Music Monday May 6, 2024
Launched in 2005 by The Coalition for Music Education in Canada, Music Monday is one of the world’s largest single events dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of music education.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of students, educators, and music makers celebrate with events from coast to coast to coast and participate in the collective singing of the Music Monday song, an original composition written by a Canadian artist.
To celebrate their anniversary, they revisited their most popular song, “WE ARE ONE,” which was the Music Monday song of celebration in 2015-16. Written by Connor Ross, then a 16-year-old high school student at Mayfield Secondary School, this song has been a favourite of students across the county and has over 540,000 views on YouTube.
This year’s Music Monday celebrates diversity and inclusion. “We Are One” has been translated into 14 languages,
Other notable songwriters include:
· Chris Tait (Chalk Circle) A Little Music (2005 & 2006)
· Dala, Our Song (2007 & 2008)
· Serena Ryder, Sing! Sing! (2009 & 2010)
· Luke Doucet, Tomorrow is Coming (2011 & 2012)
· Chris Hadfield & Ed Robertson (2013 & 2014)
· Connor Ross, We Are One (2015 & 2016), Nation-Wide Song Search, 16 yrs old)
· Marc Jordan & Ian Thomas, Sing it Together (2016 & 2017)
· Oscar Peterson Hymn to Freedom (2019 & 2020 & 2021)
· Mimi O’Bonsawin & Nicholas Ma, Music is Our Medicine (2022 & 2023)
“By raising our voices and instruments to support Music Monday, we are making a powerful statement to all Canadians about the importance of providing equal access to inclusive, quality music education for all students. This significantly impacts students' mental health, well-being, and learning and understanding of one another.” Said Executive Director Stacey Sinclair.
This year, schools from every province from the east coast to the west coast, including Nunavut, will join in the celebration. The Coalition for Music Education in Canada constantly works to find opportunities to celebrate and increase interest in music education in schools.
· Pauline Johnson Junior Public School, Toronto, will hold a combined performance with John Buchan Middle School and High School Stephen Leacock High School.
· Greater Essex County District School Board, Windsor, Ontario, will hold a Mass Choral event with over 600 students in Downtown Windsor.
· Joseph Teres School in Winnipeg will hold an outdoor concert with 550 students and gather with five other schools for a neighbourhood concert.
· Lethbridge, AB, is hosting a Band Festival on Music Monday, 2024. The University of Lethbridge, in collaboration with 12 bands ranging from grade 6-12, including bands from Lethbridge, Coaldale, Nobleford, Magrath, Raymond, and Cremona in Alberta, as well as the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, will come together in a celebration of music making. We have organized a day of performances, band clinics, and fun to engage our students in music-making and to help foster a lifelong love for music.
· Ecole Marigold Elementary, Victoria, BC, the entire school will sing the Music Monday song with the local high school. Then, they will celebrate music all week long with performances from the staff and students, games, and quizzes.
· Shipyard Elementary School, Sydney, NS, will hold its annual School Concert with the Cape Breton Orchestra, with over 400 students participating.
· Mildred Hall School, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, celebrates Music Monday annually by making music together! This year, they invite students to join their big/little buddy classes to share songs and music they've been learning.
ABOUT THE COALITION FOR MUSIC EDUCATION
The Coalition for Music Education in Canada exists to raise awareness and understanding of the role that music education plays in Canadian culture and to promote the benefits that music education brings to you
Website: coalitioncanada.ca