Nunavut Festival Pulls Accordion Man North
Date 2006/6/23 7:00:00 | Topic: Arts & Life
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David Sweeney Photo
By Keven Drews
Nunavut’s largest summer arts festival will showcase a West Coast resident.
Donovan Fox, 39, who also plays the piano, trumpet and tuba, will appear at the Alianait Arts Festival, which started in Iqualuit, Nunavut, June 21 and runs until July 1.
“I was very excited to be invited,” said Fox, a custodian at Wickaninnish Community School. “I’m looking forward to it.”
In its second year and billed as a celebration of the arts under the midnight sun, the festival will showcase southern and northern Canadian artists and their work: Francophone throat singers, Inuit rock stars, films, night theatre arts and crafts, and of course, accordions.
The festival’s website has Fox scheduled to perform June 29.
Fox said he’ll instruct an accordion class as well.
The West Coast resident said he was invited in mid-May, thanks to the recommendation of a former Tofino resident who moved north last year.
His airfare’s paid, and upon arrival he’ll be billeted with a family.
He’ll also receive a small honourarium.
Fox said his biggest challenge will be transposing piano music to the accordion.
It will be his first visit to Nunavut.
Music’s nothing new to Fox who said he began playing piano as a child, switched to brass in Grade 7, studied the trumpet in junior high and took on the tuba in high school.
He’s travelled the U.S. extensively, visiting all but three – Hawaii, Alaska and Louisiana – of the 50 states, and busking on New York’s subway and the Virginia Beach boardwalk.
“I’ve relied on my accordion a lot to feed me.”
Driving a 1972 VW van, Fox came to B.C. in 1990. His only possession: an accordion.
Since his arrival, Fox said he’s opened for Allison Crowe and played coffee houses up and down the Island.
Fox said he’s attracted to the accordion’s musette sound, which is the sound of the double reed, and its ability to deliver bass and melodies.
Fox said the festival will be one of his biggest performances.
“It’s right up there, for sure.”
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