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21ARTSCULTUREMUSICTuesdaySeptember162014LutefestivaltakesonFrenchflairineighthyearByMEAGANWOHLBERGNorthernvoiceswilljoininharmonywithinternationallyrenownedbaroquemusiciansnextweekduringtheeighthannualNWTInter-nationalLuteFestivalwhichwillfocusitsspot-lightontheFrenchlutesceneforthersttime.LutenistandscholarBenjaminNarveywillbejoiningthefestivalfromParisbringingwithhimabreadthofcompositionsandhis-toricalknowledgeonthemusicaleraofba-roqueFranceroughly1730-1820consideredthepinnacleoftheinstrumentspopularity.FestivalorganizerandpresidentoftheHayRiverEarlyMusicSocietyTylerHawkinssaidtheeventissuretopiquetheinterestofnotonlythosewithanearforclassicalmusicbutanyonecuriousabouttheinuenceoftheluteonmodern-daymusic.BecausetheFrencharistocracywerere-allysortofcarryingtheballinthelutecourtitalsohastonnesofconnectionstoallothertypesofmusicoutsideoftheFrenchcourtHawkinssaid.Theyretheoneswhoinu-encedalotofotherpeople.SimilartothewayslavesongsbecameblueswhichbecamerockmusicandsoonHawkinssaidFrenchcomposersinuencedothersacrosstheworldandechoesofmelodiesinlutemusiccanevenbeheardintodayspopsongs.Itsinterestinghowmusicisoneofthoselanguagesorartsthatcanconstantlykeepmorphingandalwayscomesoutnewandyetreallyold.Likeguitarsnowlinethewallsofmodern-daymusicshopslutesusedtobewidelyavailable-totheupperclassesatleast-andfamiliarinbaroqueEurope.AfterthefalloftheFrencharistocracyuseoftheinstrumentdeclinedbutitisheldbyscholarsthatbeforeitstimeendedlutemusichadreachedtheheightofitscomplexityandstandard-settinginFrance.TherewasaveryspecicstyleofhowtoplaytheinstrumentandhowtowritemusicfortheinstrumentthatwaswrittenaboutandtalkedaboutduringtheFrencharistocracyreignanditjustkeptgettingmoreandmorecomplexandmoresophisticatedandperhapsmorebeautifulmusicallyHawkinssaid.JoiningNarveywillbeafestivalfrequentMichelCardinofNewBrunswickknownasaforemostexpertonlutemusicaswellasvocalistsKarenZaidanofFortSmithandDanielGillisofYellowknife.ItsgoodtoputwordstosomeofthesepiecesanditsgoodforNorthernaudi-encestoseeNorthernpeopleperformingHawkinssaid.Hawkinstheterritorysonlylutenistwillalsogracethestageforthersttimesincethefestivalsearlydays.Whileheperformedpreviouslywithhis17-stringguitartheloadoforganizingthefestivalwhilehavingafam-ilyanddayjobmadeperformingachallenge.Thistimearoundwiththesupportofhisco-hosttheNorthernArtsandCulturalCen-treandtheproddingofthepublicHawkinswillbeabletoplayhisluteatthefestivalforthersttime.HesaiditwillbeapersonallymeaningfulmomentandindirecttributetoCardin.Imreallyexcitedhesaid.ThechallengethatIveputforwardtomyselfisthatthepiecesIvechosentoplayaretherstpiecesIheardonCDbyMichelCardinthatreallystoodouttomeandmovedmeIfitwasntforthatImightnotbeplayingthelute.SothatsthepassionandenergyImchannelingintothepieces.ThepiecesHawkinsplanstoplayalsohar-kenbacktotheinuenceofFrenchbaroquemusic.Thoughtheyarentcompositionsfromthatperiodtheyarederivedfromthatera.InitseighthyearthefestivalhasnotonlybecomeaninstitutionintheNorthwestTer-ritoriesbuthasbeenattractingattentionworldwide.WithmentionintheLuteSoci-etyofAmericasquarterlyjournalslutenistsfromallovertheworldhavebecomeawareofthefestivalandareevenaskingtoperform.ThoughtheeventisadmittedlyquirkyHawkinssaidithasmanagedtogaintrac-tioninitssurprisingenjoyability.Ithinkitsmoreaccessiblethanpeoplereal-izehesaid.Theluteisareallyfoundationalinstrumentintermsofwheremusicisattoday.TheopeningperformanceofthefestivalwillbeatFortSmithsSt.JosephCathedralontheeveningofThursdaySept.25followedbyaconcertatHayRiversRiverviewTheatreonFridaySept.26andontheNACCstageinYel-lowknifeonSaturdaySept.27.TylerHawkinsofHayRiverwillbeperformingonhisluteforthersttimeatnextweekseighthannualNWTInternationalLuteFestival.PhotocourtesyofTylerHawkins