Roundtable on Indigenous Musical Sovereignty - Orchestras Canada/Orchestres Canada

The staff and board at Orchestras Canada mourn the lives of the 215 Indigenous children whose remains were found at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in Tḱemlúps te Secwepemc First Nation since this conversation took place, the long-unacknowledged pain of their families, and the searches ongoing at residential school sites across Canada. Our hearts go out to the survivors, families, friends, and everyone grieving those children and the many other Indigenous children who remain undiscovered. We encourage our members to consider making a contribution to an Indigenous-led organization supporting residential school survivors and their loved ones (such as Indian Residential School Survivors Society, Legacy of Hope Foundation, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, and Orange Shirt Day) and to learn about the ongoing legacy of residential schools through the Truth & Reconciliation Commission Final Report and Calls to Action. Orchestras Canada has made a donation to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society in memory of these children.

On Wednesday, May 26th, OC welcomed Andrew Balfour, Ian Cusson, Michelle Lafferty, Beverley McKiver, Melody McKiver, Jessica McMann and Sonny Ray Day Rider to a roundtable discussion on Indigenous musical sovereignty hosted by Cris Derksen. The conversation was inspired by the Statement on Indigenous Musical Sovereignty, which the panelists drafted (along with Jeremy Dutcher and Corey Payette) in 2019 at the Indigenous Classical Music Gathering in Banff.

Specifically, the roundtable focused on the artists’ experiences learning and working in classical music as Indigenous people and how orchestras can invite mutually enriching, reciprocal, and respectful exchanges with Indigenous artists – both what’s on the program, and also the experience of creating together.

Note: “Indigenous” is an umbrella term for a diversity of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Generally, when you are addressing an artist it is best to use the specific name of the First Nation or community that they are from. When in doubt, use the terms artists use to describe themselves.

OC’s team has outlined a few key learnings from the session below (but we encourage you to watch the recording and hear directly from the artists). Resources that event attendees shared in the Zoom chat are also included at the end.

Gatekeeping, Accessibility & Welcoming

Let’s start acknowledging and understanding anti-Indigeneity perpetuated by our orchestras’ colonial and Eurocentric practices – artistically and operationally, conscious or unconscious. Indigenous cultural safety training can help orchestras uncover biases from within and better understand our Indigenous partners (see the chat resources below). As Andrew emphasized, a performance involves many people, from security to ushers to artists, stage crew, and staff. Everyone needs to be involved to ensure that each interaction leaves artists and audiences feeling comfortable and excited to return! Looking at embedded racism in structures will also help other racialized people feel invited into our concert halls. However, the work doesn’t stop there. Representation matters – does your institution represent the cultural landscape of your community? Do your working practices model inclusion? For instance, composers are told to address the conductor and not the orchestra when providing feedback: what barriers to collaboration and relationship-building does this create?

Taking the Time: What It Means to Artists, the Creative Process & Our Relationships

Building relationships takes time and effort; it’s not instantaneous. Taking this time to get to know each other is at the heart of great collaborations with Indigenous creative partners. This might look like sharing a meal together before rehearsal or having daily check-ins – it can also look like a conductor taking time to discuss the meaning and musical nuances of a piece with the composer. An orchestra might hesitate to prioritize this extra time for relationship building amidst resource constraints, however, it can create an open and honest environment in which artists, Indigenous and settler alike, bond and grow together as a community. Setting aside time to get to know each other is uplifting, nurturing and contributes to the overall quality of work.

Collaboration not Tokenism: Commissioning Indigenous Works

An orchestra cannot simply seek out one Elder’s stamp of approval or add throat singing into a piece without context or Indigenous oversight. Instead, collaborations are an opportunity to reflect deeply on our communities, learn about the Indigenous people nearby, and build relationships over time. In building these relationships, we need to avoid exploitation (compensating people for their time and expertise is important) and ensure that the projects we are curating are given the same care, respect and time as we lavish on standard repertoire. Indigenous artists may or may not wish to write in the Western classical tradition or in a way that you think “sounds Indigenous”. It’s also important to recognize that “Indigenous art” and “Indigenous artists” are not homogeneous in their experience or the stories they wish to tell through music. Making space involves valuing and uplifting multiple conceptions of music. Respect each artist’s choices.

Re-Thinking Education and Resources

There are disparities in access to resources and music education, enrichment and opportunities. “Our communities feel they’re playing a game of catch-up, while others have had a 50-year head start,” Melody said. The financial burden of lessons and instrument upkeep over several years act as a barrier to accessing higher education. The orchestral field is extremely competitive, and barriers like location, systemic racism, and a lack of funding limit advancement within it. We need to consider these barriers when we frame invitations to engage: are we discouraging participation by gifted people who have taken other paths? Ian referenced his experience as the inaugural Carrefour Composer in Residence at the National Arts Centre. He did not have a formal degree in composition when selected for this opportunity, but through it was able to develop his skills as a professional composer. A more diverse orchestra ecosystem includes reconsidering the privileging of university or conservatory education, and uplifting creative voices of diverse experiences.

The Future

Be prepared to reflect on the positionality of classical music as well as the opportunities that open up when we invite more diverse Canadian and Indigenous stories (including the artists who tell them) into our work with care. Looking to the future, Canadian orchestras can create opportunities for Indigenous creators and help to combat Eurocentrism/decenter whiteness in classical music. Many commissioned works are usually three-to-five-minute opener pieces that are generally low-risk. Why not take more risks? Youth orchestras are especially well-positioned for this – as Ian noted, youth orchestras are the training grounds for professional orchestras, instilling the values musicians and orchestra workers take with them throughout their careers.

OC is grateful to the panellists for sharing their insights. We look forward to continuing conversations grounded in truth, building relationships, and working toward reconciliation between Canadian orchestras and Indigenous peoples.

Recording of the roundtable

Resources Shared in the Chat:

Statement on Indigenous Musical Sovereignty

The full Statement on Indigenous Musical Sovereignty can be found in Appendix E of OC’s Re-Sounding the Orchestra report, or on the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance website.

Training

(Available in both English and French) NVision Insight Group’s The Path: Indigenous Cultural Competency training. (Note: Canadian Live Music Association is offering their members discounted access to the course here please reach out to [email protected] regarding pricing for OC members)

San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training (currently in British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario with more provinces to come).

Decolonize First Workbook by Ta7talíya Michelle Nahanee.

Challenge Accepted: Consultations.

Guidelines & Policies

Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance (IPAA) Smudging Document.

Ontario Arts Council – Indigenous Arts Protocols (French and English available)

The CARFAC RAAV fee scale.

Ottawa Chamber Orchestra volunteer policies, anti-harassment policy and serving persons with respect policy.

Books & Essays

Hungry Listening by Dylan Robinson.

Music Theory and the White Racial Frame by Philip Ewell.

Dylan Robinson’s essay in the journal Intersections, To All Who Should Be Concerned.