Music of Canada
The music of Canada reflects the diverse influences that have shaped the country.[1] Indigenous Peoples, the Irish, British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada.[2] The music has also subsequently been influenced by American culture because of the proximity between the two countries.[3] Since French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived in 1605 and established the first permanent French settlements at Port Royal and Québec in 1608, the country has produced its own composers, musicians and ensembles.[4][5]
Canadian music reflects a variety of regional scenes.[6] Government support programs, such as the Canada Music Fund, assist a wide range of musicians and entrepreneurs who create, produce and market original and diverse Canadian music.[7] The Canadian music industry is the sixth-largest in the world, producing internationally renowned composers, musicians and ensembles.[8] Music broadcasting in the country is regulated by the CRTC.[9] The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presents Canada's music industry awards, the Juno Awards, which were first awarded in 1970.[10] The Canadian Music Hall of Fame, established in 1976, honours Canadian musicians for their lifetime achievements.[11]
Patriotic music in Canada dates back over 200 years as a distinct category from British patriotism, preceding Canadian Confederation by over 50 years. The earliest work of patriotic music in Canada, "The Bold Canadian", was written in 1812.[12] The national anthem, "O Canada", was originally commissioned by the lieutenant governor of Quebec, Théodore Robitaille, for the 1880 St. Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony and was officially adopted in 1980.[13] Calixa Lavallée wrote the music, which was a setting of a patriotic poem composed by the poet and judge Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. The text was originally only in French before it was adapted into English in 1906.[14]
Patriotic music in Canada dates back over 200 years as a distinct category from British patriotism, preceding the first legal steps to independence by over 50 years. The earliest, "The Bold Canadian", was written in 1812.[133]
The Canadian Music Hall of Fame established in 1976 honours Canadian musicians for their lifetime achievements.[139] The ceremony is held each year as part of Canada's main annual music industry awards, the Juno Awards.[140]
The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards for Lifetime Artistic Achievement are the foremost honours presented for excellence in the performing arts, in the categories of dance, classical music, popular music, film, and radio and television broadcasting.[141] They were initiated in 1992 by then Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn, and winners receive $25,000 and a medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint.[142]
Canada also has many specific music awards, both for different genres and for geographic regions: