Greetings from the Managing Director

Welcome Back!!!

As you head back to class for a new school year it is my great pleasure to invite you to join the Coalition for Music Education in Canada as we head with much excitement into our 27th year! We have great plans for our signature programs, Youth4Music and Music Monday, and it is our hope that you will add your voice to advocate for your music education.

The Youth4Music program will continue to encourage leadership training in the form of projects and initiatives. Aimed at supporting youth to build a community network, equipped with relevant tools and provided with mentorship opportunities through music, the Youth4Music Project Plan will provide support and opportunities to affect real change in your community.

We are looking forward to our second year with our Music Monday Anthem, Oscar Peterson’s iconic Hymn To Freedom. Participation in Music Monday 2019 hit near record numbers and our goal to attain a brand-new participation record for Music Monday 2020 is within sight. Looking for a way to join the celebration? Encourage your teacher to register your class to take part. Or organize a student group to plan a student led celebration in your school community.  Online pre-registration for Music Monday 2020 will provide access to new resources, videos and arrangements, as well as last year’s resources and will be open in late October. 

For updates on all the exciting developments and announcements over the coming months, make sure you are signed up to receive this monthly newsletter, follow us on our social media channels with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and don’t forget to check out our website www.coalitioncanada.ca

Youth4Music News

Thank you, Sylvie!

Please join us in bidding adieu to Sylvie Stojanovski, our fabulous Summer Intern! We’ve so enjoyed having Sylvie on our team, and we wish her all the very best as she begins her fourth year at the University of Toronto Scarborough in the Arts Management program. This year Sylvie will be ARTSIDEOUT’s Director of Community Relations and Development, in addition to attending classes and doing her own art projects. A big thank you to Sylvie for all of the energy and creativity she put into her work with the Coalition! Check out Sylvie’s Musical Musings to learn more about her experience as the Youth4Music Summer Intern.

Meet the NUFSICISUM Winners: Malena Lorenson

2019 saw a record number of nominations (59!) for the Coalition’s annual NUFSICISUM Youth Leadership Award. Over the coming months we’ll be introducing you to the six outstanding young NUFSICISUM winners, and celebrating the contributions they’ve made to their schools and communities through music.

This month, let’s get to know Malena Lorenson from Red Deer, AB! Click here to read more.

Coalition News

Farewell to Sabrina and Ashley

The Coalition would like to extend our deepest thanks to two members of our staff who will be moving on to pursue new opportunities and passions. Communications Coordinator Sabrina Moella and Programs Coordinator Ashley Boychuk have been with the Coalition for four years, and have made invaluable contributions to the organization through their creativity, hard work and dedication. They will be greatly missed but we send along our very best wishes as they begin new chapters in their lives.

Check out Cadenza from the Music Tool Suite

With the beginning of the academic school year comes a return to private lessons for many of our readers. If you’ve been searching for a way to log practice sessions, track your progress, and stay motivated, check out the Cadenza music tool! Cadenza offers both free and paid versions with useful resources for students and teachers alike. Learn more here.

In Your Backyard

Fall Music Conferences

If you’re a current or future music teacher looking for professional development and networking opportunities, you’re in luck! Music education conferences are being held across the country this fall, each offering a variety of workshops led by educators and industry leaders, and many conferences offer a discounted rate for students. 

Find a conference near you:

BCMEA (Richmond, BC)
Music Conference Alberta (Calgary, AB)
Saskatchewan Music Conference (Regina, SK)
Tempo - MMEA (Winnipeg, MB)
Opus 100 - OMEA (Toronto, ON)
FAMEQ (Montréal, QC)
NSMEA (Dartmouth, NS)
Resonate - NLMSIC (St. John’s, NL)

National Youth Choir Auditions

Are you an experienced choral singer between the ages of 19-26? If so, there is still time to audition for the 2020 National Youth Choir of Canada (NYCC). The NYCC is Choral Canada’s professional development program for young singers, and takes place biennially in conjunction with Podium, Choral Canada’s conference and festival. NYCC’s training week will take place in Québec City from May 2-8, 2020, followed by a regional tour culminating in performances and workshops at Podium in Montréal. The deadline to audition for NYCC is October 18. For more information and to fill out the online application form click here.

BreakOut West

The 2019 edition of BreakOut West will take place in Whitehorse, YT from October 2-6. BreakOut West is a four-day conference and festival hosted by the Western Canadian Music Alliance held annually to celebrate and promote Western Canada’s music and musicians. The conference is an opportunity for emerging and established Western Canadian musicians to interact with and learn from industry professionals, while the Showcase Festival highlights over 50 musicians from a variety of genres. Click here to register.

Youth4Music Playlist

Announcing our new feature, the Youth4Music Playlist! We’ll be sharing a playlist with you every month, and we’re kicking things off with the Back to School Edition! Get back into the school spirit with these scholastically-inspired songs, available to stream on the Youth4Music Spotify account. Happy listening!

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.