The CAMROSE BOOSTER, March 9, 2021 – Page 16
City position supporting business By Lori Larsen
Music, race and racism
Recently, country music star Morgan Wallen made headlines, thanks to a video recording in which he is drunk and heard uttering ugly racial slurs (the “n-word”). An avalanche of denunciations on social media followed, and Wallen was suspended by his record label. The press announced the need for Wallen’s—and country music’s— “racial reckoning”, asserting that country music has long been a genre that has celAlexander Carpenter, ebrated its mythical origins Music, University of Alberta as “the white man’s blues” at Augustana Campus the expense of black artists, whose exclusion from the history of country music is another example of institutionalized white supremacy attempting to erase blackness from culture. The American music theorist, Philip Ewell, made the news lately for similar reasons, but with much less fanfare. Ewell published a paper about musical analysis and race, focusing on the influential Austrian music theorist Heinrich Schenker. Schenker had developed a method of analysis in the early 20th century that identifies the masterpieces of the classical tradition by locating their common underlying musical architecture. But Schenker had also articulated some decidedly racist views that disparaged any culture that was non-German and that characterized people of colour especially as inferior. Ewell’s argument, which shocked many in the music theory community, was that Schenker’s analytical methodology and focus on musical hierarchies—widely taught in North American music programs—is not an objective, systematic approach, but rather mirrors Schenker’s racist views on social hierarchies and, by extension, reflects deeper problems of racism in the world of classical music generally. Central to these controversies is not so much the issue of racism as it may relate to individual men, but rather the bigger question of race and racism in relation to genre, and whether there are pervading mythologies of whiteness promoted and defended by both country and classical music. Separating the person from the music—or from music theory—is one thing: Wallen’s individual songs, I suspect, are not themselves racist in content or aim; and Schenker’s system for isolating paradigmatic structural counterpoint in the music of composers like Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, is an esoteric intellectual exercise far removed from racial politics. The claim that critics are making, however, is that Wallen’s and Schenker’s personal racism underwrites creative and intellectual activity, and ultimately indicts genre itself. In the case of country music, the problem is not an individual uttering slurs, but instead the notion that the genre is historically associated with the expression of a certain imaginary vision of American rurality that promotes normative and exclusionary narratives of the white middle class, via a pantheon of superstars that is almost exclusively white. Likewise, in the case of European classical music, the problem is not Schenker per se, but rather how this sort German chauvinism is thought to be embedded in the genre institutionally. Schenkerian theory, from this perspective, reinscribes and reinforces the predominance of European culture and its values, excluding both people of colour and a greater variety of non-Western traditions and approaches to music from the canons of music education and performance. Some social justice activists loudly insist that it is time for classical music—and its putative institutionalised racism—“to die”. Meanwhile, country music’s “racist history”, asserts Rolling Stone magazine, must be reckoned with and “rewritten”. But there is a less nihilistic and more nuanced way forward. With respect to country music, perhaps natural evolution is a remedy: the recent history of the genre has already seen significant hybridization and diversification, especially through collaborations with hip hop artists and the growing crossover success of black country performers, like the Grammy-nominated British country-soul singer Yola. With respect to classical music, music schools can continue to teach Schenkerian theory, but also provide the context of Schenker’s troubling views on the racial and cultural supremacy of Germans and include Schenker in a more diversified offering of theoretical approaches to music. In each of these cases, music—rather than serving as a battleground for clashing ideologies—can provide an opportunity to foster greater understanding, diversity of thought and of sound, and can offer a challenge to pernicious views.
The City of Camrose welcomes Kevin Johnson to the position of business development coordinator, a reallocated position supported by council to help support local businesses. Johnson, an alumni of University of Alberta Augustana Campus, moved to Camrose in 1998 and lived here for seven years, during which time he completed his Augustana postsecondary education and worked in the community. He moved to Wetaskiwin where he worked as the business and community development regional coordinator with NorQuest College, Wetaskiwin campus, for eight-and-a-half years.
OurCamrose.ca, is a new tool used by the City to be able to interact with the community and acquire feedback from residents on City projects or initiatives. Johnson’s role will focus mainly on small and medium businesses, while City of Camrose Community Development general manager Patricia MacQuarrie’s position will focus on the larger businesses and business attraction. He referenced two particular programs currently available to Camrose businesses, following specific criteria, which include the COVID Relaunch Grant program and Phase 2 of the Façade Improvement Grant program.
Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster City of Camrose Business Development Coordinator Kevin Johnson looks forward to making connections.
“I would go into the different municipalities and work with economic development, Chambers of Commerce, industry and different organizations, dealing with similar things that I am with this job now,” said Johnson. He worked in several different communities within Central Alberta, specifically the Edmonton area for NorQuest, including Wetaskiwin, Camrose, Fort Saskatchewan, Stony Plain, all the way up to Whitecourt. “I focused on building relationships and assisting organizations with training and education needs.” Johnson began his position with the City of Camrose in January of this year. “The biggest part of my role is providing support to business,” said Johnson, “Working with new businesses, entrepreneurs, and people with ideas to access tools such as the entrepreneur toolkit that we have on the City website (www.camrose.ca/ecdev). “We have also launched our new Business Portal,” said Johnson. The portal,
“The COVID Relaunch Grant program still has $11,000 available to be used for reimbursement of items purchased as a result COVID-19 health restrictions. Any receipts since Jan. 1 can be used to a maximum of $200.” Examples of reimbursement items include: masks, sanitization supplies and dividers to be utilized in the new year. Phase 2 of the Façade Improvement Grant program begins in March. Guidelines for the program will be available on the City website and the new business portal. “There is a total of $25,000 available in the grant,” said Johnson. “The grant is a competitive matching grant aimed at improving storefronts.” One of Johnson’s first goals is to learn how the City can be of assistance to businesses as they move toward recovery from COVID-19. He encourages Camrose businesses to participate in a short (14 to 16 questions) survey now available on the Camrose
business portal (www.our camrose.ca/businessportal) aimed at collecting local data that can be used to determine the impact COVID has had on businesses and determine any gaps (industry missing in Camrose) that may exist. “Local data is hard to come by and we appreciate businesses taking time to do the survey,” commented Johnson. “It provides the City with feedback specifically around how COVID has impacted local business, to understand the business climate better and how we can better support business–help support people and business to thrive in the community. The survey only takes around 10 minutes.” Johnson said that in his position, he will be drawing upon other resources within the City, including the Camrose and District Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Camrose. “I want to be able to meet with the large majority of the businesses, at least to touch base,” he explained, indicating that it would require more than just one visit which is usually a meet and greet. “Second and third visits involve a bit more discussion, which would allow me to obtain richer details to help paint a more accurate picture for Camrose (City), on the pulse of business. “This kind of information always goes back to council in aggregate, which protects the confidentiality of the process, to provide Council and City administration with the landscape of what is happening in the Camrose economy.” The other emphasis of Johnson’s position will be on entrepreneurs and people looking to upscale or start a business in Camrose. “There is an entrepreneur toolkit available that answers questions– in essence, helps navigate through the process. Part of my role is to make sure that people who want to start a business in Camrose have the tools available to them to help make the decisions that will make them successful.” He noted that the City does have resources available to his position to support doing the things that need to be done. He looks forward to working with businesses in the City and providing any support the City can offer. “Camrose is more resilient than other communities. We need to tell our local stories.” For more information on business and development in Camrose, visit the City website at www.camrose.ca/ecdev or contact Kevin Johnson by email kjohnson@camrose.ca or telephone 780-672-4428.