promote understanding through these expressions of culturally-defined respect for our ancestors, generations and spirituality. Creativity, presence, education and understanding thus are the cornerstones of the Indigenous perspective of musicianship.