John Curran
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 16, 2008

BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO - The sweet sounds of a successful grant application have been pumping out of Chief Jimmy Bruneau school in Behchoko in recent weeks.

Earlier this year, school principal Chris Chapman applied for and received $10,000 from MusiCan - a national organization that helps teachers better equip their students through its Band Aid Musical Instrument Grants program.

"Using part of the funding, we got several new items including a five-string base, a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, an acoustic Yamaha guitar and a new electric drum kit," said music teacher Aaron Taggart. "We have about 60 students using the school's instruments over the course of a year, so it's great to be able to have some top-end gear for them."

In the school of about 420 students, all of the youngsters start to use the instruments in music class once they hit Grade 7.

"These are very important purchases," said Chapman. "We've got a lot of up-and-coming talent and we want to do anything we can to encourage our young musicians."

A number of bands have come together over the year, including Forever Followed, and its lead guitarist Kelvin Kotchilea, 17, who said the new instruments represent a tremendous addition to the school's pool.

"It was thoughtful of Chris (Chapman) to order these on behalf of our school," he said. "We're lucky to have such dedicated teachers here."

The high-end instruments are exciting to use and as a result, he and his bandmates - Mason Mantla, bass; Charles Mantla, drums; and George Bailey, lead vocals - have stepped up their practice schedule.

"It helps us improve having good stuff to play on," he said. "We're thinking of going to Yellowknife for the battle of the bands there this summer."

The group plays rock and alternative with a heavy dose of the classics.

"We do some originals and covers," he said. "My favourite song that we play is Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin all the way!"

Having played music for three years now, Kotchilea has already proven himself as a multi-talented musician.

In addition to the guitar, he's also skilled on the bass and the drums.

"Music class is my favourite part of school," he added. "A seven-year-old kid, Malcolm Migwi, first showed me how to play guitar and I got inspired right away."