Ian Hayes is a doctoral candidate in ethnomusicology at Memorial University of Newfoundland. A multi-instrumentalist and producer, he is a sought after session musician and accompanist in the Irish and Cape Breton fiddling traditions. In addition to his involvement in the Celtic music scene, Ian also has background in jazz and received his M.Mus. in jazz guitar performance from the University of Louisville in 2008. His dissertation research explores the intersection of vernacular and popular culture that takes place in Cape Breton fiddling tradition, as well as the negotiation of tradition through cultural capital and regional discourse. Supervisors: Holly Everett
Ph.D. Thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland -- Forthcoming
Originating from the music of early Gaelic immigrants, Cape Breton fiddling has been a thriving m... more Originating from the music of early Gaelic immigrants, Cape Breton fiddling has been a thriving musical tradition for more than two hundred years. It eventually rose to prominence in the 1990s, receiving international recognition in the music industry. As the “Celtic boom” faded and major record labels lost interest in the tradition commercially, Cape Breton traditional musicians continued to maintain a presence in the music industry, though their careers now enjoy more modest success. All the while, Cape Breton fiddling has remained a healthy, vibrant tradition on the local level, where even the most commercially successful musicians have remained closely tied to their roots.
This thesis examines how Cape Breton traditional musicians negotiate and express their musical identities in professional and vernacular contexts. As both professional musicians and tradition bearers, they are fixtures in popular culture, as well as the local music scene, placing them at an intersection between global and local culture. While seemingly fairly homogenous, Cape Breton fiddling is rich and varied tradition, and musicians relate to it in myriad ways. This plurality and intersubjectivity of what is considered to be “legitimate” culture is evident as the boundaries of tradition are drawn and change according to context. Musicians engage with, and critically evaluate cultural discourses surrounding the tradition which are influenced by power, cultural capital, social group, ethnicity, and region.
These discourses and representations of the tradition are sometimes upheld or even celebrated, while at other times, they may be challenged or subverted. One’s musical identity is not necessarily expressed verbally, but is performed and demonstrated musically. Repertoire and musical arrangements can be profoundly meaningful, representing a musician’s cultural values. The decisions of how to frame oneself within the tradition influences how musicians relate to each other socially and professionally, potentially having profound effects on issues such as intellectual property rights. In addition, audio technology plays a significant role in how the tradition is presented, understood, and experienced. Commercial recordings embrace socially constructed notions of “liveness,” while live performances rely on amplification practices that connect musicians to global popular culture while simultaneously upholding local musical aesthetics.
Eighth International Small Islands Culture Conference Refereed Proceedings , 2013
While traditionalism is highly valued among Cape Breton fiddlers today, commercialisation and
e... more While traditionalism is highly valued among Cape Breton fiddlers today, commercialisation and
experimentation are also prominent in today’s scene. Innovation or traditionalism can be seen in terms of
repertoire, musical arrangements, and accompaniment. Musicians are not passive products of their cultural
environments, but rather shape their style based on their own personal tastes and values. If an individual is
an ardent traditionalist, this is as much a conscious decision as becoming a modern innovator. These
categories are neither absolute nor mutually exclusive; players can exist in both musical paradigms, having
at times conflicting traditionalist and innovative musical personas that change according to performance
contexts. Negotiating when to engage in which style of music-making can be important, since subverting
established conventions while performing in some contexts may be inappropriate, but acceptable in others.
This can be particularly relevant with respect to accompaniment, as accompanists contextualise the fiddler,
often having the power to make a performance either traditional and conservative or unorthodox and
experimental.
This article is a case study of amplification in Cape Breton fiddling, exploring its relationship... more This article is a case study of amplification in Cape Breton fiddling, exploring its relationship to material culture, globalization, and aesthetics of place. Amplified performances create a high-volume, live aesthetic closely associated with local dance halls that differs significantly from acoustic performances. While the technology used in amplifying Cape Breton fiddles is standardized, it is subject to debate among musicians. These critiques pertain to discussions of technology that are part of longstanding discourses of modernism and romanticism. As such, this technoscape shapes the sound of Cape Breton as a place, through the consumption, negotiation, and production of global flows.
This article will discuss the concept of musical ownership and copyright in the Cape Breton fiddl... more This article will discuss the concept of musical ownership and copyright in the Cape Breton fiddling tradition. Intellectual property rights have become an increasingly important issue in recent years and represent an intersection between the commercial music industry and vernacular tradition. As such, the way boundaries are constructed in regard to repertoire and ownership is subject to debate. On one hand, some discourses favor the rights of the individual, arguing that intellectual property should be protected, acknowledged and subject to financial compensation. Other perspectives favor the rights and needs of the community, valuing free exchange.
A relatively recent addition to the tradition, the guitar has become an integral part of the Cape... more A relatively recent addition to the tradition, the guitar has become an integral part of the Cape Breton fiddling tradition, often providing violin accompaniment alongside the piano in a trio setting. Despite its acceptance into the tradition, the guitar generally occupies a position that is subservient to the piano and fiddle, and has been largely neglected from scholarly study. This paper will explore the role of the guitar in the Cape Breton fiddling tradition, offering a preliminary analysis on style, as well as its socio-cultural significance within Cape Breton traditional music.
In December 2011, there was speculation that the Cape Breton Gaelic College of Arts and Crafts wo... more In December 2011, there was speculation that the Cape Breton Gaelic College of Arts and Crafts would remove Highland dance and military-style Highland piping, sanctioning more “authentically” Gaelic traditions such as “traditional” piping and step dance. While some supported the idea of distancing the institution’s connection to romanticized notions of Scottish culture, others argued that these “invented traditions” warranted preservation in their own right. This case study investigates the discourses and cultural processes that define the “legitimacy” of tradition. The heated debate that ensued underscores the contested nature of Cape Breton traditional music, and tradition as a whole.
In many traditional musics, there can be tensions between tradition and commercialization, and id... more In many traditional musics, there can be tensions between tradition and commercialization, and ideas of preservation and innovation are often polarized. While traditionalism is highly valued among Cape Breton fiddlers today, commercialization and experimentation are also prominent in today’s scene. Such progressiveness can be seen in terms of composition, musical arrangements, repertoire, instrumentation, and other aspects of performance practice. Historically, Cape Breton fiddling is a duo tradition of fiddle and piano, with a fiddler essentially functioning as a band leader. Interestingly, a considerable amount of whether a performance is considered traditional has to do with accompaniment. This affects power relations between fiddlers and their accompanists; while fiddlers are often seen as occupying the top of the musical hierarchy, accompanists contextualize the fiddler, having the power to make a performance either traditional and conservative or unorthodox and experimental. Perhaps the most significant aspect to this discussion of traditionalism is the role of agency. Musicians are not passive products of their cultural environments, but rather, shape their style based on their own personal tastes and values. If an individual is an ardent traditionalist, this is as much a conscious decision as becoming a modern innovator. Both possibilities have extra-musical associations. Traditionalists may be regarded as either respectful preservers or as being conservative to a fault; modern musicians may be considered cutting edge or conversely, might be critiqued for ignoring their roots. These categories are neither absolute nor mutually exclusive; players can exist in both musical paradigms, having at times conflicting, traditionalist and innovative musical personas that change according to performance contexts. Negotiating when to engage in which style of music-making can be important, as deliberately subverting established conventions while performing for a dance may be deemed inappropriate, but may be considered a refreshing change as part of a music festival performance.
This paper will discuss the concept of musical ownership and copyright in the Cape Breton fiddlin... more This paper will discuss the concept of musical ownership and copyright in the Cape Breton fiddling tradition. Intellectual property rights have become an increasingly important issue in recent years and represent an intersection between the commercial music industry and vernacular tradition. As such, the way boundaries are constructed in regard to repertoire and ownership is subject to debate. On one hand, some discourses favour the rights of the individual, arguing that intellectual property should be protected, acknowledged and subject to financial compensation. Other perspectives favour the rights and needs of the community, valuing free exchange.
This paper will discuss the relationship between Cape Breton fiddling and tourism, by examining t... more This paper will discuss the relationship between Cape Breton fiddling and tourism, by examining the roles tourism promotions and tourist consumption play in the occupational folklife of these musicians. Tourism advertising frames Cape Breton traditional musicians as icons of Nova Scotian identity, positioning them as cultural commodities to be consumed by tourists. As such, these musicians have limited control in how they are represented in advertising, or how they may be subsequently interpreted by the public. While musicians benefit financially from receiving such prominent attention, tourism promotions can also rely on dated, romanticized ideals and stereotypes. On the other hand, in local performances, musicians have almost total control over how the tradition, and they, themselves are portrayed. These gigs are not as lucrative as performances on an international scale, but are quite frequent, and are intimately tied to the social, cultural, and working lives of musicians. In this way, Cape Breton traditional musicians find themselves positioned between local vernacular tradition and a globalized mediascape. This process between musicians, tourists and advertisers creates a complex and fluid system of power relations; for musicians, these relations are not static, and part of an ongoing negotiation of representation, economics and identity.
Nova Scotian tourism relies on anti-modern discourse, scenery, and its cultural history to attrac... more Nova Scotian tourism relies on anti-modern discourse, scenery, and its cultural history to attract tourists. Ian McKay demonstrated that this romanticized, Scottish, anti-modern identity was consciously constructed by the provincial government in the first half of the twentieth century. This paper updates and expands on McKay’s work by analyzing contemporary tourism materials produced by the provincial government. I will demonstrate that while current tourism marketing does still rely on representations of anti-modernism and Scottishness, they are also used in conjunction with notions of modernism, urbanness and non-Scottish ethnicity.
Ph.D. Thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland -- Forthcoming
Originating from the music of early Gaelic immigrants, Cape Breton fiddling has been a thriving m... more Originating from the music of early Gaelic immigrants, Cape Breton fiddling has been a thriving musical tradition for more than two hundred years. It eventually rose to prominence in the 1990s, receiving international recognition in the music industry. As the “Celtic boom” faded and major record labels lost interest in the tradition commercially, Cape Breton traditional musicians continued to maintain a presence in the music industry, though their careers now enjoy more modest success. All the while, Cape Breton fiddling has remained a healthy, vibrant tradition on the local level, where even the most commercially successful musicians have remained closely tied to their roots.
This thesis examines how Cape Breton traditional musicians negotiate and express their musical identities in professional and vernacular contexts. As both professional musicians and tradition bearers, they are fixtures in popular culture, as well as the local music scene, placing them at an intersection between global and local culture. While seemingly fairly homogenous, Cape Breton fiddling is rich and varied tradition, and musicians relate to it in myriad ways. This plurality and intersubjectivity of what is considered to be “legitimate” culture is evident as the boundaries of tradition are drawn and change according to context. Musicians engage with, and critically evaluate cultural discourses surrounding the tradition which are influenced by power, cultural capital, social group, ethnicity, and region.
These discourses and representations of the tradition are sometimes upheld or even celebrated, while at other times, they may be challenged or subverted. One’s musical identity is not necessarily expressed verbally, but is performed and demonstrated musically. Repertoire and musical arrangements can be profoundly meaningful, representing a musician’s cultural values. The decisions of how to frame oneself within the tradition influences how musicians relate to each other socially and professionally, potentially having profound effects on issues such as intellectual property rights. In addition, audio technology plays a significant role in how the tradition is presented, understood, and experienced. Commercial recordings embrace socially constructed notions of “liveness,” while live performances rely on amplification practices that connect musicians to global popular culture while simultaneously upholding local musical aesthetics.
Eighth International Small Islands Culture Conference Refereed Proceedings , 2013
While traditionalism is highly valued among Cape Breton fiddlers today, commercialisation and
e... more While traditionalism is highly valued among Cape Breton fiddlers today, commercialisation and
experimentation are also prominent in today’s scene. Innovation or traditionalism can be seen in terms of
repertoire, musical arrangements, and accompaniment. Musicians are not passive products of their cultural
environments, but rather shape their style based on their own personal tastes and values. If an individual is
an ardent traditionalist, this is as much a conscious decision as becoming a modern innovator. These
categories are neither absolute nor mutually exclusive; players can exist in both musical paradigms, having
at times conflicting traditionalist and innovative musical personas that change according to performance
contexts. Negotiating when to engage in which style of music-making can be important, since subverting
established conventions while performing in some contexts may be inappropriate, but acceptable in others.
This can be particularly relevant with respect to accompaniment, as accompanists contextualise the fiddler,
often having the power to make a performance either traditional and conservative or unorthodox and
experimental.
This article is a case study of amplification in Cape Breton fiddling, exploring its relationship... more This article is a case study of amplification in Cape Breton fiddling, exploring its relationship to material culture, globalization, and aesthetics of place. Amplified performances create a high-volume, live aesthetic closely associated with local dance halls that differs significantly from acoustic performances. While the technology used in amplifying Cape Breton fiddles is standardized, it is subject to debate among musicians. These critiques pertain to discussions of technology that are part of longstanding discourses of modernism and romanticism. As such, this technoscape shapes the sound of Cape Breton as a place, through the consumption, negotiation, and production of global flows.
This article will discuss the concept of musical ownership and copyright in the Cape Breton fiddl... more This article will discuss the concept of musical ownership and copyright in the Cape Breton fiddling tradition. Intellectual property rights have become an increasingly important issue in recent years and represent an intersection between the commercial music industry and vernacular tradition. As such, the way boundaries are constructed in regard to repertoire and ownership is subject to debate. On one hand, some discourses favor the rights of the individual, arguing that intellectual property should be protected, acknowledged and subject to financial compensation. Other perspectives favor the rights and needs of the community, valuing free exchange.
A relatively recent addition to the tradition, the guitar has become an integral part of the Cape... more A relatively recent addition to the tradition, the guitar has become an integral part of the Cape Breton fiddling tradition, often providing violin accompaniment alongside the piano in a trio setting. Despite its acceptance into the tradition, the guitar generally occupies a position that is subservient to the piano and fiddle, and has been largely neglected from scholarly study. This paper will explore the role of the guitar in the Cape Breton fiddling tradition, offering a preliminary analysis on style, as well as its socio-cultural significance within Cape Breton traditional music.
In December 2011, there was speculation that the Cape Breton Gaelic College of Arts and Crafts wo... more In December 2011, there was speculation that the Cape Breton Gaelic College of Arts and Crafts would remove Highland dance and military-style Highland piping, sanctioning more “authentically” Gaelic traditions such as “traditional” piping and step dance. While some supported the idea of distancing the institution’s connection to romanticized notions of Scottish culture, others argued that these “invented traditions” warranted preservation in their own right. This case study investigates the discourses and cultural processes that define the “legitimacy” of tradition. The heated debate that ensued underscores the contested nature of Cape Breton traditional music, and tradition as a whole.
In many traditional musics, there can be tensions between tradition and commercialization, and id... more In many traditional musics, there can be tensions between tradition and commercialization, and ideas of preservation and innovation are often polarized. While traditionalism is highly valued among Cape Breton fiddlers today, commercialization and experimentation are also prominent in today’s scene. Such progressiveness can be seen in terms of composition, musical arrangements, repertoire, instrumentation, and other aspects of performance practice. Historically, Cape Breton fiddling is a duo tradition of fiddle and piano, with a fiddler essentially functioning as a band leader. Interestingly, a considerable amount of whether a performance is considered traditional has to do with accompaniment. This affects power relations between fiddlers and their accompanists; while fiddlers are often seen as occupying the top of the musical hierarchy, accompanists contextualize the fiddler, having the power to make a performance either traditional and conservative or unorthodox and experimental. Perhaps the most significant aspect to this discussion of traditionalism is the role of agency. Musicians are not passive products of their cultural environments, but rather, shape their style based on their own personal tastes and values. If an individual is an ardent traditionalist, this is as much a conscious decision as becoming a modern innovator. Both possibilities have extra-musical associations. Traditionalists may be regarded as either respectful preservers or as being conservative to a fault; modern musicians may be considered cutting edge or conversely, might be critiqued for ignoring their roots. These categories are neither absolute nor mutually exclusive; players can exist in both musical paradigms, having at times conflicting, traditionalist and innovative musical personas that change according to performance contexts. Negotiating when to engage in which style of music-making can be important, as deliberately subverting established conventions while performing for a dance may be deemed inappropriate, but may be considered a refreshing change as part of a music festival performance.
This paper will discuss the concept of musical ownership and copyright in the Cape Breton fiddlin... more This paper will discuss the concept of musical ownership and copyright in the Cape Breton fiddling tradition. Intellectual property rights have become an increasingly important issue in recent years and represent an intersection between the commercial music industry and vernacular tradition. As such, the way boundaries are constructed in regard to repertoire and ownership is subject to debate. On one hand, some discourses favour the rights of the individual, arguing that intellectual property should be protected, acknowledged and subject to financial compensation. Other perspectives favour the rights and needs of the community, valuing free exchange.
This paper will discuss the relationship between Cape Breton fiddling and tourism, by examining t... more This paper will discuss the relationship between Cape Breton fiddling and tourism, by examining the roles tourism promotions and tourist consumption play in the occupational folklife of these musicians. Tourism advertising frames Cape Breton traditional musicians as icons of Nova Scotian identity, positioning them as cultural commodities to be consumed by tourists. As such, these musicians have limited control in how they are represented in advertising, or how they may be subsequently interpreted by the public. While musicians benefit financially from receiving such prominent attention, tourism promotions can also rely on dated, romanticized ideals and stereotypes. On the other hand, in local performances, musicians have almost total control over how the tradition, and they, themselves are portrayed. These gigs are not as lucrative as performances on an international scale, but are quite frequent, and are intimately tied to the social, cultural, and working lives of musicians. In this way, Cape Breton traditional musicians find themselves positioned between local vernacular tradition and a globalized mediascape. This process between musicians, tourists and advertisers creates a complex and fluid system of power relations; for musicians, these relations are not static, and part of an ongoing negotiation of representation, economics and identity.
Nova Scotian tourism relies on anti-modern discourse, scenery, and its cultural history to attrac... more Nova Scotian tourism relies on anti-modern discourse, scenery, and its cultural history to attract tourists. Ian McKay demonstrated that this romanticized, Scottish, anti-modern identity was consciously constructed by the provincial government in the first half of the twentieth century. This paper updates and expands on McKay’s work by analyzing contemporary tourism materials produced by the provincial government. I will demonstrate that while current tourism marketing does still rely on representations of anti-modernism and Scottishness, they are also used in conjunction with notions of modernism, urbanness and non-Scottish ethnicity.
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Papers by Ian A Hayes
This thesis examines how Cape Breton traditional musicians negotiate and express their musical identities in professional and vernacular contexts. As both professional musicians and tradition bearers, they are fixtures in popular culture, as well as the local music scene, placing them at an intersection between global and local culture. While seemingly fairly homogenous, Cape Breton fiddling is rich and varied tradition, and musicians relate to it in myriad ways. This plurality and intersubjectivity of what is considered to be “legitimate” culture is evident as the boundaries of tradition are drawn and change according to context. Musicians engage with, and critically evaluate cultural discourses surrounding the tradition which are influenced by power, cultural capital, social group, ethnicity, and region.
These discourses and representations of the tradition are sometimes upheld or even celebrated, while at other times, they may be challenged or subverted. One’s musical identity is not necessarily expressed verbally, but is performed and demonstrated musically. Repertoire and musical arrangements can be profoundly meaningful, representing a musician’s cultural values. The decisions of how to frame oneself within the tradition influences how musicians relate to each other socially and professionally, potentially having profound effects on issues such as intellectual property rights. In addition, audio technology plays a significant role in how the tradition is presented, understood, and experienced. Commercial recordings embrace socially constructed notions of “liveness,” while live performances rely on amplification practices that connect musicians to global popular culture while simultaneously upholding local musical aesthetics.
experimentation are also prominent in today’s scene. Innovation or traditionalism can be seen in terms of
repertoire, musical arrangements, and accompaniment. Musicians are not passive products of their cultural
environments, but rather shape their style based on their own personal tastes and values. If an individual is
an ardent traditionalist, this is as much a conscious decision as becoming a modern innovator. These
categories are neither absolute nor mutually exclusive; players can exist in both musical paradigms, having
at times conflicting traditionalist and innovative musical personas that change according to performance
contexts. Negotiating when to engage in which style of music-making can be important, since subverting
established conventions while performing in some contexts may be inappropriate, but acceptable in others.
This can be particularly relevant with respect to accompaniment, as accompanists contextualise the fiddler,
often having the power to make a performance either traditional and conservative or unorthodox and
experimental.
Conference Presentations by Ian A Hayes
This thesis examines how Cape Breton traditional musicians negotiate and express their musical identities in professional and vernacular contexts. As both professional musicians and tradition bearers, they are fixtures in popular culture, as well as the local music scene, placing them at an intersection between global and local culture. While seemingly fairly homogenous, Cape Breton fiddling is rich and varied tradition, and musicians relate to it in myriad ways. This plurality and intersubjectivity of what is considered to be “legitimate” culture is evident as the boundaries of tradition are drawn and change according to context. Musicians engage with, and critically evaluate cultural discourses surrounding the tradition which are influenced by power, cultural capital, social group, ethnicity, and region.
These discourses and representations of the tradition are sometimes upheld or even celebrated, while at other times, they may be challenged or subverted. One’s musical identity is not necessarily expressed verbally, but is performed and demonstrated musically. Repertoire and musical arrangements can be profoundly meaningful, representing a musician’s cultural values. The decisions of how to frame oneself within the tradition influences how musicians relate to each other socially and professionally, potentially having profound effects on issues such as intellectual property rights. In addition, audio technology plays a significant role in how the tradition is presented, understood, and experienced. Commercial recordings embrace socially constructed notions of “liveness,” while live performances rely on amplification practices that connect musicians to global popular culture while simultaneously upholding local musical aesthetics.
experimentation are also prominent in today’s scene. Innovation or traditionalism can be seen in terms of
repertoire, musical arrangements, and accompaniment. Musicians are not passive products of their cultural
environments, but rather shape their style based on their own personal tastes and values. If an individual is
an ardent traditionalist, this is as much a conscious decision as becoming a modern innovator. These
categories are neither absolute nor mutually exclusive; players can exist in both musical paradigms, having
at times conflicting traditionalist and innovative musical personas that change according to performance
contexts. Negotiating when to engage in which style of music-making can be important, since subverting
established conventions while performing in some contexts may be inappropriate, but acceptable in others.
This can be particularly relevant with respect to accompaniment, as accompanists contextualise the fiddler,
often having the power to make a performance either traditional and conservative or unorthodox and
experimental.