Our Mission
Our mission is to deliver a long-term, proven music program in remote Indigenous communities, providing lessons on the fiddle, instruction in musical rudiments, and opportunities for students to make music together in a positive learning environment.
“Music comes from the soul and brings a bond that will be remembered forever. It brings youth together in a way that can’t be replaced by any other activity.”
Steve Lawrence (Community member, parent, elder - Kinngait)
About Us
Fiddles North/Violons Nord is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing music lessons to youth in Canada’s North. Our core instructors - Greg Simm and Kim de Laforest - are accomplished musicians who have over 15 years' experience teaching music in the Canadian Arctic.
Greg and Kim understand and appreciate the impact that music has had on their own lives, and bring their passion for music education to students that don't have regular access to music instruction. Individually or together, they have travelled to Nunavut at least once a year since 2007 to share their music with students from grades 4-12.
Through music workshop-style settings - scheduled during and after school hours - Kim and Greg spend as much time as possible with all interested students in the communities to which they are invited. During their last visit to Nunavut in October of 2019, they worked with over 350 students in 6 Qikiqtani region schools.
Our main goal (post Covid hiatus) is to return to the communities we were previously working with. Re-establishing connections with the students, schools and communities we have missed so much!
We hope to share our love of music with students in remote areas for many, many years to come!
