Deantha Edmund鈥檚 Artist-In-Residence mentorship at 黄色直播鈥檚 Fountain School of Performing Arts was guided by a simple but powerful belief: every artist deserves to know they belong.
The Juno award-winning Inuk soprano, composer, and writer understands the importance of representation, being one of the few Indigenous artists working in the world of classical music. Her career has been shaped by a passion for classical singing but also by a commitment to bringing Indigenous stories, perspectives, and languages into spaces where they have often been absent.
鈥淚鈥檓 an urban Inuk Irish Newfoundlander who鈥檚 allergic to fish and who sings Inuktitut,鈥� says Edmunds. 鈥淎n Indigenous person in the classical world 鈥� there鈥檚 not a lot of us.鈥�
An Indigenous person in the classical world 鈥� there鈥檚 not a lot of us.
The power of being heard
Edmunds was joined on stage at Dal鈥檚 Joseph Strug Concert Hall last Saturday (Oct. 24) for a performance with DalChorus and Nunavut-born DalVoice student Princess Kusugak in a program that explored Inuit heritage, identity, and contemporary experience through conversation and song.听
The event was designed to celebrate Inuit culture, language, and storytelling while advancing representation and inclusion in classical music.
鈥淚鈥檝e known Deantha since I was Princess鈥檚 age, and this is a beautiful opportunity for us to come back together after all these years,鈥� says Dr. Nicole Jordan, DalChorus director. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a real honour to make space for both Deantha and Princess here as part of my role on the Fountain School鈥檚 Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility (EDIA) Committee.鈥�
Dr. Nicole Jordan, left, with Kusugak, centre, and Edmunds.
Finding confidence in identity
For Kusugak, a third-year voice student and emerging Inuit vocalist, collaborating with Dr. Jordan and Edmunds was much more than a performance opportunity. It has been a chance for her and fellow students to explore how music can create connections between cultures, deepen personal identity, and open conversations about diverse Inuit experiences and traditions.听
鈥淚鈥檓 lucky to have Dr. J because I鈥檝e never felt like I had to hide or feel ashamed of who I am as an Indigenous person,鈥� says Kusugak. 鈥淚鈥檝e always felt accepted, supported, and that my opinion matters.鈥澨�
As Music faculty and an EDIA advocate, Dr. Jordan recognizes the importance of ensuring Indigenous students have agency over how their cultures are represented and shared. 听鈥淏eing expected to perform your culture can be an honour. It鈥檚 also a burden,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here can be an emotional cost to doing that.鈥澨�
I鈥檓 figuring out how to balance educating others about my culture while still displaying myself as an individual artist.
Coming to the Fountain School prompted Kusugak听to reflect on the role identity plays in her creative work and artistic voice. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I鈥檓 trying to learn about myself,鈥� she says.. 鈥淚鈥檓 figuring out how to balance educating others about my culture while still displaying myself as an individual artist.鈥�
Reinventing the repertoire: singing in Inuktitut
In addition to conversations with Edmunds and Kusugak, led by Dr. Jordan on her 鈥淥prah corner couches鈥�, the evening鈥檚 concert included听a famous piece by Mozart titled听Ave verum corpus. Edmunds and Kusugak sang it as a duet in Inuttitut (Opinak ikkiliojutit), the Nunatsiavut dialect of Inuktitut, as Edmund鈥檚 ancestors did, in church, on the North Coast of Labrador for hundreds of years.听
The Mozart piece, and other classical church music, was brought by German missionaries of the Moravian faith. "In some of that repertoire, my ancestors changed parts of the music, the phrasing, instrumentation, tempo,鈥� says Edmunds. 鈥淐hanging the artistic style of it is very subtle but shows incredible Inuit agency in the face of colonialism.鈥�
For DalChorus members figuring out a language they鈥檝e never experienced before, the process of rehearsing and singing Edmund鈥檚 song听Legacy听in听Inuktitut has required patience, humility, and a willingness to learn.
鈥淗aving the chance to sing some of Deantha鈥檚 work has been a really big learning opportunity,鈥� says Kusugak. 鈥淚nuktitut is not an easy language to just pick up.鈥�
Creating pathways forward
Edmunds describes her Artist-in-Residence experience not as a one-way transfer of technical skills from mentor to student, but as a shared process of learning and discovery. She was struck by the student鈥檚 openness, curiosity, and willingness to engage deeply with questions about creativity, identity, and artistic practice.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e beginning the real work,鈥� says Edmunds. 鈥淩eal growth as a singer comes from understanding who you are, embracing your unique voice, and having the courage to share it with others.鈥�
As DalChorus and Kusugak听prepare for a 鈥渂igger sing鈥� at听their Dec. 6 concert, the learning continues, both in the music and in the conversations surrounding it.
If Princess can find her footing musically and vocally, which she is doing here at Dal, in life she will soar.
鈥淚 want Princess to know that her voice is important, and her presence matters,鈥� says Edmunds. 鈥淚f she can find her footing musically and vocally, which she is doing here at Dal, in life she will soar.鈥�
