Music in the Canadian province

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

, one of the

Prairie Provinces The Canadian Prairies (usually referred to as simply the Prairies in Canada) is a region in Western Canada. It includes the Canadian portion of the Great Plains and the Prairie Provinces, namely Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These provin ...

, includes a variety of genres including

Indigenous music Indigenous music is a term for the traditional music of the indigenous peoples of the world, that is, the music of an "original" ethnic group that inhabits any geographic region alongside more recent immigrants who may be greater in number. The ter ...

, folk, country, jazz, and classical traditions.

History

In the early days of settlement, the musical landscape of the province was defined by military and police bands, church choirs, immigrant teachers, and many traveling groups of artists who traveled by rail across the continent.

Cultural centres

Regina

Regina was incorporated in 1883, and became the provincial capital in 1905. Early in its history, the city boasted numerous bands, including a brass band, Musical and Dramatic Society and a number of

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * C ...

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

s. Frank L. Laubach, a professional Scottish musician arrived in Regina in 1904, and was a prominent figure for eighteen years. During that time, he founded the Regina Philharmonic Society (1904), the Regina Orchestral Society (1908), the Regina Operatic Society (1909) and the province-wide Saskatchewan Music Festival (1908, with F. W. Chisholm). After Laubach's retirement in 1922, three choral and orchestra society groups exist:

Regina Symphony Orchestra The Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO) was founded by Frank Laubach, in Regina, Saskatchewan, as the ''Regina Orchestral Society'' in 1908, giving its inaugural concert December 3 of that same year. Becoming the ''Regina Choral and Orchestral Societ ...

, Regina Male Voice Choir and Regina Choral Society. Only two years later, the three societies again merged to form the

Regina Philharmonic Association Regina (Latin for "queen") may refer to: Places Canada * Regina, Saskatchewan, the capital city of the province ** Regina (electoral district) ** Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina France * Régina, French Guiana, a commune United States * ...

. The Regina Symphony Orchestra later departed from that association, in 1926. Musicians from Regina include

Edith Fowke Edith Fowke, ''(née'' Margaret Fulton; 30 April 1913 Lumsden, Saskatchewan – 28 Mar 1996 Toronto) was a Canadian folklorist.Nygaard King, Betty and Ruth Pincoe. Fowke was educated at the University of Saskatchewan. She hosted the CBC Radio ...

, Helen Dahlstrom, Nina Dempsey, Norman Farrow, Barbara Franklin, Stu Davis,

Colin James Colin James (born Colin James Munn, August 17, 1964) is a Canadian rock and blues singer and songwriter. Biography Early years James was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. His grandpa was Serbian. He got his break opening for Stevie Ray V ...

, Audrey Johannesen, Muriel Kerr, Gary Kosloski, Peter Clements,

June Kowalchuk June is the sixth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the second of four months to have a length of 30 days, and the third of five months to have a length of less than 31 days. June contains the summer solstice in t ...

Owen Underhill Owen Underhill (born January 26, 1954) is a Canadian composer, flutist and conductor based in Vancouver. He is currently a professor of music at Simon Fraser University. He has been an active contributor to the new music scene on the West Coast, a ...

, Gaelyne Gabora,

Jack Semple Jack Semple is a Canadian blues singer and guitarist from Regina, Saskatchewan. Semple was the lead guitarist for The Lincolns for two years; he performs as a solo artist and with The Jack Semple Band, throughout Canada and in the United States.

, Rob Bryanton, Val Halla, Ron Scott, Brett Dolter, Beth Curry, Joel Fuller, Tyler Gilbert, John Dick, Dagan Harding (formerly of Despistado and Geronimo), Kenny Shields of Streetheart, and Paul Sloman from A Horse Called Horse. Bands from Regina include The Dead South, Birds are Dinosaurs, Def 3, E Tea, Ghosts of Modern Man, Intergalactic Virgin, Into Eternity, LazerBlade, Library Voices, Pnice, Rah Rah, Tinsel Trees, The War Doves, and Robot Hive. Dj's and Electronic Music Artists Neon Tetra, Limbo, Guidewire, Jeff Galaxy, Short Fat Steve and Hardtoe, DIG.IT.ALL, Mike Trues, Submit, Pulsewidth, Cueball, DR. J, Jadybug, Square Sound Round Body, and A Horse Called Horse. William Earl Brown founded the Soundaround label starting in the 1960s which featured many of the local country and ethnic bands recording in his basement studio. Mel West & The Meteors, and The Canadian Downbeats had a few singles on the Soundaround label, later picked up Canada-wide via Stan Klees' "Red Leaf" label. Mel West & The Meteors would chart Canada wide with their tracks "Sad & Blue" and "Seventh Saint". Earl had later success with the Grand Coulee Old Tyme Jug Band, and sold a number of albums via TV infomercials in the 1980s. Most current bands/artists produce CDs by themselves or with the aid of the Saskatchewan Recording Industry Association ( SaskMusic). However, an increasing number of artists have moved to post their music on websites such as Myspace.

Saskatoon

The city of

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as th ...

was founded in 1882 and incorporated in 1903. During that time, the city's population grew swiftly. In the early 20th century, operettas by

Gilbert & Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ''H.M.S. Pina ...

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

and

minstrel show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of racist theatrical entertainment developed in the early 19th century. Each show consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performances that depicted people spec ...

s were among the most common forms of musical performance. Saskatoon's first concert was held on December 1, 1884, by the Pioneer Society. It featured solos, duets, choruses, readings, and recitations. The Saskatoon Philharmonic Society was founded in 1908, and won a prize at the first Saskatchewan Music Festival in 1909. The number of professional groups continued to grow. The Saskatoon Oratorio Society was founded in 1913, performing Handel's Messiah with nearly 200 singers at Third Avenue Methodist Church in December 1913. The

Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is a professional orchestra based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan administered by the non-profit Saskatoon Symphony Society. The orchestra was founded in 1927 as an amateur orchestra, but today has 10 core member ...

formed under that name in 1931, after several earlier attempts to form an orchestra had occurred. With the Great Depression in the early 1930s the musical community suffered. However, private teacher Lyell Gustin and his students presented twenty concerts a year in Saskatoon during the thirties, as well as teaching in surrounding areas. The

Western Board of Music Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska Western is a village in Saline County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 224 at the 2020 census. History Western was laid out in 1872. It was likely named for Wesley West, a pionee ...

was organized in 1936, led by Arthur Collingwood, Chair of Music at the

University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

. The music festival movement continued to expand, and in 1936 the Music Teachers’ Association was established. The Celebrity Concert Series, held by the Saskatoon Kinsmen Club, began, in 1944, to introduce international celebrities every year for twenty-six years. Other groups include the Saskatoon Lyric Theatre Society (active 1955), the Saskatoon Opera Association (founded 1978), and the Prairie Opera Inc. (founded 1986). At the University of Saskatchewan, the student chorus the Greystone Singers was founded in 1959. Alumni of the Greystone Singers founded the Saskatoon Chamber Singers in 1977. Musicians from Saskatoon include Joni Mitchell, Neil Chotem, Jon Ballantyne, Jen Lane, John Antoniuk, Brenton Price Dutton, Susan Pesklevits Jacks, Lorraine McAllister Richards, Irene Bubniuk, Brenda Baker, Chris Lindgren, Paddy Tutty,

Kyle Riabko Kyle Riabko (born 29 September 1987) is a Canadian musician, composer and actor from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Before starring on Broadway in both '' Spring Awakening'' and ''Hair'', Kyle released a full-length album of original music on Columb ...

, David Swan, Lesia Zubrack Romanoff,

Kim Brandt Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese fo ...

, Mike Ferbey (of the

Rhythm Pals ''Rhythm Pals'' is a Canadian music television series which aired on CBC Television in 1956. Premise This Vancouver-produced series featured The Rhythm Pals, a Country/Western vocal/instrumental group formed in 1946 by Mike Ferbey, Marc Wald, ...

), Walter Babiak. an
Jon PareThe Jawns
Jon.Pea) Bands from Saskatoon include Loop Bias, This Autumn Low, One Bad Son,

The Sheepdogs The Sheepdogs are a Canadian rock band formed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2004. The Sheepdogs were the first unsigned band to make the cover of ''Rolling Stone'' and have gone on to a career featuring multi-platinum album sales and four Ju ...

, and

Wide Mouth Mason Wide Mouth Mason is a Canadian blues-based rock band, consisting of Shaun Verreault (Lead Vocals, Guitar) and Safwan Javed (Percussion, Backing Vocals). Former bassist Earl Pereira was also co-founder of Wide Mouth Mason. The band hails from S ...

. In 2004,

Theresa Sokyrka Theresa Sokyrka (born 1 April 1981) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. On the Canadian Idol (Season 2), second season of ''Canadian Idol'', she was the final runner-up to winner Kalan Porter. Biography Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Sokyrka s ...

, born in

Moose Jaw Moose Jaw is the fourth largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. Lying on the Moose Jaw River in the south-central part of the province, it is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javian ...

and since moved to Saskatoon, became first runner-up in the second season of '' Canadian Idol'' with her

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

and blues-influenced musicianship. Lionel Richie, appearing on one episode, said that Sokyrka had inside her the soul of an old black woman.

Moose Jaw

is home to the Moose Jaw Band and Choral Festival, which has been held every year since 1950. The city co-hosted the

Juno Awards of 2013 The Juno Awards of 2013 honoured Canadian music industry achievements in the latter part of 2011 and in most of 2012. The awards were presented in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, during the weekend of 20–21 April 2013. The main ceremony was hoste ...

. Connect-22, billed as Saskatchewan's 22nd and Final Electronic & Tribal Music Festival is scheduled for Besant Campground near Moose Jaw in 2017.

Bands from Saskatchewan

Public bands

The Saskatoon Concert Band is a civilian public band based in the city, consisting of two bands: the concert band and the auxiliary band. The Saskatoon Auxiliary Concert Band was formed in 1987 to cater to a demographic of musicians who came out of retirement. The Saskatoon Concert Band was founded in 1949 as the 406 Wing Band of the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

and would later be renamed as the 23rd Wing Band. During this era, it took part in the

Canadian National Exhibition The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the third Friday of August leading up to and including Canadian Labour Day ...

as well as performing jointly with Mexican solo

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

Rafael Méndez Rafael Méndez (March 26, 1906 – September 15, 1981) was a Mexican virtuoso solo trumpeter. He is known as the " Heifetz of the Trumpet." Early life Méndez was born in Jiquilpan, Michoacán, Mexico to a musical family. As a child, he perf ...

as a guest artist. 10 years later, it was dissolved to create the Kinsmen Concert Band. In the mid-1960s, a section from the band came back into military service, this time as the HMCS Unicorn Band in the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...

. The band evolved into its current form in 1982 as a non-profit organization. The band took part Saskatchewan's Centennial year celebrations, during which it toured

Northern Saskatchewan The regional designations vary widely within the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. With a total land area of 651,036 square kilometres (251,366 sq mi), Saskatchewan is crossed by major rivers such as the Churchill and Saskatchewan and exists mo ...

, as well as performed at events in the Saskatchewan Legislature.

Other bands

* Ancient Pig * Small City Blues * The Age of Electric * Lenny and The Gypsies * The Northern Pikes *

* Stu Davis * Colter Wall *Jordan Cook AKA Reignwolf * The Deep Dark Woods *

* One Bad Son *

Queen City Kids Queen City Kids (QCK) was a hard rock band from Regina, Saskatchewan, who scored a number of Canadian hits in the early 1980s including "Girls", "Dance", and "Black Box." The band was active from 1969 to 1983 and consisted of vocalist Alex Chuaqui ...

* Streetheart * Megan Nash *

Kick Axe Kick Axe is a Canadian heavy metal band from Regina, Saskatchewan. Influenced by rambunctious arena rock from the 70s and early 80s, the group is perhaps best known for their 1984 album ''Vices'', praised by publications such as AllMusic for its ...

* The Dead South * Andy Shauf * Kacy & Clayton * Slowdown Molasses * Rah Rah * Library Voices * Maybe Smith * GongShow Cover Band * Sound FX *

Rock Candy Rock candy or sugar candy, also called rock sugar, or crystal sugar, is a type of confection composed of relatively large sugar crystals. This candy is formed by allowing a supersaturated solution of sugar and water to crystallize onto a su ...

Josh Palmer Joshua Keith Palmer (born September 22, 1999) is a Canadian-born American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tennessee and was drafted by the Chargers in the ...

* The Hunter Brothers *

Festivals

* Regina Folk Festival (Regina), 1969–present * Craven Country Jamboree, ( Craven) 1983-; in collaboration with Country Thunder Music Festival as of 2016 *

Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Fest The Saskatchewan Jazz Festival (branded as the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival for sponsorship reasons) is an annual outdoor music festival held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Established in 1987, it has largely been held at the gardens of the ...

, 1989- * Napatak Ramble Music and Arts Festival (La Ronge) 2012–present www.Napatakramble.com * Ness Creek Music Festival (Ness Creek), 1991- * Long Day's Night Music Festival (Swift Current) 2003–Present *

Connect Music Festival The Connect Music Festival was a music festival that took place in the grounds of Inveraray Castle, located on the banks of Loch Fyne in Argyll, Scotland. It was aimed at more mature music fans and recent headliners included the Beastie Boys, B ...

(Besant ), electronic, 1995-2017 * Gateway Music Festival ( Bengough), 2005- * All Folk'd Up (

Montmartre Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...

), 2010- * Grilledcheesapolooza Music Festival (

Kindersley Kindersley is a town surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Kindersley No. 290 in west-central Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located along Highway 7, a primary highway linking Calgary, Alberta and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. At a population of 4,59 ...

), 2010- * MazzFest (Saskatoon), hardcore punk festival, 2010- * MoSo Fest (Saskatoon), 2011- * Noise Fest (Regina), punk, hardcore and rock, 2014- * Phantasm Festival, electronic music, 2014- * RockFest ( Rose Valley) * Swampfest (Regina)

External links

* Sask Music - http://www.saskrecording.ca/
Saskatchewan Music Collection.
University of Saskatchewan.
The Ruckus - Audio Interview with Lorena Kelly from Sask Music, April 2009

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Music Of Saskatchewan *