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INUVIK
Instruments and music stands crowded the floor in the music classroom at Samuel Hearne Secondary School last week as three students sat strumming their guitars.

Jade English, left and Nicole Jacobson strum along to Blues in the School instructor Rick Fines on Nov. 17 at Samuel Hearne Secondary School. The program brought Fines and Leela Gilday into the schools to teach students the history of blues, how to write songs and the basics of guitar. - Samantha Stokell/NNSL Photo

Opposite the students sat Juno-winning Yellowknife recording artist Leela Gilday and Juno-nominated Ottawa bluesman Rick Fines, who taught the trio about the history of blues and the importance of self-expression.

Folk on the Rocks and the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre brought the professional musicians to Inuvik and Hay River to run Blues in the Schools, an international education program designed to promote blues music among aspiring student musicians.

For student and musician Jade English, having the opportunity to play with professional musicians proved incredible. His passion for music is undeniable and having real, live musicians help and support him has given him hope.

"It's nice to see a native lady who has won outstanding awards be in front of me and mentoring me," said English, 18. "They complimented my songs, which gave me confidence and helped me gain a better grip on producing my own music."

Blues in the Schools started in Chicago and Memphis schools to teach African-American students about the role blues has played in North American music. The program has now spread around the world.

Gilday and Fines worked with Samuel Hearne students from Nov. 15 to 18. They taught Northern students about blues history, basic guitar skills and songwriting.

"The story of how blues came out of the worst human oppression and created a force in music that uplifted lives and changed the world musically and socially is a good starting place with everyone everywhere," Fines said. "The backbeat with the two-four hit comes from blues. Rap, hip hop, R&B come from that blues tradition and there wouldn't be rock because it's directly influenced by blues."

The musicians visited English classes where they wrote a song about the Muskrat Jamboree and taught music classes singing.

Gilday explained singing is not just the act, but emotion, too. While monitoring the technical aspects of singing, artists need to think about what the song means to them.

"Remember all the technical bits, but remember how the song moves your heart," she said. "'I can see clearly now the rain is gone.' It's about overcoming bad times and moving into the good. We've all been there."

English said he thinks how Gilday sings is what makes her such an exceptional artist, and she has given him a goal when writing his own songs – to discover the truth of the words that become his lyrics.

"Lyrics provide me with a story of my own life, whether it's happy, sad – they're all just episodes. Once I write them down it's another journey to figure out what I really mean by them," English said. "How does this relate and where does this come from in my past experience?"

Having the musicians in the school has greatly helped music teacher Paul Maynard. He said it's a rare occasion when musicians of this calibre visit so far North. They've been role models for the students, not just in music, but in life as well.

Thirty students participate in the music program at Samuel Hearne, but the program has room for more. The school has enough instruments for a full brass, wind and percussion section and 24 acoustic guitars. Once established in the new school next year Maynard hopes more students will choose music as an elective.

"Music uses a different part of the brain," Maynard said. "To process notation and notes on the instrument requires a certain sequencing into the brain. It's a brain science. Math and music support each other."

English, who composes and writes his own songs and plans to become a music teacher, believes strongly in the power of music and the lessons that can be learned from it. He's planning on studying music in post-secondary school.

"Music is crucial to learning because when you sing a song or listen to a song you get a feeling from the lesson being portrayed in the piece," he said. "I'd like to thank Leela and Rick for coming up here and talking with the youth because they're the future adults. Knowledge is power and a lot of knowledge comes from music and these are two smart people."

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