Dan Doiron
Creative Music Sessions
Dan Doiron’s mission is to share his lifetime passion for music to inspire students with entertaining, interactive, thought provoking and fun learning experiences. His series of workshops, “boot camps” and seminars all reflect Music, Language Arts, Social Studies, Healthy Living and Personal Development goals and learning outcomes outlined in provincial curriculum guidelines. The sessions, tailored to all ages and skill levels include:
1) Stand Tall! The story of the Blues
2) Stand Up! The power of music to impact racist and bullying attitudes.
3) Stand Back I Don’t Know How Loud This Thing Gets! Songwriting, Creativity and Self Expression
1) Stand Tall! The Story of the Blues
Elementary School seminar: A fast paced session with an age appropriate blues history that also demonstrates how this culture influenced the origins of other
forms pop music. Students discover what it’s like to be a real blues musician with interactive activities including “call and response” singing, composing rhythms through body movement, body percussion and creating their own lyrics for traditional blues.
Junior and Senior High seminars: The history of the blues from its’ African origins, to the social relevance of this music as well as its’ influence on the development of other musical genres are all investigated. Students explore the “call and response” form the blues as a creative tool for self expression, investigating how various styles, tempos, timbres and dynamics as well as vocal and instrumental improvisation techniques are used to convey the thoughts and feelings of the artists. The impact of electronic instruments and their influence on the continued evolution of the blues is also probed.
2) Stand Up!The power of music to impact racist and bullying attitudes.
The session begins with analysis of the blues song “We’re Killing Each Other Trying to Get Into Heaven” spring-boarding to a discussion about racism in past and current society. Students reflect on their experiences with racism and bullying, while exploring the creative process to develop a theme using journal techniques and lyric composition as an approach to organize and communicate their thoughts and emotions.
3) Stand Back I Don’t Know How Loud This Thing Gets! Songwriting, Creativity and Self Expression
The Story of the Blues and the Stand Up! sessions can be expanded to half and full day workshops to include the Stand Back I Don’t Know How Loud This Thing Gets! Songwriting session. Students investigate the blues form as a template to create original songs with emphasis on the power of music to express, communicate and impact attitudes and beliefs. Audio recording and concert performance components can also be included.
About the clinician:
Friends say they don't recognize him without a guitar strapped on as Dan Doiron has been addicted to the raw energy of the guitar and the power of music since he formed his first band at age 13 in Port Hood, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He’s profoundly committed to the music, crafting his own style that draws upon over forty years of his traditional and modern guitar studies and experiences as a musician, songwriter, music educator, (B.MUS.Ed from Dalhousie University with a major in classical guitar), national guitar clinician, and recording engineer. After many years as a sideman, in 2011 Dan stepped out as a solo recording artist, with his debut CD, Even My Guitar Is In Love With You. A torrential body of multi award nominated work has followed and in May 2018 he released his fourth album, Livin’ Centre Stage, which won the Music Nova Scotia Award for Blues Album of the Year, and also earned him his fourth ECMA award nomination for Blues album of the Year. He has twice represented Atlantic Canada at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee (2014 and 2018), and was nominated for a 2019 Maple Blues Award for Best New Canadian Artist.
Teaching Experience:
-10 years teaching Junior High School Music
-25 years as Roland Canada Guitar / Product Specialist presenting school, university and for community groups workshops and clinics
Testimonials:
"Dan – Thanks for delivering on your promise to create exceptional learning and listening experiences in our schools! We had some of the biggest rave reviews for you that we’ve ever received for the Blues in the Schools program and it’s been 15 years now with some of the actual creators of the original programs in North America involved here. That’s quite some company you’re keeping! Well done and many thanks" - Brent Staeben - Fredericton Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival chairman
“You are a pro and a natural born teacher. One comment from staff members was how readily you altered your presentation to the older students – you had complete engagement of the kids and staff. Considering it was our first assembly of the year, we were amazed with the students and that is a direct result of your talent, style, energy and passion.” - Barb Corbett, Principal, Connaught Street School, Fredericton NB
“It's not often visitors can engage middle school children for an entire hour--well you nailed it!” -Kendra Frizzell principal, Nashwaaksis Middle School
For more information, as well as special rates for neighbouring schools, contact:
902-222-2182