Project URL: http://web.colby.edu/memorythroughsong/
Project Status: Completed
In the Spring 2017, the students of Colby’s MU493 (Sounds of Maine: Research Methods and Practice in Ethnomusicology) set out to learn about Maine’s Franco American music culture by interviewing members of Les Troubadours, an all-women’s Franco American choir based in Lewiston, Maine. As part of their research, the students made audio recordings and transcribed a number of songs performed by this group. We sought out repertoire that had not yet been notated, was less familiar, or that was a part of prosaic, everyday life, such as lullabies and children’s songs.
We hope that this website presents a vivid snapshot of some of the Franco songs as they are performed by members of Les Troubadours as well as a brief introduction to three members of this vibrant group, Aliette Couturier, Irene Mercier, and Jeannine Doucette.