Dez Loreen
Northern News Services
Friday, April 6, 2007

INUVIK - Samuel Hearne music teacher Pamela Curran has a lot of new instruments and no one to play them.

The educator has been teaching at the school for eight months. She recently received a large order of instruments for her students.

"For the first semester I taught the students theory and the basics of playing instruments, but they (the instruments) were not in town then," said Curran.

"Now we have received everything but our tuba."

Curran also volunteers to supervise a public jam session after classes have finished for the day.

"It makes my day longer, but I enjoy the time with other people who want to play their instruments," said Curran.

She said her students have been learning how to use the instruments since they arrived a few weeks ago.

"It will take time, maybe even a few years, but I want to see a school band formed here," she said.

The music course is new to the school, which is something that surprised Curran when she arrived.

"I walked in and there were two working guitars and a keyboard that worked," she said.

"Everything else needed to be fixed."

She said the school tendered out the purchase of the instruments.

"The instruments came from a company in Calgary," said Curran.

Starting a community band is something else that Curran wants to accomplish while she is in town.

"This is a good opportunity for people in the community to try something new," she said.

"No experience is necessary because you can learn the very basics here."

Curran said she is excited to have the instruments on hand and is eager to teach others.

Curran said she came to the North to teach in a new place and to experience another side of life.

"I'm originally from Kingston, Ont.," she said.

"I taught in that region for 17 years. This is kind of an adventure for me. I wanted to do something exciting and different."