In the difficult work of decolonization, research and creative activity can offer innovative pathways.

A team from the University of Windsor and Western University engaged in decolonizing music education and performance through a residency with Cree-Dene music educator, music therapist, and doctoral student Sherryl Sewepagaham, hosted in conjunction with the Canadian Chamber Choir on the two campuses.

Team lead Danielle Sirek is a professor of arts education at Western, an adjunct instructor in the UWindsor Faculty of Education, and a member of the choir.

“Our goal is to engage with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action by engaging with, and building the profiles of, Indigenous artists,” she said. “This residency was one of our biggest and most exciting in this long-term work.”

The multi-day residency saw Sewepagaham and the choir not only perform for the public, but also collaborate with local artists and give a platform to Indigenous knowledge keepers and artists to build understanding among music educators, performers, and aficionados.

Faculty of Education graduate student Madeline Doornaert, a lifelong member of choirs in Windsor, helped co-ordinate the project. She said the work is already influencing the music she writes and performs.

“It can be hard for teachers to break out of old routines when selecting the music they will use to teach,” she said. “It’s easy to repeat a curriculum year in and year out, but Sherryl showed the participants how to broaden experiences for their students.”

Learn more in the full article, “Implementing a decolonial mindset in music education,” published in the Research and Innovation in Action report.