Since I had a commitment back in Vancouver on Saturday, and was involved in the Canadian University Music Society (CUMS) conference on Friday, I had exactly one day to enjoy the IASPM/CSTM conference this year in Regina. But what an amazing day!!

I began with “Cultural Renewal & Community Responsibility: Three Case Studies of Aboriginal Music-Making in Canada,” where I had the pleasure of learning about Mi’kmaw funeral rites (Gordon Smith), women’s hand drumming circles (Anna Hoefnagels), and hip-hop warriors (Charity Marsh). These papers really spoke to the diversity of the Aboriginal experience in Canada, and presented such a positive and hopeful view of groups across the country. It reminds me a bit of the Olympic opening ceremonies, when so many diverse First Nations came together in celebration rather than the sadness that the media often portrays. What rich cultural traditions there are in this country! Kudos to these scholars for continuing to educate audiences about them.

Next up was “Global Conflict, Violence and Genocide,” which Nicholas Grecco has already described. One lasting impression from that session for me was a post-paper discussion around politics and agendas (explicit or hidden) in music. Paul Aitken’s study of System of a Down in particular raised the question of whether anything radical or political could be found in the band’s music, or if their activism around the Armenian genocide is based solely in lyrics and extra-musical statements. Given my background as a music theorist who thinks more about music than cultural context, I found this question particularly relevant.

After lunch I was so fortunate to attend the amazing workshop “How Did I Get Here? Discovering the Philosophical Roots of our Teaching Values,” facilitated by Judith Klassen, Heather Sparling, and Gillian Turnbull. This was a truly valuable experience. The workshop design itself was fascinating–we discovered our teaching philosophies by going through a series of index cards with particular words on them that relate in some way to teaching styles or goals (“learning by doing”; “humour”; “moving from theory to practice”; “multiculturalism”). Based on our selections, we worked to create areas of focus in our own teaching, and worked from there to write teaching philosophies that reflected our discovered principles. But equally valuable for me was the diversity of workshop participants–we ranged from graduate students with little teaching experience to seasoned teachers and administrators with multiple generations of students to their credit. The opportunity to learn from each other, to share ideas and discoveries, was unparalleled.

And then I got to DJ!! Thank you so much to “DJ Hippo” (or Shae Riley) for enlightening a room full of academics on the intricacies of scratching, beat-dropping, and nipple-twisting (seriously). I never knew DJing was so difficult until I tried it myself, and further, was thoroughly humbled by the amazing skills of a young assistant (a graduate of the IMP DJing program whose name I unfortunately didn’t catch) who demonstrated each skill to perfection.

My day full of sessions concluded with my own panel, “History, Canons, Class: On Theorizing Popular Music.” I have to admit I was secretly wishing I could have seen the session on Michael Jackson, but I was pleasantly surprised by the number of audience members who listened to us, and the great enthusiasm to the ‘music theory toolkit’ I presented. Liam Young and Chris McDonald also gave me a lot to think about around list-making (particularly its potential to reinforce existing power relationships) and the stigma of discussing the middle class (and their musical tastes).

Although all of these sessions were amazing, I think what really made the conference for me was the emphasis on social connection. From the shared accommodation in apartment-style residences which gave me three lovely roommates (you know who you are!); to social events with open mics and live music (La Raquette à Claquette were amazing!); to the long walks to and from downtown accompanied by interesting people, great conversation, and gorgeous scenery, I know the benefits of this brief time on the open Prairie will last a long time. Thank you to Charity March and all of her assistants for organizing such a great event.