The News is In!
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An incredible day celebrating the musical passion of all people living in Canada, and we couldn’t have done it without you! The success of this year’s Music Monday events are certainly something worth celebrating. We had over 800 schools and groups sign up through the Music Monday website - we know more celebrate than sign up though! Stretching across the whole country, almost 3,000 viewers tuned into the National Showcase concert to sing the Music Monday anthem, ‘We Are One’. Our hashtag, #MMC2C trended as #7 in Canada on Twitter representing the power of the message ‘Music Monday Coast To Coast’. Hundreds of thousands celebrated throughout the country in events held at Parliament buildings and Legislatures, in city centres and performance venues, in rural and urban school events focusing on student performance. Whether it was through social media, video, or at community celebrations, we all felt the power of music on May 2nd, uniting us as a country and showing the importance of music in our lives. THANK YOU!
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Why Do You Music Monday?
Does Music Monday bring about any changes in your school or community? Why do you participate? How does it make a difference for your students? Do you use your celebrations to advocate for music education? We would like to know. Email us a brief paragraph or ask to set up an interview with our Executive Director, Holly Nimmons. As the voice for music education in Canada, we want to reflect your stories and the power of music celebration.
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Fill our the Music Monday Survey and Win!
We are asking all Music Monday participants between the ages of 7 - 30 of Music Monday to fill out a short online survey. Fill out the survey before June 20th for your chance to win! See our website for more details and the survey links.
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Annnnnd the 2016 Music Monday Winners Are ...
Thank you to all who signed up their Music Monday event on www.musicmonday.ca this year! We are pleased to announce this year’s winners of our Music Monday registration prizes!
Yamaha Canada Music Ltd.: $1,000 Yamaha Music Miles
Captain John Palliser Elementary, Calgary, AB
Long & McQuade: 6 Denver DUKE Soprano ukuleles
College Jeanne-Sauvé, Winnipeg, MB
Garthwood Park Public School, Mississauga, ON
McDougall School, McDougall, ON
Springbank Middle School, Calgary, AB
Hillcrest Academy, Shelburn, NS
Cynthia K Music, Guelph, ON
D'Addario Canada: 3 custom band room packages
Nelson Mandela Public School, Brampton, ON
William Latter School, Chambly, QC
Anne Hathaway Public School, Stratford, ON
Oscar Peterson: 2 boxed sets of Oscar, With Love
École parkdale elementary, Wetaskwin, AB
Maple Grove Public School, ON
Thank you to the generosity of our sponsors who contributed to this year’s Music Monday.
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Music Monday Certificates
We want to recognize you as a changemaker and 2016 Music Monday participant! Certificates of participation are now available for students, teachers, and all who participated in celebrating the power of music in our lives. Please email info@musicmakesus.ca for more information.
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NUFSICISUM Profile - Shana Brown
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An annual initiative of the Youth4Music program, the NUFISCISUM Youth Leadership Award is presented to students who are making a difference in their schools. Over the next few months, we will highlight our 2016 NUFSICISUM winners and what makes them so great!
First up, Shana Brown from Dildo, NL. Shana attends Woodland Elementary School and is this year’s youngest NUFSICISUM winner, at the age of 10 years old.
She has an impressive list of musical knowledge and expertise for someone her age, as well as a passion for helping others to achieve their own happy place with music. Shana plays several musical instruments including piano, fiddle, flute, and two different kinds of accordions. She is inspired by her love of music and enjoys playing with others. Shana grew up in a musical household where she began music lessons at the age of 3 on the piano. It hasn’t taken her long to fall in love with all kinds of instruments! She believes that this has allowed her to become involved in something bigger than herself.
Her friends and teachers at Woodland Elementary School understand Shana’s passion first hand. Shana partakes in several musical classes at her school, including accordion class. That’s right, this is a class she has the opportunity to take in school! It may not be in the curriculum for all of Canada, but certainly upholds the rich musical culture of the East Coast. Shana explains how much she loves to play all kinds of accordions, including both the concertina accordion and button accordion. She will often lend her accordion to other students if they don’t have an instrument or have forgotten to bring theirs to class. Shana also helps to mentor students from the passion she has for music. She regularly volunteers during the lunchtime fiddle class. Having a high level of proficiency on the fiddle, Shana will help others with posture, bowing, and fingering, so they too can have as much fun and confidence as she feels when playing.
Fun is something that Shana believes goes hand in hand with playing music. She loves any kind of music you can dance to, which is what inspired her to volunteer her time at the ‘Fancy Kitchen Party’ in St. John’s in support of the Kids Eat Smart fundraiser food program. For those of you who aren’t up to date on East Coast traditions, kitchen parties received their name from Newfoundland outport towns where communities made their own fun. They would get together with food and music at the host’s house, and often gather in the kitchen where the wooden stove was, since this was the warmest room. Shana and her brother played a variety of instruments as they donated their time to this cause, making music and keeping everyone dancing.
Shana has also exercised her strong leadership skills by helping others learn and experience music. She is involved in a musical group comprising younger students and seniors. This brings generations of people together who are all learning on different levels, but working toward one common musical goal. Shana often helps musically novice seniors to read and play music, so they too may enjoy it as much as she does.
We’re proud to recognize Shana as a youth leader for her efforts in helping to support and include others, both young and old, in the power of music. We look forward to bringing you more about how she will continue to support those in her school and community, and be a voice for youth passionate about music.
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A Choral Masterpiece: Podium Conference 2016
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I attended 2016 Podium Choral Conference hosted by Choral Canada in Edmonton Alberta this month. An opera singer, I felt right at home among all the singing (and there was singing!), musical chatter, and choral community, as participants recharged, discovered, and enjoyed. You could say it was a crescendo of passion and commitment to choral music in Canada. The conference featured several field experts presenting intriguing discussions on topics such as contemporary choral music, current psychological research on the power of music, and women’s leadership in choral music. A charismatic and genuine keynote address from maestro Bramwell Tovey emphasized the importance of being authentic in the world of music, both on and off stage. Session speaker Scott Jones spoke of meeting life’s challenges following a brutal attack leaving him paralyzed from the waist down, with his session titled, ‘Choral Therapy: How Choir Saved My Life’. Spectacular newly composed Canadian choral music performed by some of this country’s most talented and passionate choirs, including this year’s National Youth Choir led by conductor Michael Zaugg and apprentice conductor, as well as Youth4Music Ambassador, Kathleen Allan. How wonderful to experience many talented and enthusiastic members of the choral community from all across Canada together, singing and networking. Brava Choral Canada!
Ashley Boychuk
Program Coordinator
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Announcement: Youth4Music Symposium Montreal
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We are thrilled to announce our next Youth4Music Leadership Symposium in Montreal, Quebec on Saturday, October 1, 2016. Youth leaders will gather together as they raise their voices in support of music and its importance in their schools, communities and lives. This exciting day will include roundtable discussions, live musical performances, passionate speakers, a jam session, and more. An event led by youth for youth, plans for exchange of ideas and wisdom to inspire actions for change. Do you know a youth leader committed to making a difference through music? Contact Program Coordinator Ashley by email (info@musicmakesus.ca) or phone (416-298-2871) for more information, or sign up to become a youth ambassador by clicking here.
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A Manifesto announcement was made on Music Monday during the National Showcase, where professional musicians stood with these youth to support their four point plan. This marked the beginning of conversations, actions, and a development for change. This youth led plan focuses on strengthening this nation’s commitment to music for all youth across Canada. Curious? Passionate? Join us!
Take a look at the manifesto on our website. Become a part of this action for change in music education for today and future of generations of youth living in Canada by signing up for our Youth4Music network. Become a Youth Ambassador in your community!. We are stronger together! We look forward to providing updates on the next steps of this action plan in the months to come.
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This year marks the centenary of women’s right to vote in Canada, starting in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1916. The Coalition celebrates with our new initiative intended to show how music can be used as an expression of social justice. WEM celebrates the pathways to equality by honouring women over the past 100 years who were empowered by, or who empowered others through music. Its objectives are to link young people with their Canadian heritage of women’s suffrage, social justice, leadership and civic engagement. We will be partnering on several events and opportunities throughout 2016-2017.
Do you have stories about women who were empowered by, or who empowered others through music in your family, school or community? The Coalition is looking for your help to showcase the powerful stories, music and journeys of these women. For more information, visit our website, www.musicmakesus.ca/womensempowerment.
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Thank you • Merci • Miigwech • kinana'skomitina'wa'w
We are able to do all of this awesome work because of the support from many groups. For a full listing of this support go to Coalition and Music Monday.
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