Mike Ford (one-fourth of Canadian pop group Moxy Früvous) captivates students with his sheer enthusiasm and encyclopaedic knowledge of Canada’s history. Mike’s lively and interactive manner engages his audience to reflect upon Canada’s historical landscape while listening to shanties, ballads, marches, satirical verse and protest songs. Mike uses these musical conventions and styles to illustrate the dynamic events, political climate and personalities identified by the Canadian studies curriculum.

It might be a province-by-province folk music tour, a celebration of First Nations’ experience and the early explorers, a musical chronicle of the lives of settlers, voyageurs and rebels, an exploration of Confederation and the Northwest Rebellions, or a break-neck tour through Canada’s explosive 20th century. For every theme, event or landscape, there is a song!

The Great Canadian Songbook - en Français! is a lively and interactive performance that encourages student participation. The performance is divided in two thematic halves. The first is a journey through themes of history and settlement in 17th, 18th and 19th century Canada using traditional folk songs like C’est l’Aviron, Mon cano and un Canadien Érrant. The second half of the performance is a celebration of music as a doorway into the French language. Mike shows how songs have introduced him to new words, concepts, passions and indeed a fuller understanding of Canada’s history. The show ends with few of Mike’s own French songs, with some explanation on how and why he wrote them.