Music of the Yukon
Encyclopedia
With the Klondike Gold Rush
, a number of folk
songs from the Yukon became popular, including "Rush to the Klondike" (1897, written by W. T. Diefenbaker), "The Klondike Gold Rush", "I've Got the Klondike Fever" (1898) and "La Chanson du Klondyke".
The Yukon has a very active and live music scene, with a relatively large number of artists as well as a number of music festivals. Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Jerry Alfred
won the Juno Award
for Best Aboriginal Recording in 1995, while Matthew Lien
has topped the charts in Taiwan
.
The major festivals include the Dawson City Music Festival, Frostbite Music Festival in Whitehorse
, and the Atlin Arts & Music Festival held in Atlin
, though located just outside Yukon, is mostly attended by Yukoners, since 2003. The Alsek Music Festival in Haines Junction
was held for 16 years but has skipped 2009 and 2010.
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
, a number of folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
songs from the Yukon became popular, including "Rush to the Klondike" (1897, written by W. T. Diefenbaker), "The Klondike Gold Rush", "I've Got the Klondike Fever" (1898) and "La Chanson du Klondyke".
The Yukon has a very active and live music scene, with a relatively large number of artists as well as a number of music festivals. Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Jerry Alfred
Jerry Alfred
Jerry Alfred is a Northern Tutchone musician living in Pelly Crossing, Yukon. He was named "Keeper of the Songs" at birth, an honorary title which he has made into a career, updating traditional Tutchone music by adding twentieth century Western influences.Alfred was born in the community of...
won the Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for Best Aboriginal Recording in 1995, while Matthew Lien
Matthew Lien
Matthew Carl Lien is a Yukon, Canada based world music singer-songwriter and producer. His primary lyrical and musical focus is on environmental and cultural themes.- Career :...
has topped the charts in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
The major festivals include the Dawson City Music Festival, Frostbite Music Festival in Whitehorse
Whitehorse, Yukon
Whitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...
, and the Atlin Arts & Music Festival held in Atlin
Atlin, British Columbia
Atlin is a community in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the eastern shore of Atlin Lake. In addition to continued gold-mining activity, Atlin is a tourist destination for fishing, hiking and Heliskiing. As of 2004, there are 450 permanent residents.The name comes from Áa Tlein,...
, though located just outside Yukon, is mostly attended by Yukoners, since 2003. The Alsek Music Festival in Haines Junction
Haines Junction, Yukon
Haines Junction is a village in the Yukon, Canada. It is located at Kilometre 1,632 of the Alaska Highway at its junction with the Haines Highway, hence the name of the community. According to the 2006 Census the population was 589. It is next to Kluane National Park and Reserve...
was held for 16 years but has skipped 2009 and 2010.