It’s been very quiet on here for a while. Some of you may recall that the recordings and music I helped archive with Vision Gaspé-Percé Now was part of my PhD studies in ethnomusicology in Newfoundland at Memorial University. I’ve spent the last five years working full-time in Quebec’s non-profit heritage sector while trying to finish the formal academic part my PhD. Well the day has come to wrap up the PhD with the final oral defence before my examination committee.

If you would like to virtually attend my final presentation as part of my PhD defence tomorrow (Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 11:30 am), send me an email to gdp682@mun.ca and I will do my best to send you a link where you can watch from the comfort of home.

Although my PhD research took place mostly between 2015 and 2018, all of this really began back in 2009 and 2010 when Gaspesians in Montreal, Gaspé, Toronto, and the U.S. first started sharing their home recordings of their friends and neighbours with me to digitize, archive, and in many cases share online.

I want to thank my academic supervisors and advisors as well Vision Gaspé-Percé Now and its current and former staff and board members for all the years of wonderful collaboration and support. And my deepest gratitude to anyone who ever loaned me a tape, invited me in for a visit or a jam session, or sat on the other side of my microphone while I interviewed them. Getting to live in Gaspé and meet so many of you for this work was one of life’s greatest gifts.

I’m looking forward to returning to this work as a hobby in the years ahead. There’s still lots of great music to share. Thanks for sharing it with me.