Classical music
"There is no tradition of classical music in Greenland, but she gave her compatriots a taste for it". "She" is Ida Heinrich, the first opera singer in Greenland's history, who died in 2019. These words, spoken in tribute by conductor Per Rosing, sum up the situation of classical music in Greenland. With no tradition, the genre is reduced to a few names, of which Ida Heinrich, a huge local star, was undoubtedly the most illustrious. It's also impossible to miss Jonathan Petersen in Greenland. Author of the national anthem in 1916 - Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit ("Our country, which will become so old") - he is quite simply the country's most famous composer. Ironically, it is often foreign composers who have popularized Greenlandic themes in classical music. Such is the case of Denmark's Poul Rovsing Olsen and Britain's Adrian Vernon Fish. The latter, an explorer specializing in Greenland, offers a repertoire of some fifty works - including several symphonies - inspired by the country's landforms, icy landscapes and music.
For live classical music in Greenland, the Taseralik Cultural Centre is the place to be. This magnificent building opened in 2008 and is located in the eastern part of Sisimiut, on the shore of Lake Nalunnguarfik. Its 1,400sq. m. of space often plays host to theater groups and concerts ranging from classical to folk music. Taseralik also houses a café, cinema and conference room (250 seats). The venue is also a good option for an exhibition of contemporary Greenlandic art.
Inuit and traditional music
More than just an instrument, the qilaat is a symbol. Witness to the era before Danish colonization, this drum made from stretched sealskin is used in the "drum dances", the only truly indigenous music in Greenland. Once a tradition in decline, these dances have been enjoying a renaissance in recent years, as they are seen as a key element in establishing a national identity. While there are many purely vocal folk musics, there is no such thing as a purely instrumental Inuit tradition. All songs are accompanied by song or dance. Piseq is a particularly Greenlandic form of song. Performed to tell stories, play games and tease or charm others, it serves as a commentary on daily life. Technically, many songs use only a few real words, interspersed with repeated syllables. Sounds akin to animal cries or songs gave rise to veritable singing duels, with the congregation's haunting vocalizations sometimes reaching the point of trance. Originally a game, katajjaq has become one of the best-known musical forms. This throat singing is the result of a vocal duel between two women facing each other, and was originally used to peacefully defuse tensions within the group.
Traditionally, music and dance have had a social function among the Inuit of Greenland. Drumming and singing, for example, were used by the shaman(angakoq) to summon the spirits. The idea of listening to music simply for the sake of listening to it is a recent phenomenon in Greenlandic society, emerging with the import of foreign genres such as pop and folk. As tourism in Greenland grows, it's increasingly common to hear Inuit music at celebrations, during visits or on walks. Otherwise, a few traditional music groups are sometimes programmed at Katuaq, Nuuk's cultural center. Opened in 1997, this magnificent venue designed by Danish architect Schmidt Hammer Lassen offers visitors the chance to experience Greenlandic culture through exhibitions, concerts, theater, dance, cinema and many lectures. A must-see in the capital, with plenty of surprises in store. The Nuuk Nordic Culture Festival presents not only contemporary players in Greenlandic culture, but also traditional means of expression such as mask dances and magic drums. The event is held every two years, with the next event scheduled for October 2025.
The dance
Traditionally, dances were dedicated to the spiritual, such as the "drum dance" or the "mask dance" (Uaajeerneq). With his back bent and eyes raised, the dancer moved to the rhythm of a drum whose frame he struck with a stick, sometimes accompanied by the haunting vocalizations of the congregation to the point of trance. Sometimes the dancer wore a carved wooden mask or painted his face with soot, a wooden (or bone) stick in his mouth to further distort his facial expressions. Colors had precise symbolism: black for the unknown and magic, red for life, love and temperament, and white for purity and the ancestors. Some dances were intended to settle conflicts peacefully between two people. Beyond the social factor, this dance enabled children to familiarize themselves with the feeling of fear. This practice was gradually lost (especially in the west) with the arrival of the first missionaries, who associated the drum with the devil. In case of disobedience, the instruments were seized and burned. This dance became a form of underground resistance against the new authorities. Despite attempts at transmission, the practice rapidly disappeared, becoming a memory for many Greenlanders in the second half of the 20th century. A resurgence of this art form has appeared in the form of an artistic, even folkloric practice, particularly in view of the emergence of a tourism industry keen to discover these ancestral traditions. This cultural heritage is also promoted on important occasions, such as the national holiday on June 21. It can also be seen from time to time at the Greenland National Theatre in Nuuk. The venue, one of the most dynamic in the country, also hosts music (often jazz), more contemporary forms of dance, readings and theater, including performances by Silamiuk, the country's only professional company.
Popular music
With the exception of Inuit music, all Greenlandic aesthetics are influenced by foreign styles. Since the arrival of the Danes, Greenlanders have adopted new genres, such as the polka, adapted to the local sauce. This Greenlandic polka, known as kalatuut, has spawned many popular songs, as well as virtuosos such as accordion player Louis Andreasen. Although a foreign contribution, this Greenlandic polka has become absolutely traditional over time. There's also a musical style called vaigat, similar to country music, and even a kind of traditional Hawaiian music, embodied by Pele Møller. Hymns and choral-type religious songs are deeply rooted in Greenland, where a strong spirituality persists. For proof of this, all you have to do is go to mass on Sundays. If the easiest way to listen is to turn on the radio, a few places sporadically program live popular music, such as Kristine Mut. This bar, Nuuk's oldest, is a pure Greenland moment, with live music several times a week.
Greenlandic rock
The introduction of radio and rock'n'roll vinyl after the Second World War brought a variety of genres that inspired many local musicians. From then on, rock became the dominant aesthetic. In fact, the local scene is so strong that it is showcased every August at the Nipiaa Rock Festival in Aasiaat. The history of rock in Greenland goes back to 1973. In that year, ULO, now the country's biggest label, produced the band Sume's debut album. A huge success, since the album was bought by around 20% of the population! An icon of Greenlandic rock, Sume laid the foundations of the genre by singing in kalaallisut (and using protest lyrics) and traditional drumming. They paved the way for many other bands, including Siissisoq (heavy metal, number one in the charts for a long time), The Maxies, Qarsoq, Angu, Small Time Giants and the country's most popular band today: Nanook. To find out more about the genre and the local scene, it's always a good idea to visit the Atlantic Music label store. Located in Nuuk, you can buy records (and even instruments) and get good advice.
Pop, hip-hop, electro
In the 1980s, Greenland, like the rest of the world, became more permeable to American cultural influence. Hip-hop thus had a major influence on local production during this period. The genre even spawned a cult group in Greenland: Nuuk Posse. As the members all come from the Inuit community, it's not unusual to hear lyrics in Kalaallisut, the official language of Greenland. A good opportunity to appreciate its musicality. Nuuk Posse has paved the way for other rap groups such as Prussic, Peand-El and Tombola, whose lyrics are more provocative and anti-establishment than their predecessors. Buoyed by local labels such as Sermit, Ulo and Nuuk's Atlantic Music, Greenland's contemporary music scene is particularly strong. A pioneer of the genre, Rasmus Lyberth gave the country a folk scene and, with international success, introduced the rest of the world to local songwriting. Since then, the pop and folk scenes have continued to fill up, marked by the successes of Simon Lynge (the first Greenlander to play at Glastonbury), Julie Berthelsen (widely broadcast on TV and radio in Denmark) and Nive Nielsen (also an actress in English and American productions).
There's no better place than theArctic Sounds Festival to discover Greenland's young music scene. Every year in Sisimiut, the event celebrates music from the entire Arctic world (Nunavut, Northern Canada, etc.). Increasingly popular, the festival showcases the diversity of talent in the Far North through music and other art forms. Another increasingly popular event, the Akisuanerit Festival brings together a fine mix of Greenlandic artists, often with a Danish headliner or two as a bonus.
