The Ontario Broker - Volume 24, Issue 5 - 17

COLUMNS
Instruments are a huge part of the equation, but there are also
Giving Students
the Instruments
to Succeed
Kristy Fletcher-President, MusiCounts
classroom materials to consider. Most provincial curricula don't cover
contemporary or diverse artists, and don't inherently celebrate Canadian
music. MusiCounts offers free teaching resources to close these gaps.
Whether educators are seeking support in using music education to
benefit mental wellbeing or are looking to authentically tackle topics like
social justice, Black music-makers, contemporary Indigenous artists or
singing in Indigenous languages, there's a MusiCounts resource to support
music teachers' efforts to decolonize and diversify the classroom.
Despite directing over $14 million in instruments into underserved
communities, there's still so much to do. MusiCounts can only support
one out of every five schools that seek our help. That gap can be closed
through partnerships with organizations and individuals who believe-
like we do-that music has the power to change lives.
We're so grateful for the support of Ontario Brokers. Being chosen as this
year's official IBAOcon charity means we'll be able to give more children the
gift of music education. With your support, we're able to expand our funding
strategies to deliver more music into our children's education experiences.
A percentage of every IBAOcon pass supports MusiCounts
and children's musical education across Canada.
W
hen kids went back to school this September, it was
MusiCounts-Canada's music education charity-
that made sure students were going back to music.
The announcement of $1 million of instruments
supplied to 74 school programs in high-needs communities across the
nation is the latest in the charity's 25+ year history of making music
education accessible, sustainable and inclusive for kids across Canada.
Music education is in a critical state of disrepair in schools in every
corner of the country. Music has long been touted as an all-around
positive force in kids' lives. It improves cognition, offers space for
creativity and collaboration, and builds confidence. So why are
educators having to make do with hardware store buckets in place of
drums, 70-year old instruments beyond repair, or nothing at all when
the benefits of strong music programming are so clear?
This is why MusiCounts makes direct investments into schools and
communities across the country. Quite plainly, kids need music. These grants
of up to $20,000 per school have a transformative impact equal to up to 40
years' worth of funding all at once. Schools' music rooms come alive, and the
instruments benefit generations of students over the course of their use.
These investments are fueling innovation. Music class is evolving
to meet the needs of students and no longer looks solely like the
typical concert band programming. It can also include songwriting
and production programs, beat-making and hip hop, or traditional
Indigenous drum-making led by Elders and Knowledge Keepers. Jarvis
Collegiate Institute in Toronto is building a new music tech program
to help students explore their passion for hip hop and R&B. Students
will be mixing on turntables, using technology to record their tracks
and making music that aligns with their interests and current trends.
In one school, the percussion ensemble's collection of plastic buckets
will be replaced with instruments. Not only will students get to play on
instruments that can make a proper sound, they'll be learning on West
African djembes and North Indian tablas-drums that reflect the heritage
and traditions of many of the school's students.
Volume 24 | Issue 5
17
Music education is in a critical
state of disrepair in schools in
every corner of the country.
The Ontario Broker - Volume 24, Issue 5

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