Call for Managing Director

The Coalition for Music Education invites applications for the position of Managing Director.  This is a contract position, 35 hours per week.  

Now in its twenty-fifth year, the Coalition is a vibrant national organization that is committed to raising awareness for and understanding of the role that music education plays in Canadian culture, and to promote the benefits that music education brings to young people.   The Coalition envisions Canada as a country where the lives of all children are enriched by quality school music programs, and where their active participation in music is valued and supported in our communities.  This is achieved through a range of programs and projects that are designed to advocate for music education for all students in all schools across Canada.  Foremost among these programs are Music Monday, our signature program held the first Monday in May each year, and Youth4Music, a program that provides a platform for the voices of youth to be heard as they play an important role in policy decisions.

Candidates for Managing Director will be dynamic leaders with strong administration credentials and deep experience working in a team environment.  They will have a track record of promoting and sustaining excellence, a creative mindset, and a deep commitment to music education.  The Managing Director will possess leadership skills and administrative experience to advance the mission and vision of the Coalition on all fronts, while honoring the deep traditions and values that are so important to the music education community and the country.  The Managing Director will have an open and transparent leadership style, exceptional interpersonal skills, and an abiding respect for the principles of collaborative decision making and governance.  They will be deeply committed to and passionate about the Coalition for Music Education, and will have the skills and desire to connect at every level of the music education community, and to forge meaningful partnerships that will benefit both the Coalition and the broader community.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.  However, this position is based in the Greater Toronto Area where the national office is located.   It should also be noted that preference will be given to those who are fluent in French and English, although not a requirement.  The roles and responsibilities are attached.  Salary is to be negotiated.

The deadline for applications is November 15, 2017, with final selection and official notification taking place by November 30, 2017.  The contract will officially begin January 1, 2018.  Applications should be submitted, in confidence, to Dr. Eric Favaro, Chair of the Board of Directors, at managingdirector@musicmakesus.ca.  

Welcome, Helen!

We are pleased to introduce one of our newest Coalition Board Members, Helen Coker. Assuming her position as Canadian Music Educators’ Association President this past summer, we are thrilled to have Helen’s wisdom, insightfulness, and dedication at the Coalition table. We look forward to her passion as we engage with the many exciting projects and initiatives on our horizon. Click here to read Helen’s bio.

Playing Music = Happy Brain

The benefits of music reach far beyond the notes we sound. In fact, new research suggests that playing a musical instrument has shown an “increase resilience to any age-related decline in hearing” (John Rampton, Entrepreneur and Investor). Click here to read more about this fascinating truth.

TedEd has also released a short video created by Anita Collins on why playing music benefits your brain. Click here to watch.

NUFSICISUM Winner - Benjamin Hill

“They knew me because of the music I do” says Benjamin Hill, 2017 NUFSICSIUM winner from Northern Alberta. A passion for music, he discusses a commitment to music and how he couldn’t imagine doing anything else with his spare time, “It’s a fire in me that keeps going.” 

Benjamin currently attends Holy Family School in Grimsby, Alberta where the school is populated by about 100 children and youth. Benjamin participates in a choir, which he has enjoyed over the past three years. He accompanies the choir on the piano and likes the musical diversity within the ensemble. Beyond piano, Benjamin also plays the guitar. He spoke excitedly about attending a guitar camp in Northern Alberta this past summer. Due to the size of the school, Benjamin looks to opportunities after school to fulfill his musical needs. He is enrolled in both guitar and piano lessons privately, and once upon a time added trumpet to that list of instruments. However, the school band program hasn’t been able to maintain the amount of students required for a school band to function, so Benjamin has turned his focus to other musical opportunities. Benjamin has already thought of ways around this issue. He says music is something you can do forever at any age, and is an important element to a youth’s development. Benjamin believes that accessibility to music in schools shouldn’t be a factor for students who want to enjoy music, and possible solutions to a school with limited students in the grades necessary for school band could easily be solved. A couple of suggestions include hosting an after school band ensemble, or busing students to nearby schools for a combined band program. After all, “after school sports is a thing, isn’t it?” Indeed!

Benjamin also loves to perform. His school choir attends the North Peace Performing Arts Festival where Benjamin, along with his choir have the opportunity to proudly display the fruits of their labour and how much they all love to ‘music’. He hopes to have the opportunity to perform more since he believes this will enhance his music career. Benjamin has a passion for sacred music and is currently the accompanist during his school’s masses. He hopes to become a sacred musician and composer following high school. “I could have quite (music) at anytime - you’re by yourself (as a pianist), but I didn’t because music is my passion.”

Choral Music in Canada

Earlier this year, Choral Canada released the results of a nation-wide survey on the presence of choral music in Canada. The results are fascinating! Recently, the results have been compared and contrasted to the nation’s participation in our national sport; hockey. Click here to read more about how both mediums draw sensible similarities, while singing in a choir brings elements only music can provide.

OMEA Presentation

The Youth4Music Program is traveling to the Ontario Music Educators’ Association Interlude 2017 conference in Deerhurst, ON! Our Youth4Music Ambassadors will host an information booth on the Youth4Music Program, as well as an interactive workshop on their Manifesto, ‘learning, creating, making and valuing music in Canada’. For information on our Manifesto and a preview of what we are excited to discuss, click here.

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, Youth4Music and Music Monday.