Nicolas Fortin is an adjunct French instructor at IU Southeast who is giving back to the New Albany and Louisville community through his passion for music and his love for the French language and Francophone culture.
Fortin is from Québec Canada and was raised in a small area in Lac-Saint-Jean, Montréal for the first 21 years of his life. Lac-Saint-Jean is where he first discovered the violin which would play a big role in his life and lead him to IU Southeast and Louisville, Ky.
“When I was very young music chose me,” Fortin said. “I have played violin since I was 7 years old, and I knew I would do it all my life but I have also always been very interested in language and I love French. If I had to do something other than music I would love to be teaching French as a second language. Strangely it occurred in my life and I am so excited and so happy about it.”
Fortin went to school at McGill University in Montréal which is where he received his masters in music and studied Baroque. In his graduate year he met a Louisvillian who was planning to start an ensemble in Louisville. Fortin decided to go with him and help begin this music project.
“I founded an ensemble in Louisville called Bourbon Baroque,” Fortin said. “This music tradition has been lost in time, and this ensemble is trying to retrieve that which has been lost. Baroque music is there to entertain and move people with rhetoric tools. It is not romantic music where the musician is talking to himself about his feelings, and if you don’t understand my feelings I don’t care because they are mine. Baroque music is there to say I don’t care about myself. I will use these music tools to move you. It is nothing about me it is about you.“
When Fortin moved here he wanted to not only bring back a music which could inspire people, he wanted to inspire people to love the French language as much as he did.
“I asked myself, what can I do to help the local community? I thought teaching French would be a nice idea,” Fortin said. “It is always difficult to learn a new language because we step out of our comfort zones.
“Dr. Pooser wanted me to teach beginners French because then students could encounter a Francophone as soon as possible. This way, students won’t think I will learn French ,and maybe one day speak with a Francophone, and meet one if I dare to go in France or in a Francophone country. The first day of class they meet and speak with one.”
“I am so happy that Dr. Pooser agreed to have me teach. I am really happy that I got a chance to work for IU Southeast. Dr. Pooser is a great person and I am learning so much from him.” Fortin said.
Fortin said although French is his first language in Canada they begin to learn English as a second at a fairly young age.
“Being that I am Canadian and from Québec the official language is French.Since grade four, we had to take English as a second language,” Fortin said. “The school process is different in Canada than it is here. We have six years of elementary school, followed by five years of high school, followed by two years of pre-university programs.”
Fortin said he is very grateful to be teaching at IUS and he loves the difference in culture here in the Kentuckiana area.
“There are a lot of differences, but there is good stuff everywhere. It is a very different culture here, but very fascinating. People are very friendly here and very interested in others,” Fortin said. “Of course with my French accent people are always curious as to where I am from. I met so many great people in this area.”
“This is the United States but it is not. People all speak English here, but every state has different culture and different dialect and it is very beautiful and people in this country are beautiful,” Fortin said.
Canadian federal elections were held last Tuesday and Fortin sent his vote card to Canada. He said that he is very excited about the election taking place in his country and also offered his point of view on American democracy.
“I believe Americans need to take the responsibility, like I don’t like this therefore, I will do something about it to stop it.” Fortin said. “Voting is not a right it is a privilege, and it is a duty It is something you must do as citizens. It is why I cast my vote in Canada. “
Fortin said he believes that many Americans have taken their democracy for granted and although some in his country, and throughout the world, criticize America he believes no place is perfect.
“Everybody is like talking about Americanization of the world, but I’m just like it is normal in the world we are living in,” Fortin said. “A lot of people ask me why I live in the states, and I tell them I believe this country is great place to live in and there are great people everywhere you go in the world. There are also idiots everywhere you go in the world. It’s not like; oh this country holds more idiots than that one.”
By ERICA SELLERS
Staff Writer
emseller@ius.edu
