Le français parlé à Windsor-Essex (Ontario)

This is a short audio documentary of francophones sharing their realities of living in a minority linguistic situation in Windsor-Essex (Ontario). In October 2012 I conducted a series of interviews with 20 francophones living in the region with the intention of documenting and studying the unique dialect spoken in the region, as well as the sociocultural reality of its residents.

Ceci est un court documentaire audio de francophones à Windsor-Essex (Ontario) qui partagent leurs réalités vivant dans un contexte linguistique minoritaire. Ces extraits proviennent d’entrevues que j’ai entrepris avec vingt (20) francophones de la région en october 2012. Mon intention était de documenter et analyser le dialecte unique de français parlé dans cette région, ainsi que la réalité socioculturelle de ses résidents. 

Le français parlé à Windsor-Essex (Ontario)

Check ça-icite
for solo amplified voice, chamber ensemble and tape
performed 31 October 2014 by Ensemble Paramirabo and guests at Centre Culturel Georges-Vanier (Montreal)

Speech sample link: https://soundcloud.com/nicketal/le-francais-parle-a-windsor-essex-ontario

1. Prologue : Un aperçu de chez-nous
2. Donc, on parle de vrais affaires, ou non ?
3. [+] ou plus ? 
4. This is ma réalité

About: 
This music is modelled on, and features, the French language spoken in my hometown Windsor, Ontario. C’est une langue un peu bizarre; not only do we frequently switch entre Anglais et Français, the words we speak often sound like they belong to l’autre langue. Quand on voyage au Québec, on se fait traité d’Anglophone. When at home, we’re the French (or we hide it). We’re an old community : originally settled in 1701, et on a eu plusieurs vagues d’immigration Francophone depuis ce temps. But the reality is (and I say that a lot), we’re being assimilated - and this has been the case for a long time. I don’t want to say dying, parce que ça ne serait pas vrai. Notre communauté linguistique n’est pas exactement en grand essor, mais on lutte. There are some who speak the language rarely, et d’autres le font à tous les jours. For some it is functional, others a matter of identité; some have “lost it” and others fallen in love with it. It is a very real thing, et nous appartenons à une énorme communauté de francophones dispersés à travers le Canada. Only problem is, we’re isolated.

En tout cas, je résume: Check ça-icite is a composition based on a collection of words, syllables, sounds, and stories shared with me by Francophones in Windsor and surrounding areas in October 2012. C’est pas mal ça. 

Musicians:
Sarah Albu (voice)
Jeffrey Stonehouse (flute)
François Gagné (clarinet)
Laurence Latreille-Gagné (horn)
Zachary Hale (percussion)
Daniel Añez (piano)
Geneviève Liboiron (violin)
Amina Tebini (viola)
Viviana Gosselin (cello)

Recorded and mixed by:
Gabriel Dufour-Laperrière

Check ça-icite - 2013/14

ré(action) - 2012
for clarinet, percussion, violon and cello

performed by Ensemble Portmantô in July 2012 @ Sala Rossa (Montreal)

Mark Bradley - clarinet
Ben Duinker - percussion
Mira Benjamin - violin
Andrea Stewart - cello

ré(action) is a work in two movements. each movement represents a manner in which i have experienced societal
behaviours in regards to a common or shared “problem”. 

ré(       ) is varying degrees of complacency; it is every person who gives absolutely no regard to an issue, choosing 
instead to continue with their lives; and it is every person that complains without taking proactive action... such as 
the person who receives a poorly cooked meal at a restaurant and complains at length to his or her friends about
it, but when prompted by the server responds “yes it was delicious.” i have been these people.

action is a loaded word; even those who are united in their cause can disagree on how to take action. social 
acts can be beautiful and empowering, and yet are not always manifest in a positive or informed manner. is it
always right to take action?  

while this work is not a reference to any specific situation, my life has been greatly effected by some major
events from the past one+ year. and so, our reactions to the arab spring, the quebec tuition strike, the 
2011 canadian federal election, the vancouver hockey riots, G20, and the occupy movement have all had some 
impact on my thought process.

ré(action) - 2012

Performed by Nicolas Hyatt
February 2006, Von Kuster Hall, University of Western Ontario


Prokofiev - Toccata in d minor

La filé - 2011
for soprano and tape (rock band)
written, arranged and engineered by Nicolas Hyatt and David Lacalamita
written to accompany Christian l'Enfant Roi's SS2011 collection
August 31 2011 @ Église St Jean Baptiste, Montréal
text adapted from elliot weinberger's "an elemental thing" by nicolas hyatt and david lacalamita

performers:
Alyson Spina, soprano
Austin Lui, violin/viola
Martin Cadieux, keyboards
Olivier Dubé, drums
David Lacalamita, bass and keyboards
Nicolas Hyatt, keyboards

La filé - 2011 (written with David Lacalamita)

performed by Nicolas Hyatt
February 2008, Von Kuster Hall, UWO, London

Alain Gagnon - Jeux dans l'espace (for piano)

by Nicolas Hyatt
for narrator, media files and electronics
for Andy Costello (performer)

Performance Setup: Narrator + Radio - double monologue

This is a piece about language, and its sociocultural hold on Canadian identity. We as a people are moving in new directions, and yet the dualistic narrative of Français et Anglais continues to drive a significant portion of our policy. And some would say, of who we are. Ce débat sur la langue forme une partie importante de notre identité et de notre vécu collectif, c'est certain. 

Mais ce n'est pas un débat inclusif; 
il faut arrêter les monologues, et s'écouter. 
Je ne peux parler que pour moi même.
Tu m'écoutes, non? 
What are ces mots. 
Sont-ils les miens? 
Tu m'engages à quoi? 
Un dialogue, I assumed. 
But presume I did, 
Et pourquoi je résume 
Mes paroles quand je suis 
Alone dans une salle 
Seul, avec une radio.

Pasquetwo - 2012

La marche de mon apartement jusqu'à Mont Royal à 20h05 le 24 mai. 

Casseroles - 24 mai, Mont Royal et des Érables (field recording)

percussion quartet for industrial materials
performed by Architek at La Sala Rossa, Montreal, January 15 2013.


for (on) the floor - 2012

for percussion sextet
performed by the McGill Percussion Ensemble
November 19 2012, Pollack Hall, Montreal

This piece is a reflection on and a critique of corporate team building philosophy.
In this exercise, each team of 2 musicians is treated as a working unit - there are 3 teams total. Most of the sounds, gestures and patterns are thus created by team members working together. Even the ridiculously simple ones.
The task is to navigate playing as a group of 2 in the context of the larger group.
How will your unit fit within the whole?

Team Building Exercise (3x2) - 2012

This is a collection of musics! Compositions, some of them collaborative, and piano performances...all of them shaped by some beautiful peoples.