Student poetry comes alive
Music made from poems to become concert for East Three students
Andrew Livingstone
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, February 5, 2015
INUVIK
The thought of the poetry Lexis McDonald has created being turned into music makes her excited.
Grade 7 students at East Three Elementary School have been writing poems and working with musicians to help turn their word creations into a musical performance. A group of students will be performing the musical composition in Yellowknife in May with the city's youth choir. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo
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The Grade 7 student at East Three Elementary School has been working with her classmates to create poetry that will be used to create a musical performance.
"It makes me feel proud," she said. "The thought of my own words being turned into music is amazing."
Abe Drennan, an English teacher at the school who has been working with his class of students on creating the poetry for the collaboration, said the year-long project has opened up students to the world of expressing their feelings and emotions through words and music.
Under the direction of professionals from across Canada, students have been writing poetry, participating in workshops and working on vocal and performance techniques in preparation for a regional event in May in Yellowknife.
Students were required to create poetry based on the theme of elements -- earth, fire, wind and water. Drennan said the theme was something students could find relatable.
"The poetry was to get them to think about the land and the relationship they have with it and the elements," said Drennan, adding he had students write free-form poetry based on their connection to one or more of the elements.
Isabelle Day said she was looking forward to hearing the final product of the class's poetry molded together with music.
"It's your own words that you get to help create a song with," she said. "I think it's going to fit well."
Drennan said the opportunity for Northern youth voice to be heard in such a unique way is an exciting experience for his students to be a part of such a memorable, artistic experience.
Ten students have been selected to represent Inuvik in Yellowknife and their poetry will be on display at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre during a performance with the Yellowknife Youth Choir and 80 other students from across the Beautfort-Delta and Yellowknife regions.
"They're going to get this chance to sing their song," said Drennan. "It's a rare opportunity for this collaboration and a rare opportunity to hear young peoples' voices from the North."
He said students were apprehensive at first but, by breaking down the barriers associated with poetry, using the music of Michael Jackson's Thriller, the children opened up to the project.
"They were taking their poems and adding rhythm to their words," said Drennan. "They began to think of their poems as more than words."
The students heading to Yellowknife for the performance have to raise $5,000 in order to attend, and have been holding bake sales and other events to raise the needed funds.
Drennan said a number of donations have come in, including $500 from Northmart, $1,000 from the Inuvialuit Community Corporation and a $500 personal donation from resident and former town councillor Vince Sharpe.
The group needs to raise the money by March in order to attend the event in May.
