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CBC Challenge kids to raise their voices in song

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CBC Challenge kids to raise their voices in song

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You're always after your kids to use their inside voices, right?

Well today, CBC Music and CBC Kids launch a month-long project to get your kids to use their inside voices to sing an inspiring song and share it with all of Canada. It's called the Inside Voices Project, where a professional singing coach will train your kid to sing, and then put them to work recording their own karaoke version of a song to share with family, friends and all the country using the hashtag #CBCmusicclass and #cbckids

It's simple to participate. Below is the first of four videos that will guide your family through the project. Each week, a new video will be added to move you along. Here's what is in each video:

Video 1 (April 17): Vocal Warm-up

Our professional coach demonstrates all the tricks, including lip buzzing, how to relax your body, how to project your voice and vocal exercises.

Video 2 (April 24): The Craft of Singing

This video showcases tongue twisters and pronunciation exercises, as well as breathing techniques for beginners.

Video 3 (May 1): Learn the Song

This video will introduce the song we're going to learn, called "Together we are One." Our voice coach will perform the melody, teach the verses, pre-chorus and chorus sections.

Video 4 (May 8): Share Your Song

In our final video, our coach will show you how to record your karaoke version of "Together we are One." She will also show you how to share your video with the country, if you choose to.

May 13

We all post our karaoke versions of the song on social media using the hashtags #CBCMusicclass and #cbckids. CBC will showcase some of the most fun videos!

Our teacher for Inside Voices is Jasmine Denham.

Denham has been performing for audiences around the world for more than 25 years, sharing the stage, television screens, recording studios and productions with artists like Nelly Furtado, Serena Ryder, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, the All-American Rejects, and the Benny cast of the Broadway musical Rent.

As the owner of The Stop Rehearsal Studio and Popular Music Space, Denham spends her days coaching established professional artists, television personalities and young aspiring singers at one of Toronto's premier rehearsal studios and pop star academies.

In 2015, CBC Music helped to create "Together we are One," the inspiring official theme song for the 2015 Pan Am Games held in Toronto. The song featured Serena Ryder in the English version, and Denham in the French version. We will be using a special instrumental version for this project, for each participant to use as their karaoke track.

To familiarize yourself with the melody to the song, here is a version with your vocal coach singing:

Here is the first video to get you started!

This is the second video, which includes some tips on good singing technique.

In the third video, Denham teaches you the song "Together we are One."

Here are the English lyrics and the French lyrics to the song.

Each week a new video will be added to this post. If you have any questions write us at musicclass@cbc.ca. Good luck and have fun!

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Challenge your kids to raise their Inside Voices in song | CBC Music

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You're always after your kids to use their inside voices, right? Well today, CBC Music and CBC Kids launch a month-long project to get your kids to use their inside voices to sing an inspiring song and share it with all of Canada.

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A Short list of Quebec music to introduce to students

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A Short list of Quebec music to introduce to students

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Quebec is a hotbed for musical talent, spanning a diverse range of genres which run the gamut from indie, electronica, world beats, and rock, to classical, hip hop, folk, jazz, and blues. In fact, the province is home to so many legendary poets, singers, and musicians, that whipping up a short list of songs seems criminal.

After much deliberation, we've decided that in order to make our lives easier, we would narrow down our picks and stick to only songs featuring French lyrics (sorry but no Leonard Cohen).
At the bottom of this article is a playlist featuring fourteen tracks that we recommend to students who may have an interest in the Quebec music scene. Enjoy!
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Ginette Reno - "Un peu plus haut, un peu plus loin"
When people often think of popular French singers from Quebec, Céline Dion is usually the first artist that comes to mind but not many people outside of Quebec have heard of Ginette Reno, who in my opinion, has the best vocals of any French artist from the Belle Province. Reno was Céline before there was a Céline Dion and not even Céline can match her vocal range. She's so good that after Reno's 1977 recital at the PDA, Pierre Beaulieu wrote: "What a Colossus of the stage, what a magnificent performer, what a voice, what soul, what warmth she radiates... Ginette Reno is music pure and simple, music with no nationality, no boundaries, ageless, beyond time. Ginette Reno is the soul of music, a succession of notes that she rethinks, reworks, to which she gives new life and finally delivers to us through her own view of things, her warmth, her voice, and her incredible talent."

Watch her famous performance with Céline Dion on the Plains of Abraham during Québec's national holiday, Saint-Jean-Baptiste in our playlist below.
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Mes Aïeux - "Dégénération"
When someone asks for a recommendation of traditional Québécois music, I often like to start by recommending the musical ensemble Mes Aïeux. Although a leader of the Quebec "neo-traditional" scene, the band is best described as "pop with folk inspiration," and often their music evokes stories and legends from French Canadian folklore. Mes Aïeux was formed in Montréal in 1996 after the referendum failure and is made up of Stéphane Archambault (vocals), Marie-Hélène Fortin (vocals, violin, tambourine), Éric Desranleau (vocals, guitar, bass, flute, drums), Frédéric Giroux (vocals, guitar, bass, harmonica), Marc-André Paquet (drums, percussion, bass, vocals), Benoît Archambault (vocals, keyboard, trumpet, guitar) and Luc Lemire (saxophone, percussion, vocals). Of all their hits, the song I recommend most is "Dégénération."

Watch their famous performance on the Plains of Abraham during Québec's national holiday, Saint-Jean-Baptiste here, or watch the video below which features the lyrics to the song.

Les Colocs - "La Rue Principale paroles" and "Tassé vous de d'la"
Founded in 1990 and fronted by Dédé Fortin, Les Colocs became famous for their festive music infused with brass sounds, swing, country, blues and African tunes. Their most famous song is without a doubt, "La Rue Principale paroles" and is often cited as one of the ten best songs produced by a French Canadian act. However, my favorite track from the band is hands down, "Tassé vous de d'la," so I've embedded both videos below.
Jean Leloup - "1990"

Québécois rock provocateur Jean Leclerc (better known as Jean Leloup) earned comparisons to Lou Reed for his eccentric alter ego, seedy imagery, provocative lyrics and aloof vocals. His hit single "1990" became a huge hit outside of Quebec and it might be my favorite track featured in this list. Born in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Leclerc grew up in Togo and Algeria, where he was influenced by traditional African rhythms and his talent and unique sound made him a hit with young francophones in the 1990s.
Omnikrom - "Danse la Poutine" (feat TTC)

Steeped in traditional Quebec folk, Les Cowboys Fringants built a reputation thanks to their explosive live performances and politically charged lyrics that often deal with themes of Quebec history, Quebec independence, environmentalism, and poverty, as well as the denouncing of consumerism. Les Cowboys represent an important part of modern Québécois music and are part of the néo-trad movement that appeared in Quebec around the turn of the 21st century garnering them a huge underground cult following worldwide.
Arcade Fire - "Reflector" and "Haiti"
Originally comprised of Régine Chassagne, Richard Parry, Tim Kingsbury, and brothers William and Win Butler, Arcade Fire formed during the summer of 2003 here in Montreal, and while not all the band members originate from Montreal, we've decided to include them since every single one of their albums has been recorded in Quebec and often their songs mix in French lyrics. The band's sound - a mix of slashed strings, bossa nova, punk, French chanson, blaring brass, pounded percussion, and classically tinged pop music earned them a fiercely loyal fan base in the 2000s, as well as praise from the likes of U2, Bruce Springsteen, and David Bowie, to name a few. Ever since, Arcade Fire has become one of the most popular bands in the world and have earned a reputation for arranging some of the best concerts you will ever attend. If you really want to grab your students attention, I highly recommend any one of their songs, but if you are looking for something specifically with a French twist, you might want to start with "Reflector" or "Haiti".
A Tribe Called Red - "Electric Pow Wow Drum"

If your taking your students on a cultural tour of Quebec and have any interest in exploring the culture of First Nations people, you might want to introduce them to A Tribe Called Red, the acclaimed Canadian electronic music group who have been making a huge impact on the global electronic scene. The DJ collective is known for their genre-bending mix of hip-hop, reggae, dubstep with elements of First Nations music, particularly vocal chanting and drumming. Their music is best described as "powwow-step", a style of contemporary powwow music for urban First Nations in the dance club scene.
Michel Pagliaro -''J'entends Frapper''

If you're in search of rock music, you might have an interest in Michel Pagliaro a.k.a. Canada's rock 'n' roll mystery man. A guitar player from the age of 11, the Montreal-native joined his first band, Les Stringmen, when he was age 15 but it wasn't until 1966 that he blew up in the Quebec music scene when he formed Les Chancelliers and released his hit song "Le P'tit Poppy". To some music fans, especially those who grew up listening to the radio in the 70s, Pagliaro is considered the king of pop-rock melodies, and his song "Je'entends frapper" became the biggest-selling hit in Quebec history.

Raoul Roy - "C'est Dans le Mois de Mai"
Not many people have heard of Raoul Roy. The Folklorist, collector, and singer from St-Fabien-sur-Mer recorded five albums and well over 700 folksongs or variants over the years which has been collected on tape and deposited in the Archives de folklore of Laval University. Unfortunately, his music is hard to come by on the internet but I did find a video for "C'est Dans le Mois de Mai", a fine example of how great lyrics and Roy's sweet vocals.
l'Alouette

I can't end this list without mentioning "Alouette!", the most popular Canadian folksong of all time. It has become a symbol of French Canada for the world, an unofficial national song immediately recognizable from the first few measures of its lively chorus. There's a misconception that the song originated from France but in fact, the first written version, "Alouetté," appeared in A Pocket Song Book for the use of students and graduates of McGill College (Montreal 1879). Composers in both Canada and France have made use of the song throughout the years but I've gone ahead and embedded a video from The Delta Rhythm Boys which puts a little acapella twist on the popular tune.
Gilles Vigneault - "Mon Pays"

Last but not least, I couldn't end without mentioning one of the most popular Quebec ballads ever recorded. When Canadian French-speaking poet, publisher and singer-songwriter Gilles Vigneault released his song "Mon pays", his life would never be the same. The song became a rallying anthem for Quebec nationalism after a 1965 performance by Monique Leyrac, and established a tradition of Quebec artists supporting Quebec's independence movement. He has since become a legend in the Quebec music scene winning several awards and honours and was named to the SOCAN Hall of Fame in 2005 and to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame the following year.

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A Short List of Quebec Music to Introduce to Your Students

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Quebec is a hotbed for musical talent, spanning a diverse range of genres which run the gamut from indie, electronica, world beats, and rock, to classical, hip hop, folk, jazz, and blues. In fact, the province is home to so many legendary poets, singers, and musicians, that whipping up a short list of songs seems criminal.

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​Indigenous or Aboriginal people (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) who reside in what is now Canada have diverse cultural traditions that are reflected in the variety of their musical genres and styles.

Aboriginal people ( First Nations, Inuit, Métis) who reside in what is now Canada have diverse cultural traditions that are reflected in the variety of their musical genres and styles. Music is generally seen as an integral part of the daily life and spiritual beliefs of Indigenous people in Canada. The diversity of Aboriginal life and music in Canada has been recognized by scholars who attempted to classify people according to " culture areas," which were also applied to music made by people in each area. Aboriginal people have their own distinct musical traditions, repertoire, and meanings. As well, genres of music have emerged that traverse boundaries and are performed by Indigenous musicians across North America. Some generalizations are that traditional Aboriginal music is predominantly vocal, with drums, rattles and flutes serving as common instruments. As well, Aboriginal musicians have been influenced by non-Aboriginal music-making, often adopting other musical styles (such as country music and pop) and instruments (guitars, fiddles).

Traditional Music

Despite varying influences from non-Aboriginal people, most Indigenous groups in Canada have retained nation-specific musical traditions. Traditional music is often subdivided into social music and ceremonial music, a division that is often paralleled with a public or private performance context. Social music primarily consists of songs that are accompanied by drums and rattles, and which may accompany stylized dances that are performed for gatherings and celebrations, some of which are closely tied to the traditions of a community. Ceremonial music, such as songs sung for sweat lodges, sun dances and Midewiwin ceremonies, is also primarily vocal music with percussive accompaniment, and certain songs are sung for specific parts of a ceremony and may only be performed in the context of that ceremony. Ceremonial music is seen as sacred, and is thus not usually performed in an improper context or for public consumption.

There are two sources for most songs in Aboriginal cultures: those that are created or composed by an individual; and those that are received by an individual in a dream or a vision. Songs are typically passed on from one person to the next through oral transmission; although accessible recording technology and the proliferation of commercially produced albums have changed the traditional means of song-sharing and have accelerated the sharing of songs and traditions between Indigenous groups.

Songs are often short, but they may be repeated a number of times during a performance. Singing style varies according to the singers and stylistic preferences of different nations. Most songs have a single melody that an individual or a group sings simultaneously, and specific singing roles are often assigned to women and men. Songs may use words in an Aboriginal language or in English or French. They may make exclusive use of vocables (syllables that do not translate to a specific word), or they may use text and vocables in combination. Songs serve a specific purpose and have a particular meaning, and therefore tend to be performed in a designated context.

The drums, rattles and flutes that are used to accompany traditional music are often hand-made, constructed from materials from the local environment, including seeds, tree parts and animals parts. Instruments are often considered animate objects and are therefore treated respectfully and are often given gifts of sacred plants. Likewise, during construction certain rituals may be performed on the instruments, and they may be decorated with symbolic images and colours.

Traditional music is performed for community audiences, while powwows and festivals that feature Indigenous music, dancing and traditions, are open to the non-Aboriginal public. These gatherings may include stylized music, dance and clothing, and may also often showcase specific traditions of the hosting community.

Community powwows mainly take place on summer weekends, and people travel a "powwow circuit" to participate and visit with family and friends. Powwows in urban centres, hosted by educational institutions and urban Indigenous organizations, are held throughout the year. Powwows are imbued with symbolic meanings, and special ceremonies and dances are often held to commemorate individuals or to show respect for traditional customs. The music, dancing and dance outfits worn by powwow dancers are stylized and continue to evolve, with new songs and new dance movements introduced each summer. The songs that are performed are typically sung by men, who sit around and strike in unison a large bass drum turned on its side, with women serving in a supportive capacity as back-up singers. The songs are short in length but are repeated four or more times, with overlapping entries that give a continuous sound from one song repetition to the next. Songs are often pitched at the upper extreme end of the singers' range, with an overall descending contour through the duration of the song. The drumming patterns are intricately related to the dance steps and are generally one of three patterns: an even steady beat, a long-short pattern, or a steady beat alternating with a drum tremolo pattern.

Contemporary Music

The music that has emerged from Aboriginal communities is as diverse as the people themselves and has a wide appeal to listeners of various musical genres. Many Aboriginal musicians have been influenced by non-Indigenous music, creating their own works in other music styles and genres. In some instances they incorporate texts, narratives, instruments and singing styles that reflect their Indigeneity, whereas other times musicians create music that is not identifiably Indigenous. The recognition of Aboriginal popular music genres corresponded with increased awareness of Indigenous social issues by non-Aboriginal people in the 1960s and 1970s.

Numerous Aboriginal singer-songwriters and performers, such as Buffy Sainte Marie, Kashtin, Tom Jackson, Robbie Robertson, Susan Aglukark, Don Francks, Don Ross, Leela Gilday, Derek Miller, Kinnie Starr, Fara Palmer, Wab Kinew, Tanya Tagaq, A Tribe Called Red and many others, have received great acclaim in both Aboriginal and mainstream markets. Aboriginal musicians have achieved success in a multitude of genres, including country and western, folk, rock, blues, jazz, hip hop and electronic music. Similarly, many musicians have successful careers in the art music world, most notably award- winning conductor and activist John Kim Bell.

Especially in the 21st century, social commentary has become a feature of some Aboriginal popular music. War Party, a rap group from Hobbema, Alberta, used their lyrics to address life on the reserve from the perspective of Aboriginal youth. Ottawa-based A Tribe Called Red use their powwow-inspired dance music to counter the appropriation, subjugation and diminishment of Aboriginal people in popular culture.

Tanya Tagaq, an Inuit throat singer from Ikaluktuutiak ( Cambridge Bay, Nunavut) won the Polaris Music Prize in 2014 for her album, Animism, which combines her traditionally-inspired throat-singing with other musical expressions. The album is overtly political. Tagaq's song "Fracking" is meant to mimic the environmental damage caused by hydraulic fracking, taking aim at the industry and its supporters.

Institutions and Support

Beginning in the mid-1970s, various organizations in Canada experimented with communications technology and produced original Aboriginal programming. With support from within Aboriginal communities and audiences and government funding, communities throughout Canada formed radio stations, airing Aboriginal-produced programs that highlighted Indigenous music and culture. Aboriginal-owned and operated radio stations, such as CKRZ 100.3 FM in Brantford, Ontario, produce programs that showcase musicians from the local community as well as artists from other regions in North America.

Further developments that affected Indigenous music in Canada took place in the 1990s, with the creation of Aboriginal-owned and operated recording studios and music publications. Studios that record, promote and distribute Aboriginal music include Sweetgrass Records, Arbor Records and Sunshine Records, among others. These studios produce albums by musicians of various genres, including traditional and contemporary Aboriginal music, as well as popular music, rap, country and blues. There are also several publications that cover the Aboriginal music scene, including Aboriginal Voices, and many nation-specific or regional newspapers, such as Anishnabek News in Ontario, and Alberta Sweetgrass ( see also Communications of Aboriginal People).

In 1998, Native Communications Incorporated (NCI), a publicly broadcast radio station in Manitoba, began airing a Top 10 playlist of music by Aboriginal artists. In 1999, the playlist evolved into an hour-long program featuring Aboriginal music from across North America, and in 2000 it was expanded into a two-hour program called The National Aboriginal Top Thirty Countdown. The program was broadcast nationally beginning in 2008, when the Western Association of Aboriginal Broadcasters (WAAB) was formed to unite the interests of provincial Aboriginal broadcasters. In 2010, the program was renamed The National Aboriginal Music Countdown; the structure was changed to a Top-40 format that included Aboriginal music from across North America, Australia and New Zealand, and a website was launched to publish the weekly lists online.

Several national, annual events take place which showcase the diverse contemporary music-making of Aboriginal peoples from across Canada. The Indigenous Music Awards (IMA), formerly the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, highlight the vitality, importance and currency of Aboriginal music in Canada. The awards program recognizes the variety of genres in which artists are performing, as well as the producers and designers of the recordings. Aboriginal Music Week, held annually in Winnipeg since 2009, is a summer music festival that presents Native, Métis, Inuit, and Indigenous artists performing a wide variety of musical genres.

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​Indigenous or Aboriginal people (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) who reside in what is now Canada have diverse cultural traditions that are reflected in the variety of their musical genres and styles. Aboriginal people ( First Nations, Inuit, Métis) who reside in what is now Canada have diverse cultural traditions that are reflected in the variety of their musical genres and styles.

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A few years ago, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France joined up with an entire book of animated creatures to perform the classic le Carnaval des Animaux (The Carnival of the Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns. The video above is the grand finale.
Update: The full film is on arte.tv until May 25th, 2020.

Video of the performance, in 14 movements that represent different animals - a turtle, hens and roosters, elephants, fish, kangaroos, and more - was then packaged into an iPad app.

It has become one of our favorites, not only due of the mix of animation and live action, but also because of how much time we get to spend with musicians playing beautiful music with their instruments. The video below:Marche Royale du Lion.

We highly recommended the app, along with these two newer apps from the same label: Pierre et le loup and Les 4 saisons d'Antoine.

Watch more videos with orchestras and more Saint-Saëns.

We also recommend...

This Webby award-winning video collection exists to help teachers, librarians, and families spark kid wonder and curiosity. TKSST features smarter, more meaningful content than what's usually served up by YouTube's algorithms, and amplifies the creators who make that content.

Curated, kid-friendly, independently-published. Support this mission by becoming a sustaining member today.

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Le Carnaval des Animaux by Camille Saint-Saëns | The Kid Should See This

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A few years ago, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France joined up with an entire book of animated creatures to perform the classic le Carnaval des Animaux (The Carnival of the Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns. The video above is the grand finale. Update: The full film is on arte.tv until May 25th, 2020.

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Glenn Gould plays Bach, a clip from The Art of Piano: Great Pianists of the 20th Century, which is online (for now) in what appears to be its entirety.

It has some great details in it: There's a top hat at 4m40s (which the co-curator enjoyed), some increasingly speedy piano playing starting at 11m, recorded sound action at 51m39s, fighter planes enjoying a concert at 1h11m42s, and a bit of piano anatomy at 1h22m13s (probably our favorite). Glenn Gould's segment starts at 1h24m45s.

Thanks, @zarg.

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Glenn Gould plays Bach | The Kid Should See This

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Glenn Gould plays Bach, a clip from The Art of Piano: Great Pianists of the 20th Century, which is online (for now) in what appears to be its entirety.

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FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ONLINE LEARNING  // Live Music Lessons

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Introduce your children to the joy of singing with these classic songs for kids. Not only will they have a blast, singing karaoke will improve their reading ...

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The Ten Best Classical Music Cartoons - YouTube

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Fran Scott and Greg Foot explore the science of sound, music and musical instruments.

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Virtual Learning Resources for Music Educators

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Virtual Learning Resources for Music Educators

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The resources on this page were provided by diverse NAfME members, NAfME corporate members, and various third-party organizations to support music educators as they navigate unprecedented challenges related to the pandemic, from the need for teacher self-care to tips and considerations for teaching online.

Make sure to also see the following resources from NAfME:

About this site: Third-party resource links on this site are being provided for informational purposes only; they do not constitute or imply the endorsement or recommendation by The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) of the third-party or the contents of such third-party websites. Because NAfME does not have any control over such third-party websites, NAfME is not responsible for the content of linked third-party sites and does not make any representations regarding the content made available on such third-party websites. Unless specifically noted, the views expressed in these media do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Association, its officers, or its employees.

If you see a resource that needs updating, please let us know. Contact: memberservices@nafme.org.

Online Resources

The third-party resource links are being provided for informational purposes only; they do not constitute or imply the endorsement or recommendation by The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) of the third-party or the contents of such third-party websites. Because NAfME does not have any control over such third-party websites, NAfME is not responsible for the content of linked third-party sites and does not make any representations regarding the content made available on such third-party websites. Unless specifically noted, the views expressed in these media do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Association, its officers, or its employees.

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Virtual Learning Resources for Music Educators - NAfME

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This resource page has webinars and other virtual learning resources to help music educators during extended school closures.

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Our Favorite FREE Websites for Music Learning - VH1 Save The Music Foundation

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Our teachers and students love these online resources that offer free and fun activities for learning in the classroom or learning at home.

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Music Teaching ideas during school closures

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Music Teaching ideas during school closures

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By NAfME Member Elizabeth Caldwell This blog was first published on "Organized Chaos."
We are living in unusual times, to be sure.

My school district, along with many others around the world, is closed indefinitely in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 (known widely as Coronavirus). As we go through this time of uncertainty, I know many of us are scrambling to find ways to continue to provide music learning opportunities for our students without actually being in school. Whether you're hoping to move to online/virtual teaching, provide students with online resources, or put together no-tech resources for families without internet or technology access, here are some resources to help.

1. Virtual Teaching

If you're looking at setting up an online classroom or teaching virtually, Michelle from The Musical Rose has been teaching music virtually for a few years now, and she has put together resources for music teachers looking to teach online. Click here to visit her website, where you'll find links to her social media accounts where she is posting her most updated content, and click here to view the slides from her Facebook live presentation on using Zoom and Nearpod, along with general tips for online teaching (including general music and ensemble rehearsals!).

If you have a private lesson studio as well, Ashley Danyew has some excellent ideas and resources to transition private lessons and studio group classes to online teaching. Click here to read her post, where she outlines different online platforms for live lessons, pre-recorded videos, and activities to send home, templates for letters to send to parents, and other advice for private lesson teachers.

2. Online Resources

If your students have reliable internet and device access, there are plenty of resources available for music teachers, and many are being offered for free temporarily to support school closures or already offer free options! Check out each of these below to explore these options-obviously this list is not exhaustive, so feel free to share others you love in the comments on my blog or on Amplify:

Of course, there are plenty of online resources that can be used as tools or exploration opportunities:

For more ideas incorporating technology in music teaching, my top recommendation is Midnight Music. Katie has been involved in music education technology for years, and she has excellent resources and information on her website-go explore her site right here. You can also find more ideas in Facebook groups specifically dedicated to sharing ideas for online music teaching during school closures, so if you are on Facebook you can search for those as well.

3. No Tech Resource Ideas

For my district, we are preparing paper and pencil packets for students. We are not one-to-one with devices, nor does every family in our district have reliable internet access, so we have chosen to provide resources that can be accessible to everyone. If you are looking for student learning resources that don't require technology or internet access, Charissa from Music with Mrs. Dunc has a free take-home packet you can download here for elementary general music. The packet includes rhythm and pitch practice, composition, and more without any need for technology!

Here are some more ideas you can use with a range of grade levels:

Interviews: Have students interview family members about their musical backgrounds and interests. What is their favorite song right now and why? What instruments do they play? What does music mean to them? Who are their favorite artists? Students can record the responses they get and also answer the questions themselves.

Instrument invention: Have students invent a new instrument. They could draw a picture of it and describe how it is played, how it's constructed, and what it sounds like, or they could make one out of recycled materials.

Hand-washing dance choreography: Have students choreograph a short dance routine incorporating the different ways we're recommended to wash our hands (scrubbing nails, between fingers, etc). Check out this one for inspiration.

Listening log: Have students write down music that they hear each day. Depending on the age, they can also record information about the songs, like the title/artist, genre, mood, time signature, tempo, instrumentation, etc., or they could draw a picture in response to the music.

Singing log: Have students write down songs that they sing each day. They can sing along with a recording, sing by themselves, or sing with their family.

Soundtrack of my life: Have students create an imaginary album that shows who they are. They can make a list of song titles, and for each song describe the music-this could be done either by asking students to come up with their own imaginary songs or by having students find existing songs that would describe aspects of their personality/life. Students could also design an album cover to go with it, write liner notes, etc.

Instrumental / choral practice: Of course, if students have sheet music for choir songs, instrumental method books, recorder music, etc., then they can practice their music! Include tips for independent practicing, fingering charts, etc., to help students maintain productive practice.

4. Professional Learning Opportunities

With more flexible schedules and some extra time on our hands, this is a great time to do some reflecting and learning ourselves! Elisa from Music Ed Mentor has compiled a list of online professional learning opportunities for music teachers in this post, and you can find more ideas including book and listening recommendations in these posts below:

With all of the information and debating swirling around, let's remember to be deliberate and compassionate. Let's all help each other as we forge new paths-please share ideas in the comments on my blog or on Amplify to help other teachers support their students!
About the author:
NAfME member Elizabeth Caldwell has been teaching elementary general music and choir for over a decade and cannot imagine ever doing anything else. She is also the author of the website, Organized Chaos Music, where she regularly shares organization strategies, lesson plans, and other ideas to encourage purposeful creativity in the music classroom. She holds her B.M.E from Wheaton College (IL) and her M.M.E. from Boston University, and was named Teacher of the Year in 2018. She has presented on lesson planning, restorative behavior management, effective recorder teaching, world music, National Core Arts general music standards, and other music education topics at conferences around the globe, and teaches an e-course on lesson planning through her website.

Follow Elizabeth on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.
Did this blog spur new ideas for your music program? The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) provides a number of forums for the sharing of information and opinion, including blogs and postings on our website, articles and columns in our magazines and journals, and postings to our Amplify member portal. Unless specifically noted, the views expressed in these media do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Association, its officers, or its employees. Share them on Amplify! Interested in reprinting this article? Please review the reprint guidelines.
Catherina Hurlburt, Marketing Communications Manager. March 17, 2020. © National Association for Music Education ( NAfME.org)

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Music Teacher Resources for School Closures - NAfME

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By NAfME Member Elizabeth Caldwell This blog was first published on "Organized Chaos." We are living in unusual times, to be sure. My school district, along with many others around the world, is closed indefinitely in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 (known widely as Coronavirus).

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Music Teacher Resources for Pandemic Teaching

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Music Teacher Resources for Pandemic Teaching

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With the pandemic continuing to impact schools, we are all learning completely new ways of teaching this year! I am compiling helpful posts and resources on the topic here, including distance teaching, hybrid model teaching, social distancing and sanitation considerations, working from home, etc and will continue to update. If you have questions or suggestions for content you'd like me to cover in future posts, please leave a comment and I will do my best to address it!

Distance Learning: Lesson Ideas

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Music Teacher Resources for Pandemic Teaching

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With the pandemic continuing to impact schools, we are all learning completely new ways of teaching this year! I am compiling helpful posts and resources on the topic here, including distance teaching, hybrid model teaching, social distancing and sanitation considerations, working from home, etc and will continue to update.

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Mixxx is free open-source software and entirely community-driven. There is no company behind Mixxx - the development is shouldered by passionate DJs and programmers that dedicate their free time to working on their favorite DJ software. Mixxx is and always will be free! See dozens more features or download Mixxx and start DJing now!

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Mixxx is free open-source software and entirely community-driven. There is no company behind Mixxx - the development is shouldered by passionate DJs and programmers that dedicate their free time to working on their favorite DJ software. Mixxx is and always will be free! See dozens more features or download Mixxx and start DJing now!

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Welcome Back! Classics for Kids has returned with our new Fun Facts videos, worksheets and lesson plans!https://youtu.be/7BjOMa7NvzIFun Facts: Marian Andersen https://youtu.be/OBnHXKNDqXUFun Facts: Yo-Yo Ma Explore More Composers Learn More Worksheets [...]

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Incredibox: An interactive music making app

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Incredibox: An interactive music making app

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A fun, interactive music experience
Incredibox is a music app that lets you create your own music with the help of a merry crew of beatboxers.Choose your musical style among 9 impressive atmospheres and start to lay down, record and share your mix.

Where making music is child's play!

Part game, part tool, Incredibox is above all an audio and visual experience that has quickly become a hit with people of all ages. More than 80 million players worldwide have already enjoyed it. The right mix of music, graphics, animation and interactivity makes Incredibox ideal for everyone. And because it makes learning fun and entertaining, Incredibox is now being used by schools all over the world.

Create a mix

Drag and drop icons onto the avatars to make them sing and start to compose your own music. Find the right sound combos to unlock animated choruses that will enhance your tune.

Share it

Once your composition sounds great, just save it and you will get a link to your mix. You can easily share it with anybody so they can listen and even vote for it.

Be a legend

If you share your mix a lot and get enough votes from other users, you may go down in Incredibox history by joining the Top 50 chart. Ready to show your stuff?

Ready to lay down
your mix?

';

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Incredibox is a music app that lets you create your own music with the help of a merry crew of beatboxers. Choose your musical style among 9 impressive atmospheres and start to lay down, record and share your mix.

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A Virtual Field Trip to the Symphony | Frau Musik USA

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Learn about musical instruments with a virtual field trip to the symphony. Enjoy these videos of varying styles & genres as your students listen & learn.

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Visual Jazz Storytelling - American Jazz Museum

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Visual Jazz Storytelling - American Jazz Museum

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Jazz Storytelling is the American Jazz Museum's interactive youth program to introduce young kids to the magic of jazz! Check out this full playlist of virtu...

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Dr. Gabriele Ramsauer

Getreidegasse 9 A-5020 Salzburg
Tel:+43 (0) 662 84 43 13
Fax:+43 (0) 662 84 06 93
museum.service@mozarteum.at
Opening Hours

A visit to Mozart's Birthplace takes about one hour.

There is a mobile phone text guide available. Texts accompany the exhibits on the walls of the museum.

Please note that Mozart's Birthplace is not wheelchair-accessible.

Admission fees

Prices in parentheses are combined tickets for the Birthplace and Residence.

The combi ticket is valid for 48 hours beginning with the time of aquisitation. It is not transferable to other persons.

Those entitled to a reduction must prove their entitlement by means of a valid identification documen.

The admission fee does not include a guided tour.

Payment option s: cash Maestro, Visa or MasterCard, JCB, Union Pay, American Express, Diners Club. The Salzburg Card is accepted here.

Mozart Archive

The Mozart Archive has existed since the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation was established in 1880. As a source of documentation relating to Mozart's life and works, together with his intellectual world and his impact on later generations, it collects material either in its original form or in photographic reproductions, while pursuing its own research projects and offering support and advice to independent scholars and to exhibition organizers.

Contact:
Dr. Sabine Greger
Mozart's Birthplace
Getreidegasse 9
A-5020 Salzburg
Tel: 00 43 (0) 662 844 313 77 or 78
Fax: 00 43 (0) 662 84 06 93
mozartmuseum@mozarteum.at

Opening Hours
Workdays after prior consultation

Mozarts Instruments

What would a musician do without his instruments? Right from his childhood probably hardly a day went by for Mozart without him actively making music. Fortunately some of the instruments he played have been preserved until today. It is perhaps true to say that in the eyes of posterity every object Mozart touched even only once evokes a special aura, but the instruments he himself owned and used for years help us in particular to understand his music. Mozart finely tuned his compositions to the special sound qualities of these instruments. Thus they can reveal much to us nowadays about his ideas of the sound he wanted to create.

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Dr. Gabriele Ramsauer Getreidegasse 9 A-5020 Salzburg Tel:+43 (0) 662 84 43 13 Fax:+43 (0) 662 84 06 93 museum.service@mozarteum.at Opening Hours A visit to Mozart's Birthplace takes about one hour. There is a mobile phone text guide available. Texts accompany the exhibits on the walls of the museum.

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Miss Wonderly Makes Music: Make Music at Home

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Miss Wonderly Makes Music: Make Music at Home

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Make Music at Home | Ms. Wonderly Makes Music

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Join Ms. Wonderly from her living room as we sing, dance, read, play, and make music together!

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This post may contain affiliate links. You pay the same and I get a small commission. Yay! (Please see my/our full disclosure for further information.)
When all of this distance learning stuff began, I was STRUGGLING to figure out what to do with my students on Zoom music lessons. How can I teach elementary music on Zoom? The sound lag made it impossible to sing or play rhythms together. Fortunately for you, I have now figured out a couple of fun things to do.

Over the course of the fourth marking period, (because I am currently in Summer mode! Yay!) I was required to teach 15 Zoom music lessons each week. Fifteen. Every week.

Crazy. I know.

Now, to be fair, some of these are repeats. For example, I taught four 1-3 grade Zoom music lessons each week. So those four lessons had the same lesson, just different students (and sometimes the same students, because even though I told them we were having the same lesson, some students decided to stay and do the same lesson multiple times in the week).

This is a list of the most fun things that I have found for teaching elementary music via Zoom or Google Meets (which is what I am using!)

Need some more help? You can get a FREE PDF Guide with pages of Zoom music lessons!
Just click here for the free guide!

1. Read some books!

I know- reading books is not the most ORIGINAL idea, but it is a lot of fun. Throughout the marking period, we read A LOT of books. Here are a few that we read during Zoom music lessons:
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin! The Listening Walk There was an Old Mermaid Who Swallowed a Shark
I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello (There is a fun lesson to go along with this one. You can read the blog post about it here.)

There are, of course, tons more, but these are a few that I happened to grab before we left for Spring Break- or that I ordered on Amazon because... I needed them....

2. Listen and Draw

This is an activity that I do often in school- especially when I travel to teachers' classrooms during testing.

Basically, I just play a song, and students draw a picture of what they think it sounds like, or what it reminds them of.

This can be used to teach different musical concepts like tone, instrumentation, genres, composer study, and even form.

To use this to teach form, have students divide their paper into however many boxes they will need. (For example, if it is AB form, they need two boxes. If it is ABA form, they will need three boxes.) Play the first section and stop. Allow students to finish their drawing. Then play the next section and stop.

When we were doing Zoom music lessons, I used this strategy to teach all about John Williams. We made four boxes with our paper, and listened to four different pieces- one from each of the following movies: Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Jaws. I didn't tell them what the songs were until we listened to all of them- we just talked about the mood of the pieces.

After we listened to all four of the pieces and made our drawings, I told them they were all written by the same composer- John Williams. I showed them this Google Slides presentation all about John Williams, which included the movies that he composed music for. They loved talking about how the mood of the piece matched the movies!

3. Hangman

We did an instruments of the orchestra unit, and I found wanted something at the end of the unit to wrap it up. I decided to go with hangman.

I was originally going to draw hangman on my small white board that I brought home from school, but I found a website that lets you do it online. It was much easier for kids to see (once I shared my screen). It even lets you add in your own words! I put in 7 different instrument names, and it was a lot of fun.
Check out Hangman online here!
4. Musical Science Experiments

Being at home provides you with different props then you have at school. One way that you can take advantage of that is to do some musical science experiments.

In the video, I show my favorite string family based science experiment using a string or a rubber band.

You could also do other science experiments, like filling up cups with water and comparing the sound that it makes, finding differently shaped objects and comparing their sounds when you hit them, and more.

5. Percussion Scavenger Hunt

Like I mentioned, we did an instruments of the orchestra unit during our Zoom music lesson adventures in Spring of 2020. When we got to percussion, we did a percussion scavenger hunt!

Now, I did not come up with this- I got it from Ms. Wonderly Makes Music over on Instagram. She is a rockstar, and she has been making 30 minute long live music lessons that are awesome. You can check out her new website here.

Anyway, for a percussion scavenger hunt, all you have to do is have students find an object that you can hit, one that you can scrape, and one that you can shake.

Once you find all of the "instruments", you can play along with a song!

Percussion scavenger hunt! Shake: colored pencils and peanuts. Scrape: water bottle and notebook. Hit: cereal box.

6. Learn a new dance

I wanted to teach my students about Salsa music, and you cannot teach salsa without teaching dance! Admittedly, I was a bit apprehensive to teach salsa dancing, because most of the students who have been showing up to my lessons were boys. I was worried they would think it was silly.

It was so. much. fun.

We watched a video from Musical Explorers and learned the dance from the video. Then we played the song and danced! They loved it.
Find it here.
PS- If you want more, you can watch Musical Explorer's Klezmar video. You may recognize someone from it (cough- me- cough).

7. Musical Pictionary

Pick a catagory, and have students play pictionary!

All you have to do is pick a category (like instruments), and have one student draw a picture of it. Whoever guesses the correct answer gets a point- and gets to go next!

Pro tip: Have students type their answers in the chat, because then you can see clearly who got the answer first.

8. Name the song

That's a creative name, right?

Either way, this is one of the most fun things that we did on our Zoom music lessons. All you have to do is play a song, and students guess what it is.

I love a theme- so we did Disney songs. iTunes has playlists full of Disney songs- just put it on shuffle. I would play a song, and the students typed the name of the movie it was from in the chat. This way, I could see who got the answer first.

9. Steady beat practice

Does this need any explanation?

10. Sing the next line

Another really great name.

Put everyone on mute. Pick a song you have done throughout the school year, and sing the first line. have kids give a thumbs up or raise a hand if they think they know the next line. Un-mute someone and allow them to sing the next line.

This is a great way to get the students singing, assess singing voice, and review the year.

11. Virtual Field Trips

Have virtual field trips always been a thing? I don't think that I had ever heard it until now.

Virtual field trips are basically "taking" your students somewhere virtually. This could be a museum, a zoo, an aquarium, a country, and more.

A few of our favorite virtual field trips include:
Mozart's house
Jazz museum (every time we found a display about a musician, I played a YouTube video with that person playing/singing)

Disney World (use Google Earth to "walk" through the park, then YouTube videos for the rides)

That's all I've got! Teaching Zoom music lessons was quite an experience, and I REALLY hope that I never have to do it again.
If you are still distance learning, you can check out all of my Distance Learning resources on TPT. These include videos, Google Slides activ i ties, Boom cards, and more!
What have you done to teach Zoom music lessons? Let us know in the comments!

Happy teaching!

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Fun Zoom Music Lessons for Distance Learning - Becca's Music Room

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Distance learning stressing you out? Learn about some FUN Zoom music lessons that you can do tomorrow for your elementary music students.

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In 2014, Camera Lucida and Radio France teamed up to create a series of classical music-filled apps for children. One of these shared Sergei Prokofiev's Pierre et le loup in a typography-filled adaptation by Gordon (Thierry Guernet), Pierre-Emmanuel Lyet, and Corentin Leconte. It's a stunning version that mixes animation, musical symbols, and musicians, featuring the National Orchestra of France, conducted by the maestro Daniele Gatti.

If the video above is no longer available, you can find the 30-minute piece here on France.tv until June 1st, 2020 or (though it's a bit buggy for us since we bought it a few years ago) in the Pierre et le loup app for iPad or iPhone.

Note: While the retelling is innovative in form, the story follows tradition. There are gun-toting hunters and (spoiler) the duck is eaten by the wolf. It's beautifully visualized.

From Prokofiev's performance directions for Peter and the Wolf:

Each character of this tale is represented by a corresponding instrument in the orchestra: the bird by a flute, the duck by an oboe, the cat by a clarinet playing staccato in a low register, the grandfather by a bassoon, the wolf by three horns, Peter by the string quartet, the shooting of the hunters by the kettle drums and bass drum. Before an orchestral performance it is desirable to show these instruments to the children and to play on them the corresponding leitmotivs. Thereby, the children learn to distinguish the sounds of the instruments during the performance of this tale.

And though there is some French narration, their masterful visual and musical storytelling requires no understanding of French.

Camera Lucida provides a series of clips from the animation in this playlist. A few are included below:

And here's the original app trailer:

Watch these orchestra and classical music videos next:
*Le Carnaval des Animaux by Camille Saint-Saëns
* Boomwhacker Bach: Prélude n°1 aux tubes musicaux
* Line Riders ride to Beethoven's 5th
* Nine animal sounds and Super Mario World sound effects created with a violin

Thanks, John.

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Pierre et le loup, a stunning, typography-filled animated story | The Kid Should See This

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In 2014, Camera Lucida and Radio France teamed up to create a series of classical music-filled apps for children. One of these shared Sergei Prokofiev's Pierre et le loup in a typography-filled adaptation by Gordon (Thierry Guernet), Pierre-Emmanuel Lyet, and Corentin Leconte.

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TED-Ed celebrates the ideas of teachers and students around the world. Discover hundreds of animated lessons, create customized lessons, and share your big ideas.

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The Kids Should See This: 565 videos about music (and many other amazing videos on other topics)

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The Kids Should See This: 565 videos about music (and many other amazing videos on other topics)

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music Archives | The Kid Should See This

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Yo Yo Ma - Bach Six Cello Suites - BBC Proms 2015

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Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child: Indie Music for Indie Kids podcast

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Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child: Indie Music for Indie Kids podcast

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Hear us on our flagship station, KUTX 98.9, Sundays at 6 central!

"Spare the Rock doesn't, and that's why everybody loves it."
- John Flansburgh, They Might Be Giants

"A family radio phenomenon."
- Austin Chronicle

Email: show at sparetherock dot com

Like the vast majority of radio programmers receive most music we play for free, and I get into most shows I organize, and some other shows, for free.

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Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child | indie music for indie kids

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Hear us on our flagship station, KUTX 98.9, Sundays at 6 central! "Spare the Rock doesn't, and that's why everybody loves it." - John Flansburgh, They Might Be Giants "A family radio phenomenon."

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The Saturday Morning Cereal Show - A weekly music podcast

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The Saturday Morning Cereal Show - A weekly music podcast

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The Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl | a podcast by Dave Loftin

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A weekly music show for the whole family.

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Noodle Loaf - Music Education Podcast For Kids

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Noodle Loaf - Music Education Podcast For Kids

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An interactive music education show that activates every corner of a child's creative mind-and sparks the inner child in every grown up.

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Ear Snacks: A family friendly podcast on music, science, art and culture

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Ear Snacks: A family friendly podcast on music, science, art and culture

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Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada: Music & Dance

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Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada: Music & Dance

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The Metis have always been a social and festive people with a love of song and dance, blending their First Nations and European ancestral cultures into unique fiddle playing and dance styles. As Europeans brought violins to North America, the Métis embraced the instrument and began playing and making their own tunes, often mixing First Nations, Scots and French-Canadian rhythms, but with unique beats. These new songs also led to the creation of new dances. Later, other fiddling traditions from English-speaking North America also contributed to Métis fiddling.

Métis jigging originated in the Red River area. It is a combination of First Nations dancing and Scottish and French-Canadian step-dancing, and reel, jig and quadrille steps. Some of the more popular jigs are the "Red River Jig," the "Rabbit Dance," the "Broom Dance" and the "Sash Dance."

The first recorded reference to the "Red River Jig" was in 1860, when Mr. Macdallas played the tune for the wedding dance of a Métis couple. Father Père Brocher, who conducted the marriage ceremony, named the tune the "Red River Jig." This song, along with the French-Canadian tune, "La Grande Gigue Simple," is a variation of the Scottish tune by Peter Milne entitled "Big John McNeil." The "Red River Jig" is played at almost all Métis functions.

Métis fiddlers are cultural ambassadors, travelling throughout North America to take part in 'old time fiddle' contests such as the John Arcand Fiddle Fest, held near Saskatoon.

Accounts by missionaries and fur traders and artists' sketches indicate that the sociable Red River Métis were passionate about fiddling, dancing and celebrating. A Red River ball, with numerous fiddle players and callers, was the social highlight of the year, and was attended by all the local Métis. Fiddling within Métis society was egalitarian, since both the elite and the rank and file enjoyed playing the instrument. Every Métis family had a fiddle player. Fiddles were often handmade from maple wood and birch since most Métis could not afford ready-made ones. Despite the lack of formal training, many Métis became master fiddle players. For instance, William Arcand, a Métis originally from Saskatchewan, played for the Queen Mother in England. Two Manitoba Métis fiddlers, Andy DeJarlis and Eugene Laderoute, who composed the popular "Keystone Reel," were famous throughout the world.

Métis fiddlers are cultural ambassadors, travelling throughout North America to take part in "old-time fiddle" contests such as the John Arcand Fiddle Fest, held near Saskatoon, Sask. The Métis also hold many competitions to determine the best jiggers and square dancers. Each performer has developed unique steps. Over time, a person's steps change from watching other jiggers, or by simply inventing them. To be a good jigger, your upper body has to remain straight while you perform steps with your feet. Some people can even tell where a person is from based on their steps. Each community and some families have unique jigging styles. Fiddle music, jigging and step-dancing are celebrated at social and cultural events in communities across the Métis Nation Homeland. At present-day Métis celebrations, such as Back to Batoche (Batoche, Sask.), Métis Fest (St. Albert, Alta.) and the John Arcand Fiddle Fest, there is a great deal of fiddle playing and dancing.

Wood engraving by artist Walter J. Phillips depicting the "Red River Jig."

Métis Songs

The first recognized composer of Métis songs was Pierre Falcon (1793-1876). His song, "La Bataille des Sept Chênes" or "La Chanson de la Grenouillère" ("The Battle of Seven Oaks" or "The Ballad of Frog Plain") was sung by the Métis for at least three generations. Falcon's songs are mainly about the Métis' martial prowess and their bison-hunting lifestyle. His songs were handed down through the Oral Tradition and as a result, many variations exist.

The Métis also sang songs to keep their spirits high during times of crisis. For instance, during the 1885 Northwest Resistance, at the Battle of Fish Creek (April 24, 1885), the Métis sang "La Bataille des Sept Chênes," and "Malbrouk." Louis Riel wrote a song entitled "C'est au Champ de Bataille" (The Battlefield), also known as "De Tous Champs de Bataille" or "L'adieu de Riel" ("Riel's Farewell"). Written prior to his execution on Nov. 16, 1885, it is a haunting song about the terrible sacrifice which war brings to its participants. Riel also wrote a song called "La Métisse" ("The Métis Girl") that salutes the piety and patriotism of the Métis women during the Red River Resistance.

Square Dancing

The Métis are widely known for their square dancing. During a square dance, four couples face each other and dance with one another in a square formation. It is believed that many forms of Métis dance grew into the very popular square dancing style of today. These dances are infinitely more complex than jigs because they require participants to work as couples and to follow a dance caller's directions. The dance caller uses panache, creativity, humour and musical knowledge to ensure that people stay in time with the music and enjoy themselves. Good callers can keep a dance going well into the morning.

The most famous Métis dance is the "Red River Jig," or as it is known in Michif, "oayache mannin." The accompanying fiddle tune, which was very popular in the mid-1800s and was known from Alaska to James Bay, is based on the song "Big John McNeil" from Scotland. French-Canadians played a variant fiddle tune entitled "La Grande Gigue Simple." The "Red River Jig" is a combination of Plains Indian footwork and Scottish, Irish and French-Canadian dance forms such as stomps, quadrilles, reels and jigs. The basic jig step is danced in most Métis communities. However, dancers often add their own "fancy" dance steps during certain segments of the tune. Some dancers use fancy steps to identify their home community. In 1940, Métis fiddler Frédéric Genthon made the first recording of the "Red River Jig" for posterity.

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The Metis have always been a social and festive people with a love of song and dance, blending their First Nations and European ancestral cultures into unique fiddle playing and dance styles. As Europeans brought violins to North America, the Métis embraced the instrument and began playing and making their own tunes, often mixing First Nations, Scots and French-Canadian rhythms, but with unique beats.

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OrKidstra - Changing Lives Through The Power Of Music

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An Ottawa-based charitable social development program that empowers kids and builds community by providing kids from under-served areas with free access to music lessons and the chance to learn important life skills.