A growing number of students and staff members couldn鈥檛 imagine their daily routines without the soundtrack provided by the vibrant music program at John Arnalukjuak High School (JAHS) in Arviat.

With a number of precautions in place to ensure student safety from Covid-19, JAHS is continuing on with its program led by music teacher Curtis Metcalf.

It features a school orchestra, a six-person performance-guitar group and a basic introductory course to guitar learning.

There are no less than 55 students enrolled in the basic guitar program alone. However, 25 of those students are studying without actually playing due to a shortage of instrument inventory at JAHS during the Covid pandemic.

Principal Don Peters said music and drama are major components of promoting attendance at JAHS.

He said as a principal he feels quite fortunate to have such talented and dedicated instructors as Metcalf (music) and Gord Billard (drama) heading up the two programs.

鈥淲e鈥檙e happy to report that our student attendance at JAHS is more than 90 per cent this year,鈥� said Peters.

鈥淭hese are surreal times for most people right now. Promoting strong, positive activities for our students in a safe environment is paying dividends in a number of different ways, especially with the school being closed to parents this year.

鈥淢usic is really catching on here. We鈥檝e got kids from every class participating and everyone is following the guidelines for social distancing, etc.鈥�

The performance group of six guitarists play at a very high level, and the string-benders have already performed at the Elder鈥檚 Centre this past March.

Metcalf said the shortage of instruments is just one more challenge to be overcome during the ongoing pandemic.

He said the school is renting most of its band instruments from a company in Winnipeg, although it does have about 20 guitars of its own, as well as 15 keyboards.

鈥淥ur students can tend to be pretty shy and music, like drama, helps them express themselves more effectively,鈥� said Metcalf.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e up there playing the trombone, or whatever instrument, you can鈥檛 hide. You have to perform and that growing confidence level helps our students in other areas, as well, including their personal life.

鈥淥ne of our students鈥� biggest fears is public speaking and I always notice them cringe when they鈥檙e first told about public performance, yet, in the end, it can be so helpful in developing their self-confidence, especially when it comes to publicly voicing their opinions.

鈥�And, having smaller groups this year due to Covid may lead to more performances, which, in turn, may lead to students gaining more confidence as a result of having more opportunities to perform.鈥�

Billard said he鈥檚 been absolutely thrilled to learn the trombone in JAHS鈥檚 little school orchestra.

He said he loves the camaraderie he feels when he is among the other orchestra members.

鈥�On a personal level, I just find it all really cool 鈥� the feeling of accomplishment you get out of learning a piece of work, especially when it鈥檚 something arranged by your music teacher, such as Whale Cove Rock,鈥� said Billard.

鈥�I鈥檓 teamed up with a second trombonist, Grade 11 student Alex Angalik, and it鈥檚 really cool to be sitting next to a student and learning together.

鈥淚t adds a whole other level of atmosphere at the school, and it鈥檚 especially enjoyable to have music being done by students and teachers together.鈥�

Billard is turning his attention back to the JAHS Drama Club this week, as he and his young thespians begin work on their first presentation of the year.

鈥淲e鈥檝e talked about revisiting the Breakfast Club, so I plan to take their temperature on that and see where they stand with it.

鈥�I also want to introduce them to a one-act piece written by Lindsay Price (Theatrefolk) called Scenes From a Quarantine (a vignette play in one act).

鈥淲e had a lot of critical success, I guess you might say, with another of Price鈥檚 efforts a few years back called, The Bright Blue Mailbox Suicide Note.鈥�