OUR MUSICAL ISLAND

ArtsSmarts PEI, in collaboration with Oliver's Song, is proud to introduce Our Musical Island, a new streaming video series featuring performances, interviews, and interactive learning experiences with local musicians and dancers from a variety of diverse musical traditions.

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Through the ArtsSmarts PEI program, music teachers across Prince Edward Island were matched with local artists to develop a learning experience in which learners could explore a new musical tradition, participate in active music-making, and get creative. These experiences were then adapted and filmed in studio with the artists to create Our Musical Island. 

Each artist filmed three videos: a performance, an interview in which they share their lived experiences and what their music means to them, and a teaching video, in which they take us step by step through basic dance steps, vocal warm-up exercises, rhythms, foot percussion, strumming patterns, or a detailed demonstration of their instrument and how it works. Each artist’s videos are accompanied by background information and suggestions for extension activities, making this a valuable resource for music teachers across the province, and adding richness and diversity to children's musical experiences in Island schools.

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Featured artists and musical traditions include: Reequal Smith (funk fusion dance), Mark Carr-Rollitt and Jorge Peña (Cuban son and percussion), Dingyi Feng (Chinese guzheng), Julie Pellissier-Lush (Mi’kmaq circle dances, storytelling, and songs), James and Kylie MacHattie (Scottish Highland bagpipes and fling), Suyuan “Ivy” Li (Chinese opera and folk singing), Yanan “Tiffany” Liu (Chinese pipa), Ashley Cao (Tibetan folk dancing), Babita Nayak (Indian singing), Monelli Rahmatian (Persian dance), and Emmanuelle LeBlanc (Acadian guimbarde and podorythmie). We are grateful to all of these artists for sharing their expertise, their music, and their stories for all of us to connect with, learn from, and explore.

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Our Musical Island was filmed at the Film PEI studio space by Hummingbird House Productions. This video series and accompanying resources are freely available for all to use and enjoy⁠— click the button below to visit the Our Musical Island website⁠!

Additional teaching resources to accompany the video series, provided by Oliver's Song, can be found on our website by clicking here.