First Nations The
First Nations people of Canada are of a number of diverse
ethnic groups, each of which has their own musical traditions. There are some general similarities, however. Music is usually social (public) or ceremonial (private). Public, social music may be
dance music accompanied by
rattles and drums. Private, ceremonial music includes vocal songs with accompaniment on percussion, used to mark occasions like Midewivin ceremonies and
Sun Dances. Traditionally, First Nations, being resourceful and creative, used the materials at hand to make their instruments for centuries before
Europeans immigrated to Canada. First Nations people made
gourds and animal
horns into
rattles, many rattles were elaborately carved and beautifully painted. In woodland areas, they made horns of
birchbark and
drumsticks of carved
antlers and wood. Drums were generally made of carved wood and
animal hides. Drums and rattles are percussion instruments traditionally used by First Nations people. These musical instruments provide the background for songs, and songs are the background for dances. Many traditional First Nations people consider song and dance to be sacred. For many years after
Europeans came to Canada, First Nations people were forbidden to practice their ceremonies. This trend has also been reinforced by a decrease in the industry in the New York City area, mainly spurred by factors like the rebranding of the 30+-year-old Caribbean radio station
WLIB 1090-AM by
Inner City Broadcasting Corporation in 2004. The ICB rebranding was a tremendous setback to the Caribbean community and, in essence, splintered the Caribbean music industry again across the New York City metropolitan area. In Canada, stations like
Flow FM and CHIN, both located in Toronto, Ontario have served to bind the Caribbean music industry with their regularly rotated scheduling for Soca and Calypso music. During this time, several of the leading Caribbean music industry DJs (who are based in Ontario) took to the air and launched several new songs or mixes. Some song mixes have been entered into various
Caribbean Carnivals back in the Caribbean region and created awareness in the Caribbean of new Soca and Calypso talent based in Canada.
Chinese music Chinese music was brought to Canada over 100 years ago, with touring Canadian opera troupes entertaining the lumber camp, mine, or railway workers. Within the communities, many amateur music clubs performed Cantonese instrumental music and Cantonese opera. Since the 1980s, big waves of Chinese immigrants brought many professional musicians to Canada. Today Chinese music in Canada is a shared heritage between people from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Asia. The second and third generations of Canadian Chinese are also discovering their roots in Chinese music. The Canadian major centers for Chinese music are Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. There are also many professional and amateur musicians in other cities across Canada. Vancouver's Chinese music community includes many professional ensembles: Orchid Ensemble, Silk Road Music, Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble, BC Chinese Music Ensemble, and Red Chamber. Professional individuals include erhu players Lan Tung, Jirong Huang, Nicole Lee, Rong Jung, Yun Song, and Yang Zhong Cai; pipa players Qiu Xia He and Guilian Liu; zheng players Mei Han, Wei Li, Gelling Jiang; ruan player Zhimin Yu, dizi player Jianmin Pan and Charlie Lui, suona player Zhong Xi Wu. Many amateur musicians in Vancouver join the BC Chinese Music Orchestra. In addition, Chinese musicians in Vancouver create cross-cultural projects with non-Chinese musicians/instruments: Proliferasian (Chinese, jazz, free improvisation), Birds of Paradox (Chinese, jazz, Indian), Mozaico Flamenco Dance Theatre (Chinese, flamenco), Oliver Yu Duo (ruan and classical guitar), Silk Road Music collaborates with Brazil guitarist Celso Manchado. Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra is a large ensemble of Chinese, Vietnamese, Iranian, Middle Eastern, African, Irish, Indian....musicians and instruments. To celebrate the vibrant community and this diversity of practices, Sound of Dragon Society has been formed in 2013 to produce Vancouver's first festival featuring Chinese instrumental music: Sound of Dragon – preserve heritage, seek innovation, on 9–11 May 2014 at the Roundhouse Community Centre. ==See also==