Connecting the Dots

One deeply engrained musical experience of my youth was watching the local high school concert band come and perform a concert for our elementary school. I remember the thrill of recognizing theme songs from television shows and movies while learning about the instruments. For me, the experiences I had as a student in Simcoe County shaped a lifelong love and career in music.

Over the past two school years, Room 217 has partnered with the Simcoe County District School Board to pilot and beta test the MUSIC CARE CERTIFY FOR SCHOOLS program in both the elementary and secondary panels. The idea to create and develop this program for schools evolved through conversations with SCDSB Arts Consultant, Bonnie Black. In a post-COVID world, the need for programs that address student health and well-being have become a key strategic priority for most school boards, including SCDSB. Our CERTIFY program provides tools and training for teachers to be able to weave music wellness tools and strategies into lesson planning both in individual classrooms and as a school community.

In June 2025, we plan to celebrate four new MUSIC CARE Certified Schools from SCDSB. Starting in the Fall of 2025, we will welcome additional schools from SCDSB and other school boards into MUSIC CARE CERTIFY as the program officially launches. 

A key component of the MUSIC CARE CERTIFY is the completion of a music care initiative that measures the effectiveness of how music can be used as a solution for a particular need or challenge. For example, can a specific song or playlist help students arrive to class on time? Stay tuned for case studies which will outline the results of the newly certified SCDSB schools.

We are thrilled to partner with SCDSB – true leaders in innovative practices in education and look forward to learning and celebrating together. 

January 2025 - “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much” - Helen Keller

Over the past year, conversations with educators who have been part of our CERTIFY FOR SCHOOLS program have highlighted the need for resources that support wellness goals for students. As a past elementary and secondary music educator, the concept of using the creative process to inspire students to compose their own music for wellness as a class project seemed like a perfect fit for our CERTIFY program!

With this goal in mind, our program team approached SoundsUnite - an organization dedicated to bring collaboration tools to all students across Canada for the purposes of creating music - to join us in bringing this vision to life. 

Together, we were able to create a how-to instructional video for educators and students that overviewed how to use the SoundsUnite platform as a compositional tool in the classroom. The instructional video was a key element in our resources for teachers – since the platform would be new to educators. Once created, we were able to trial our lesson plans and resource video at the Ontario Music Educators Conference in November 2024. Feedback from the conference was positive and several educators across Ontario are planning to use the instructional video and lesson plans in the new year. 

This project has been a great example of the power of partnerships! Together, we can do so much. 

September 2024 - Walking into the entranceway of the Gorton Monastery in Manchester, UK, I was met with a feeling of community and connection with large signs sharing the history and restoration of the building placed proudly throughout the entryway. 

Within a short distance I passed the St Francis healing gardens accompanied by the familiar sounds of instruments and voices warming up in the distance. There was an unmistakable energy in the space as musicians, music therapists, carers and adults living with dementia all congregated into the main space forming a large circle together. In the middle of the circle was a table full of small percussion instruments that anyone could use. 

Within moments, and without introduction, the program casually began, with a welcome song. The musicians of the Camerata, known as Music Champions, took their direction from Alina, who is both a flutist with the orchestra and trained music therapist. 

After the welcome song, I witnessed the magic and creative energy of musicking unfold. The musicians would interact with participants and engage in call and answer style activities all happening over consistent chord progressions played by Alina on a keyboard. The style, form and rhythm of the music would change as the mood and energy of the circle changed. It was brilliant and moving. 

Part way through, an impromptu version of Danny Boy moved me to tears, as the cellist took the lead from a participant who broke out in song, expanding particular words and phrase endings as he was lost in reflection. The musicians took their lead from the gentleman, and a general hush fell over the rest of the group to hold space and honour this moment.

In my opinion, this was imperfectly perfect music making, as part of the new UK’s Centre of Excellence in Music and Dementia and Music in Mind Program. Bravo to the Music Champions of the Manchester Camerata!