Celebrations Extend across Canada and to Germany, UK, and Trinidad
TORONTO, May 4, 2015 /CNW/ - With music ranging from classical to hip hop, jazz to country, choral to throat singing, steelpan and drumline, Music Monday sent a strong message today for music education in schools. A signature program of The Coalition for Music Education in Canada, supported by TD Bank Group, Music Monday celebrated its 11th year with a live webcast connecting groups across Canada who joined in the annual synchronized performance of the Music Monday anthem, We Are One / Nous sommes unis. Montréal and Calgary took centre stage, with anthem composer, high school student Connor Ross leading the nation in the signature sing-a-long from Montreal. The nationwide event united approximately 600,000 Canadians in 1,250 events to help raise awareness of the importance of music education for young people. Congratulatory messages from the country's highest offices were also received from Prime Minister Stephen Harper; His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada; and The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage.
"We've seen Music Monday grow year to year, particularly among the youth, who are making their voices heard in support of music education," said Holly Nimmons, Executive Director, Coalition for Music Education. "We often hear about the apathy of younger generations; clearly, this does not extend to music, which sparks their passion and motivates them to become actively involved in a worthy cause."
"We're excited to be a part of Music Monday and help celebrate the love of music across the country – and beyond," said Chris Stamper, Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing, TD. "TD is a long standing supporter of access to music, including helping to spread the word on the importance of musical education for young people."
This year, Music Monday became even more personal with an invitation for participants to provide their own take on the Music Monday anthem by creating a video in any musical style or genre in a "We Are Creative" challenge (www.musicmonday.ca/wearecreative) that was even taken up by celebrities such as Amanda Martinez and Susan Aglukark. Students from E.C. Drury ASL created a spectacular video of their version of We Are One while in Toronto today Canadian composer Andrew Craig led a 160-voice choir comprised of students from St. Michael's Choir School and Havergal College and a 20-piece string ensemble of a special arrangement he created of this year's Music Monday anthem.
Montreal's celebration was hosted by Youth4Music's David Peretz-Larochelle, and featured the jazz stylings of the Alain Caron Quartet, classical music from the McGill Chamber Orchestra and Maestro Boris Brott, a drumline from St. Thomas High School, and hip-hop from Gerald McShane Elementary's The Lifeboat Project. Grammy Award-winning and two-time JUNO-nominated singer/songwriter Jennifer Gasoi led students from Harold Napper Elementary School with "Les Etoiles," and N'We Jinan Artists a collective of First Nations singers, rappers and musicians, featuring youth from Chisasibi, Quebec who performed their song "I Believe".
In Calgary, host Amy Metcalfe, a three-time ACMA (Association of Country Music In Alberta) nominee, led a program that included local favourites The Static Shift and Cowpuncher, and student music groups from Central Memorial High School, Cranston School, and the JazzYYC Youth Lab Band.
Community celebrations occurred as far north as Nunavut's Cambridge Bay, at Kullik Ilihakvik Elementary School where 240 participants attended an assembly that not only featured the anthem, but also dancing, throat singing, jigging (dancing), and live music in the school's hallways. At Hidden Valley School in Whitehorse, YT, the school enjoyed a campfire singalong with a special performance by its primary choir. Music Monday even extended its reach internationally with events at the Kämmer International Bilingual School in Hannover, Germany; Pegasus Academy Trust, Croydon, UK; and a steelpan ensemble at Maple Leaf International School, Trinidad.
ABOUT MUSIC MONDAY
Launched in 2005, Music Monday is the world's largest single event dedicated to raising awareness for music education. Each year, hundreds of thousands of students, educators, and music makers participate in a simultaneous nationwide concert performance of an original song written by a Canadian artist. In 2013, Music Monday extended its reach into space with I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) co-written by former Canadian Space Agency Astronaut and musician Chris Hadfield and Barenaked Ladies' Ed Robertson, and commissioned by CBCMusic.ca and The Coalition for Music Education. More info: www.musicmonday.ca.
ABOUT THE COALITION FOR MUSIC EDUCATION
Music Monday is an annual initiative of The Coalition for Music Education, an organization made up of parents, students, educators, and business people from varying walks of life who support school music programs and highlight the importance of music education for all young people in Canada. More info: www.musicmakesus.ca.
ABOUT TD COMMUNITY GIVING
TD Bank Group invests in communities in order to effect positive change in the places where it operates and where its clients and employees live and work. In 2014, TD donated more than $82million to community organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In Canada, TD focuses on education and financial literacy, creating opportunities for young people and the environment. For further information, please visit www.td.com/corporate-responsibility.
SOURCE Coalition for Music Education in Canada
Image with caption: "Canadians representing every region of the country emphasize the importance of music education during the 2015 Music Monday celebrations. (CNW Group/Coalition for Music Education in Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150504_C4272_PHOTO_EN_16048.jpg
National Media Contact: Victoria Lord, VLPR Inc., 416.484.9047, [email protected]
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