Browse Exhibits (6 total)
Singing Through Covid: Seniors and Church Music
by Hannah Willmann
The Covid-19 pandemic dramatically shifted the ways in which we interact with the world around us. Within the space of only a few days almost every cultural institution, including churches, had to adapt to offering services solely via an online platform. In the ethnographic research project presented here, I seek to document the experiences of church-going seniors and how the pandemic influenced their relationship to their church community, their access to music and their comfort with using social media.
The stories that arise paint a picture of resilience, adaptation, and the vital importance of singing and community.
Diarios Musicales: Classical Music in Mexico
by Alexandra King and Ethan Allers
Mexico offers great diversity of music, including traditional folk genres from various regions across the country to all styles of classical music. However, the presence of classical music within the country is not as apparent from a global standpoint. Mexican classical compositions are not known globally, almost all prestigious music schools are found in other countries, and there are very few famous classical musicians to come from Mexico. There is clearly a place for classical music in Mexico as demonstrated by the various orchestras, music programs, and concerts, but why are they not as well-known?
By conducting both in-person and questionnaire-style interviews with Mexican musicians, as well as informal discussions with family, we explore classical music's history and role within the educational, social, and cultural landscapes of Mexico. The following exhibit is presented in both English and Spanish.
México ofrece una gran diversidad de música, desde géneros folclóricos tradicionales de varias regiones del país hasta todos los estilos de música clásica. Sin embargo, la presencia de la música clásica dentro del país no es tan evidente desde un punto de vista global. Las composiciones clásicas mexicanas no son conocidas a nivel mundial, casi todas las escuelas de música de prestigio se encuentran en otros países, y son muy pocos los músicos clásicos famosos que vienen de México. Es evidente que hay un lugar para la música clásica como lo demuestran las diversas orquestas, programas musicales y conciertos, pero ¿por qué no son tan conocidos?
Al realizar entrevistas en persona y en forma de cuestionario con músicos mexicanos, así como discusiones informales con la familia, exploramos la historia y el papel de la música clásica dentro de los paisajes educativos, sociales y culturales de México. La siguiente exhibición se presenta en inglés y español.
The Choir Loft
by Zoé Dumas
The Choir Loft is a small project centering around Ottawa's Choir Conductors and their experiences during COVID. The switch to virtual choir was a challenging experience for many
Matching Wavelengths
The National Arts Centre's Navigation Through the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Alyssa English & Saeideh Rajabzadeh
In March 2020, as the effects of COVID-19 rippled through the arts community in Canada and around the world, the National Arts Centre (NAC), situated in Ottawa, Ontario, led the charge in providing both music performance and education opportunities across Canada. The NAC’s quick shift to online platforms provided employment and funding to the country's artists, education resources for parents and children, community engagement, connectivity, and entertainment to those quarantined at home.
This virtual exhibit, Matching Wavelengths, focuses on the stories of three departments—Music Education, the NAC Orchestra (NACO), and Popular Music and Variety, each of which found creative ways to draw on existing infrastructure to develop new and innovative opportunities for the Canadian music community. This meant matching educators, audiences, and artists in each of their circumstances. Insight into the inner workings of each department has been provided through interviews with Geneviève Cimon, the Senior Director of Learning and Community Engagement; Daphne Burt, the Manager of Artistic Planning of NACO; Heather Gibson, who is the Executive Producer for Popular Music and Variety programming; and Robert VanderBerg, NAC's Archivist-Curator. Each relayed to us the challenges and the unexpected outcomes of programming through the pandemic, providing a glimpse into the critical role that the NAC played in uniting a country during a time when we were all isolated at home.
Informed by ethnographic methodologies, we have created a space that tells the NAC’s story of struggle, perseverance, and leadership. Although this is only a small window into the activities of the NAC during the pandemic, we hope this exhibit will not only highlight the NAC’s leadership in the Canadian arts community but will also bring attention to their new online model that connects communities through digital platforms.
Parade Season
A Distanced Documentary on Ontario's University Marching Bands
by Rand Clayton
A lot of Canadians and Ontario residents think "college marching band" is just an American thing but there are actually 3 Ontario universities with fully-funded marching bands. Queen's University, Western University, and McMaster University all have their own bands with different adaptations to thrive in their respective institutions. This "distanced documentary" was made with interview footage of 26 directors, members, and alumni of these bands as well as photos and videos collected online. I will take you through their histories, operations, challenges, member experiences, and COVID operational changes.
The NAC, Covid and Music Making in Ottawa
by Sam Sloan
The uprooting of music-making around the world is one of the many consequences of the Covid-19 Pandemic. This exhibit is a collection of perspectives from members and guest soloists of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Each person interviewed reflects a different set of experiences.