Indigenous Artist

Born in Rouyn-Noranda Quebec, Roger is Ojibway from Pic River First Nation. He studied trumpet performance at Cambrian College with Peter Sherzinger in Sudbury, and at York University with James Spragg (Toronto Symphony Orchestra) and Philip Séguin (Windsor Symphony Orchestra) in Toronto. While at York, Roger received scholarships from the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. He was the president of the Aboriginal Student Association at York and established the first pow-wow at YorkU. In October 2015, he toured his home region of Abitibi-Temiscamingue, playing the Neruda trumpet concerto with l'Ensemble Aiguebelle. Also interested in the administrative side, he was the general manager of the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra in Toronto. He currently enjoys planning for his brass ensemble, freelance trumpet playing, and working on various projects with Indigenous artists by bringing together western music and traditional drumming and dancing. In 2019, he received grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Quebec Council for Arts and Letters.

INDIGENOUS ANCESTRY

First Nations

SELF-IDENTIFICATION

Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation