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ArtsCultureMusic19TuesdayMay132014Remembertoinateyourtirestoyourcarsspecications.Keepingyourtiresinatedproperlywillsaveyoumoneyandfuel.Learnmoreatbetiresmart.caMakesureyoukeepyourtirescheckedregularlyTIRENORTHLTD.917MacKenzieHwySS22HayRiverNTX0E0R8Callusat867874-2686Weareyouryearroundtiresolution.MAY12TO18ISNATIONALBETIRESMARTWEEKByMEAGANWOHLBERGAnNWTmusicianisstay-ingtruetoherAboriginalrootswhilemasteringtheworldofmusic-inallofitsmanifestations-inToronto.FortSmith-bornAborigi-nalartistandfrontwomanofToronto-basedrockbandTheJohnnysVeronicaJohnnyre-centlycompletedwhatistherstinthreeyearsofanin-tenselychallengingmusicpro-gramatTorontosCentennialCollegeaimedatmakingherthebestmusicianshecanbe.Ijustwanttobeabettermusician.Iwanttolearneverydayofmylifeandthisisjustgoingtohelpmebeabettermusicianabet-tersingershesharedfromToronto.Itsreallyopenedupalotformemusically.ThiswastherstyearforCentennialsnewMusicIn-dustryArtsandPerformanceprogramwhichhelditsmusicclassesrehearsalsandnalperformancesattheTorontoCentrefortheArts.Theprogramfocusesonpopularworldandindige-nousmusicasopposedtothetypicaljazzandclassicalin-uencesdeeplyingrainedinmostpost-secondarymusicprograms.Withintherstyearoftheprogramstudentswereex-posedtocoursesintonnesofmusicaltheoryeartrainingkeyboardingvoicetrainingthehistoryofmusicmusicindustrybusinesscoursesrecordingtechniquesandevenwritingclasseswhichJohnnysaidfurtherboostedhercreativity.Itgotmewritingagainshesaidjustlikewritinges-saysandstories.Imalwayswritingsongsbutitreallyjustgoteverythinghappen-ingformeagaincreatively.ThoughJohnnyhasbeensingingandplayingonstageforyearsshesaidmostofherskillscamefromcopyingothersandlearningtoplaybyearormemorization.Iwas25whenIfirststartedlearningguitarandIneveractuallyhadformallessons.MyfriendCarolinewouldinvitemeandsomeotherfriendsovereveryWednesdaynightandallwehadtodowasbringasix-packofbeerandshedshowussomestuffonguitarJohnnysaidwithalaugh.NowatCentennialshesaidshesbeingforcedtoclimbmountainsoftheoryachal-lengethatisbothintimidat-ingandempowering.Itwasintense.ThereslotstolearnsaidJohnnywhoemployedthehelpofherbandmatesfromTheJohn-nystohelpherwadethroughthetheoryovertheyear.IfIhadknownwhenIstartedthatIwasgoingtohavetolearnhowtoplaythepianoIprobablywouldhavebeensointimidatedthatIwouldnthaveevenappliedButmytutorsreallyhelpedmeapplythetheorywithouthavingtomemorizeeverything.DespitethechallengesJohnnyisnowplayingthatpianoalongwithsight-read-ingmusicunderstandingthestructureofclassicalmusichearingallthepartsofachordandusinghervoicetoharmonizeoutsideofthemelodyforinstance.ImamazedatalltheseskillsIhavenow.IcantevenbelieveonlyeightmonthsagoIdidnthaveaclueaboutanyofthisshesaid.Itsactuallymakingmemuchmoreofawell-roundedmusician.AndImmuchmorecondentnowbecausewhenyourenotsureofwhatyouredoingyourehesitant.Itsalsoexposedhertoun-familiarterraintakinghertoherrstsymphonyandintroducinghertohernewlovetheoboe.WhilemuchofitisnewJohnnyisalsoabletoincorporateherowntra-ditionalmusicandcultureintotheprogrambringingherhanddrumtoclassandteachingherfellowstudentstraditionalsongsthatareper-formedasagroup.MyensembleplayedtwotraditionalsongsovertheyearlasttermwesangtheStrongWomansong...Weplayedthatwiththefullband-thepianoandmyhanddrum-andfourvocalistsshesaid.ThistermwesangtheFourElementssong.NowthatthepressureofschoolisoffforthesummerJohnnyisgettingbackintosomeofthethingsshedoesbestrockingoutandpass-ingontradition.LastweekshewasinsomeofToron-tospublicschoolsteachinghand-drumworkshopsandexposingyouthtoAborigi-nalculture.Thatsaidtheprogramhascertainlyinspiredhertoopenmoredoors.Iwanttoplaywithallkindsofpeople.IwouldlovetorecordaCDwithNorth-ernmusiciansandcollaborateonprojects.AndnowwhentheresajamIcanharmo-nizeItsjustenhancedmylifereally.IfIcouldgotoschooleverydayIwould.NWTartistimmersesherselfinmusicatTorontocollegeVeronicaJohnnycentreperformswithherSoulJourneyensembleonstageattheTorontoCentrefortheArtsaspartofhermusicprogramsnalperformancemarkingtheendofherrstyearatCentennialCollege.PhotoDanielaMitrovic