| Songs From the =
Communities |
=20
|
=
|
=
=
|
| November=20
27, 2008 |

It=E2=80=99s=20
been a long time since I was in public school. As I =
remember, we=20
had a music program ... we sang and entered choir =
competitions and=20
had a great ol' time. But it was nothing like the North =
Klondyke=20
Highway Schools has. I know this because of this new CD =
these=20
schools have produced. I think I remember one of the =
tunes we=20
used to sing. Allow me to sing a few bars by way of =
introduction and=20
feel free to feel the magic and join =
in: =E2=80=9CKumbaya, my Lord,=20
kumbaya. O Lord, kumbaya=E2=80=9D. OK, so our educators worked with what they =
had at=20
the time, as schools in the Yukon are today. The main =
difference is=20
that the North Klondyke Schools have released an entire CD =
of=20
original music. Listening to Learn By Heart: Songs From =
the North=20
Klondyke Highway Schools it=E2=80=99s easy to determine it =
was a labour of=20
love for Yukon songwriter Steve Slade to involve students =
from four=20
schools in this project. Slade utilized the kids=E2=80=99 =
fascination=20
with the science they were studying and the social =
interaction that=20
students feel with the land they live on to develop the =
tunes that=20
eventually made it to disc. The disc presents students =
from=20
kindergarten through Grade 12 of Robert Service School in =
Dawson=20
City, J.V. Clark School in Mayo, Tantalus School in Carmacks =
and=20
Eliza Van Bibber School in Pelly Crossing. Slade and the =
students=20
wrote 80 songs, 24 of which are presented on this =
album. Slade=20
developed ideas from subjects that the students suggested =
and wrote=20
tunes that the children eventually sang for the CD. The =
tracks=20
contained in this CD run the musical gamut of rock, folk and =
sea=20
shanties. Slade has brought together some of the finest =
Yukon=20
musicians to help with the music and production while the =
kids sing=20
with joyous abandon. Each song has been crafted to =
reflect the=20
interest of the classes involved. Some are musical =
representations=20
of the science they have studied as in The Little Brown =
Bat=E2=80=99s=20
Christmas and We Like Worms (who doesn=E2=80=99t?) and some =
contain ideas=20
that are learned in social studies like the tracks Mashsi =
Cho Jejik=20
and The Salmon Song. At its heart, the album is a =
celebration of=20
learning and the joy of expression. These kids are having =
fun and=20
you can hear it with every note they sing. I have to =
admit I was=20
somewhat skeptical of my ability to enjoy a school CD, but =
after=20
hearing just a few songs on this album I left that attitude =
at the=20
door and began to really enjoy the openness and delight that =
everyone on this CD presents. Slade has done =
yeoman=E2=80=99s work with=20
these kids and hopefully encouraged a few students to pursue =
a=20
further career in music studies. The proceeds from the =
sale of=20
this album will go toward sponsoring the music programs in =
these=20
four North Klondyke Highway communities. There is a lot =
of talent=20
in this Yukon of ours and, apparently, much of it resides in =
the=20
children in our community schools. You can order a copy =
of Learn=20
By Heart: Songs From the North Klondyke Highway Schools from =
Peter=20
Menzies at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You =
need=20
JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Bill Polonsky is a music programmer at CJUC 92.5 =
fm and=20
can be contacted to review CDs or play freelance triangle at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You =
need=20
JavaScript enabled to view it
or 334-3052.
| =20
Copyright =C2=A9 2008 What's Up Yukon. All Rights =
Reserved.
|
|
 =
|