Music of Alaska
Encyclopedia
The Music of Alaska is a broad artistic field incorporating many culture
s.
's original music belongs to the Inupiaq, Aleut, Tlingit, and other Alaska Native communities. Russia
n, English
and Irish
immigrants brought their own varieties of folk music. Alaska was home to some of the United State's renowned performers, such as the folk singer Jewel. Traditional Aleut flautist
Mary Youngblood
, folk singer-songwriter
Libby Roderick
and the traditional performing group Pamyua
also identify as Alaskan. Alaska also has a prominent metal and rock scene. Metalcore
band 36 Crazyfists
originated in Alaska, as did indie rock
bands Portugal. The Man
, The Wagner Logic, and The Builders and The Butchers
.
, held every April in Juneau is among the state's most well-attended music festivals. The Fairbanks Folk Fest annual "Summer and Winter Music Fests" and the Anchorage Folk Festival are also well known in their areas. The Athabascan Old-Time Fiddling Festival, also held in Fairbanks
(since 1983) is described "a testament to the far-reaching appeal of traditional music" in the Country Music Lover's Guide to the U.S.A.; the festival features Athabascan and Inuit
fiddlers.
in Alaska is the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra
. The Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra has served the Interior since 1958, and its traveling arm, the Arctic Chamber Orchestra, regularly tours rural Alaska, as well as occasional international trips. The Juneau Symphony
is another notable institution which was founded in 1962.
Alaska also is home to a notable chamber music festival in the Sitka Summer Music Festival
which attracts chamber musicians from around the globe, as well as the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival
. The Juneau Jazz & Classics Festival is a 10-day annual event, offering both formal and informal concerts in classical, jazz and blues music, including workshops for musicians of all ages, youth concerts, outreach activities, and community interaction with the featured artists.
is currently the state's only professional opera company, however there are several volunteer and semi-professional organizations in the state as well. The Juneau Lyric Opera, a volunteer company, was founded in 1974 and presents concerts, choral workshops, and fully staged opera in Juneau
and Southeast Alaska
.
community organizes several festival shows each summer, usually at Cuddy Family Park's small amphitheater
. The festivals typically feature performances by local punk, rock, and metal bands, although groups specializing in other genres such as rockabilly
and noise have also made appearances. The shows are loosely organized and community driven. Non-musical attractions have included circus acts, auctions, barbecues, and bike sports
. Festivals are typically given a unique nickname, rather than sharing a common title (e.g. "Anchorage Festival of Unpopular Music" or "Bunk Rock Picnic").
The first big flowering of rock (and specifically punk rock and alternative) was in the early 1980s with the arrival of Skate Death, and their contemporaries The Clyng-Onz and Psychedelic Skeletons. (source here)
Anchorage is home to several over 21 and all ages venues including Chilkoot Charlie's, The Downstairs, The Player's House Of Rock, and The Paddleboat Cafe.
Wasilla also has a thriving night life with several venues to choose from. The Rock Music & Sports Grill features many local bands and draws an interesting mix of performers for open mic shows. New to Wasilla is Rum Runners at The MatSu Resort, where local and out of state bands have been able to bring their talent to Alaska. Four Corners, MugShot, and Chepos also provide live entertainment.
The Summer Meltdown festival is an all day, out doors festival in Anchorage featuring mostly local acts in Metal
, Rock
and occasionally Hip-Hop. The Alaskan band 36 Crazyfists
have headlined the festival since its inception in 2005 along with other acts, such as Twelve Tribes
and Subconscious, with the exception of 2008 when Poison the Well
and MxPx
headlined the festival, marking the first time 36 Crazyfists
has not headlined.
Ignite Alaska was a music festival in Fairbanks, Alaska. It lasted two days featuring headliners such as Thousand Foot Krutch, RED, and Manafest as well as local bands from Anchorage and Fairbanks. It was a Christ-based festival with speaker, Blaise Foret, and a band leading worship songs. This event was held at the Carlson Center.
Festivals held in Fairbanks in May 2005–2009. Though not related to the Angry Young and Poor Festival which was in August 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, many who were involved in Angry Young and Poor became associated with the Clucking Blossom Festival because the scene is tightly knit. One of the ideas that fuels Clucking Blossom is to allow all the bands in Fairbanks to share a stage, combining acoustic music, bluegrass, punk, hip hop, metal and rock bands. This also gave people under 21 a chance to see bands that usually only perform in bars, as Fairbanks has an unfortunate few venues for live music. The event is open to everyone and there are events planned specifically for young children, as well as political presentations, a parade, (loosely) organized discussions and public art of all kinds.
, located in the Mat-Su Valley. It's a safe environment for people of all ages. Make-a-Scene! has also had annual summer music festivals for the past four years. MaS! is also known by valley people for its publication, Make-a-Scene! Magazine, which focuses on Alaskan musicians, poetry, art, politics and film. The magazine prints 7,000 copies a month and distributes to hundreds of local businesses in the Mat-Su Valley, free for people to take and read.
In 2007, Make-a-Scene! moved in to the clock tower
in downtown Wasilla; the Meta Rose Square. They had been holding concerts and shows there up until early 2009, when they outgrew their small downstairs venue and decided it was time to move to a bigger facility. In March 2009, they moved to a 5000 sq ft (464.5 m²) Quonset hut
by the Wonderland Park/Skate Park and the Parks Hwy. On April 5, 2009, Make-a-Scene! had their first show in the new, bigger building. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the venue is expected to be completely finished by the end of the summer.
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
s.
History and overview
AlaskaAlaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
's original music belongs to the Inupiaq, Aleut, Tlingit, and other Alaska Native communities. Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n, English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants brought their own varieties of folk music. Alaska was home to some of the United State's renowned performers, such as the folk singer Jewel. Traditional Aleut flautist
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
Mary Youngblood
Mary Youngblood
Mary Youngblood is a Northern California Native American flutist. She is half Aleut, and half Seminole. She has been awarded three Native American Music Awards, being the first woman to win "Flutist of the Year," which she won in both 1999 and 2000, as well as winning "Best Female Artist" in 2000...
, folk singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Libby Roderick
Libby Roderick
Libby Roderick is an American singer/songwriter, recording artist, poet, activist, and teacher. The global impact of her song "How Could Anyone" has been featured on CNN, in Readers Digest, and in the Associated Press. She was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska where she still lives part of the...
and the traditional performing group Pamyua
Pamyua
Pamyua is a Yupik musical group from Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska.-General information:Pamyua's music is self-described as "tribal funk" and "world music"...
also identify as Alaskan. Alaska also has a prominent metal and rock scene. Metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band 36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists is a four-piece metal band originating from Anchorage, Alaska. They are now based in Portland, Oregon. The band's name comes from a Jackie Chan movie, Jackie Chan And The 36 Crazy Fists...
originated in Alaska, as did indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
bands Portugal. The Man
Portugal. The Man
Portugal. The Man is an American psychedelic rock band based in Portland, Oregon, but originally from Wasilla, Alaska. The group released their first two albums with Fearless Records. They also released material on their own imprint Approaching AIRballoons through indie label Equal Vision Records...
, The Wagner Logic, and The Builders and The Butchers
The Builders and the Butchers
The Builders and The Butchers are a Folk Rock band based in Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/guitar player Ryan Sollee. The other members of the band are Willy Kunkle , Justin Bier , Ray Rude , and Harvey Tumbleson The Builders and The Butchers are a Folk Rock band based in...
.
Folk
The Alaska Folk FestivalAlaska Folk Festival
The Alaska Folk Festival is an annual celebration of folk music from Alaska, the Northwestern United States, Canada, and further. It is held in Juneau, Alaska and most commonly occurs during the second week of April. It features performances from a wide variety of solo artists and musical groups,...
, held every April in Juneau is among the state's most well-attended music festivals. The Fairbanks Folk Fest annual "Summer and Winter Music Fests" and the Anchorage Folk Festival are also well known in their areas. The Athabascan Old-Time Fiddling Festival, also held in Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
(since 1983) is described "a testament to the far-reaching appeal of traditional music" in the Country Music Lover's Guide to the U.S.A.; the festival features Athabascan and Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
fiddlers.
Classical
The most prominent symphonySymphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
in Alaska is the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra
Anchorage Symphony Orchestra
The Anchorage Symphony Orchestra is a semi-professional symphony orchestra located in Anchorage, Alaska. Randall Craig Fleischer is the director and conductor, and Linn Weeda is the assistant director and conductor....
. The Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra has served the Interior since 1958, and its traveling arm, the Arctic Chamber Orchestra, regularly tours rural Alaska, as well as occasional international trips. The Juneau Symphony
Juneau Symphony
The Juneau Symphony is a semi-professional symphony orchestra located in Juneau, Alaska.-History:The Juneau Symphony was created in 1962 by Cliff Berge and was self-conducted until 1982, when a professional director was needed. Mel Flood filled that role until his retirement in 1999...
is another notable institution which was founded in 1962.
Alaska also is home to a notable chamber music festival in the Sitka Summer Music Festival
Sitka Summer Music Festival
The Sitka Summer Music Festival is a month-long classical chamber music festival in the community of Sitka, Alaska.-About:The festival takes place in early summer during the month of June with three groupings of musicians...
which attracts chamber musicians from around the globe, as well as the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival
Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival
The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival is an annual arts festival held in Fairbanks, Alaska on the campus of University of Alaska Fairbanks. It most commonly occurs in the last two weeks of July. Participants can take part in workshops in classical music, gospel, jazz, bluegrass, World music,...
. The Juneau Jazz & Classics Festival is a 10-day annual event, offering both formal and informal concerts in classical, jazz and blues music, including workshops for musicians of all ages, youth concerts, outreach activities, and community interaction with the featured artists.
Opera
The Anchorage OperaAnchorage Opera
' is a professional opera company located in Anchorage, Alaska and is a member of OPERA America.-About AO: is the largest producer of the performing arts in Alaska and one of America’s leading regional opera companies...
is currently the state's only professional opera company, however there are several volunteer and semi-professional organizations in the state as well. The Juneau Lyric Opera, a volunteer company, was founded in 1974 and presents concerts, choral workshops, and fully staged opera in Juneau
Juneau, Alaska
The City and Borough of Juneau is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-District of Alaska was moved from Sitka as dictated by the U.S. Congress in 1900...
and Southeast Alaska
Alaska Panhandle
Southeast Alaska, sometimes referred to as the Alaska Panhandle, is the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Alaska, which lies west of the northern half of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The majority of Southeast Alaska's area is part of the Tongass National Forest, the United...
.
Rock
The AnchorageAnchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
community organizes several festival shows each summer, usually at Cuddy Family Park's small amphitheater
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
. The festivals typically feature performances by local punk, rock, and metal bands, although groups specializing in other genres such as rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
and noise have also made appearances. The shows are loosely organized and community driven. Non-musical attractions have included circus acts, auctions, barbecues, and bike sports
Tall bike
A tall bike is an unusually tall bicycle often constructed by hobbyists from spare parts. Typically, two conventional bicycle frames are connected, by welding, brazing, or other means, one atop the other...
. Festivals are typically given a unique nickname, rather than sharing a common title (e.g. "Anchorage Festival of Unpopular Music" or "Bunk Rock Picnic").
The first big flowering of rock (and specifically punk rock and alternative) was in the early 1980s with the arrival of Skate Death, and their contemporaries The Clyng-Onz and Psychedelic Skeletons. (source here)
Anchorage is home to several over 21 and all ages venues including Chilkoot Charlie's, The Downstairs, The Player's House Of Rock, and The Paddleboat Cafe.
Wasilla also has a thriving night life with several venues to choose from. The Rock Music & Sports Grill features many local bands and draws an interesting mix of performers for open mic shows. New to Wasilla is Rum Runners at The MatSu Resort, where local and out of state bands have been able to bring their talent to Alaska. Four Corners, MugShot, and Chepos also provide live entertainment.
The Summer Meltdown festival is an all day, out doors festival in Anchorage featuring mostly local acts in Metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and occasionally Hip-Hop. The Alaskan band 36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists is a four-piece metal band originating from Anchorage, Alaska. They are now based in Portland, Oregon. The band's name comes from a Jackie Chan movie, Jackie Chan And The 36 Crazy Fists...
have headlined the festival since its inception in 2005 along with other acts, such as Twelve Tribes
Twelve Tribes (band)
Twelve Tribes was a metalcore band, from Dayton, Ohio, USA. Originally established in 1998, the group is currently signed to the independent record label Ferret Music...
and Subconscious, with the exception of 2008 when Poison the Well
Poison the Well (band)
Poison the Well was an experimental hardcore band from Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida who were last signed to Ferret Music. Guitarist Ryan Primack and drummer Chris Hornbrook were the only remaining members of the band who were involved since their inception, although vocalist Jeffrey Moreira was...
and MxPx
MxPx
MxPx is a pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington with connections to the Christian punk scene. The band has recorded eight studio albums, four EPs, four compilation albums, a live album, a VHS tape, a DVD and released 20 singles....
headlined the festival, marking the first time 36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists is a four-piece metal band originating from Anchorage, Alaska. They are now based in Portland, Oregon. The band's name comes from a Jackie Chan movie, Jackie Chan And The 36 Crazy Fists...
has not headlined.
Ignite Alaska was a music festival in Fairbanks, Alaska. It lasted two days featuring headliners such as Thousand Foot Krutch, RED, and Manafest as well as local bands from Anchorage and Fairbanks. It was a Christ-based festival with speaker, Blaise Foret, and a band leading worship songs. This event was held at the Carlson Center.
Clucking Blossom
There have been five Clucking BlossomClucking Blossom
Clucking Blossom is a free all-ages festival in Fairbanks, Alaska that combines art, and music. Its stated goal is to bring community together and create new bridges of communication...
Festivals held in Fairbanks in May 2005–2009. Though not related to the Angry Young and Poor Festival which was in August 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, many who were involved in Angry Young and Poor became associated with the Clucking Blossom Festival because the scene is tightly knit. One of the ideas that fuels Clucking Blossom is to allow all the bands in Fairbanks to share a stage, combining acoustic music, bluegrass, punk, hip hop, metal and rock bands. This also gave people under 21 a chance to see bands that usually only perform in bars, as Fairbanks has an unfortunate few venues for live music. The event is open to everyone and there are events planned specifically for young children, as well as political presentations, a parade, (loosely) organized discussions and public art of all kinds.
Make-a-Scene!
Make-a-Scene! (or MaS!) is an Alaskan music venueMusic venue
A music venue is any location used for a concert or musical performance. Music venues range in size and location, from an outdoor bandshell or bandstand or a concert hall to an indoor sports stadium. Typically, different types of venues host different genres of music...
, located in the Mat-Su Valley. It's a safe environment for people of all ages. Make-a-Scene! has also had annual summer music festivals for the past four years. MaS! is also known by valley people for its publication, Make-a-Scene! Magazine, which focuses on Alaskan musicians, poetry, art, politics and film. The magazine prints 7,000 copies a month and distributes to hundreds of local businesses in the Mat-Su Valley, free for people to take and read.
In 2007, Make-a-Scene! moved in to the clock tower
Clock tower
A clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. Some clock towers are not true clock towers having had their clock faces added to an already existing building...
in downtown Wasilla; the Meta Rose Square. They had been holding concerts and shows there up until early 2009, when they outgrew their small downstairs venue and decided it was time to move to a bigger facility. In March 2009, they moved to a 5000 sq ft (464.5 m²) Quonset hut
Quonset hut
A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semicircular cross section. The design was based on the Nissen hut developed by the British during World War I...
by the Wonderland Park/Skate Park and the Parks Hwy. On April 5, 2009, Make-a-Scene! had their first show in the new, bigger building. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the venue is expected to be completely finished by the end of the summer.
External links
- Presentation on traditional dance among the Aluutiq
- Eskimo Music
- Alaska Folk Festival
- Athabascan Fiddlers Association