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| Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead |
| By purchasing 'A Cello for Chelsea' and 'Zara the Maggini' through The Leading Note Store, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to The Leading Note Foundation in support of their work in the OrKidstra Program. |
| Ottawa at Home Magazine September 2008 |
| Inaugural OrKidstra Fundraising Concert Announcement October 2007 |
Monday » September 22 » 2008
Elizabeth Payne . Children eager to learn music
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Kimberly Nelson was a new principal at one of Ottawa's most challenging inner-city elementary schools when two
women walked into her office with an offer that seemed too good to believe.
"I thought: 'Who are you? No one wants to give us anything for free and you are giving us instruments?' "
The women who visited Ms. Nelson at Cambridge Street School a year ago were musicians Tina Fedeski and
Margaret Munro Tobolowska of the Leading Note Foundation. They offered her students free instruments, music
lessons and the opportunity to play in an orchestra -- "an opportunity that they never had or I doubt ever would be
able to have."
This was the birth of OrKidstra -- a free music program inspired by the phenomenally successful Venezuela musical
miracle known as El Sistema -- and Ms. Nelson still gets choked up when she talks about the effect the fledgling
program has had on some of her students.
"We had children new to our country coming from war-torn areas -- not a lot of English, there is no extra curricular in
their lives, their soccer ball is wrapped up elastics -- being given an instrument. They rose to the occasion with such
pride and such commitment, it was awe-inspiring.
"It makes me hungry for more," Ms. Nelson adds, thinking of the list of 30 names she has in a drawer -- students who
wanted to take part last year but were unable to because the program was full.
Fifteen Cambridge Street School students took part in the inaugural year of OrKidstra. They joined more than 25
other students from Centretown schools, including St. Anthony's, Centennial, Glashan and Elgin Street. The
program continued over the summer and a choir, KidSingers, was added. This fall, with the help of grants, donations
of time, money and instruments as well as growing enthusiasm, the program has expanded.
The program's success has delighted its founders. Like Ms. Nelson, Tina Fedeski, a flautist and, with her husband
Gary McMillen, owner of The Leading Note music store on Elgin Street, gets emotional when she talks about the
result of such music education.
She was moved to start a similar program in Ottawa after learning about El Sistema during a visit to Venezuela to
see her sister. She watched a documentary about the program which now involves 300,000 Venezuelan children
and is being emulated around the world, and knew she wanted to be involved in something similar in Ottawa.
"I just have to think about them (the children of El Sistema) and I get choked up," she said.
The program seems to have that effect. World-renowned opera singer Placido Domingo admits he wept when he
saw the Venezuela Youth Orchestra perform, evoking the strongest emotions he had ever felt.
And it is not surprising. The Venezuelan program has transformed lives, something musicians will tell you music can
do, but is seldom seen on such a glorious scale. Because of that emotional connection, the music produced has a
passion that is palpable.
It is also contagious.
The Ottawa program has touched people throughout the Ottawa area who have sent in musical instruments and
thousands of dollars to help make it a reality. Ottawa musicians and student musicians have also lined up. There
have been fundraising concerts by Ottawa musicians. Ms. Fedelska teaches flute and Ms. Tobolowska, a cellist with
the National Arts Centre Orchestra, teaches cello, many of the other teachers in the program's inaugural year came
from the NAC. Ms. Fedelska said she decided early on that as soon as possible, the program would begin paying its
teachers.
"The whole point is to teach the value of music."
Ms. Fedelska says the reaction to the program, by the students, teachers and the public, has been overwhelming.
"This hits you, it's brought out the best in people."
And part of that is because people have seen how necessary some kind of music in the lives of children is.
Ms. Fedelska says most of the children in the program have had no music education at all -- "In the schools we deal
with, they are lucky to sing O Canada. It's unbelievable."
School funding cuts have consistently hit arts education hardest -- particularly music, which requires expensive
instruments and dedicated teachers. This has gone on for decades, despite a growing body of research showing the
positive intellectual, emotional and social effects of music on children.
Parents who can, pay for private music lessons, but for many of the kids of Cambridge Street and other inner-city
schools, private lessons are not an option.
Musicians and supporters of music education have long complained that the dearth of music education in Canada is
both wrong and short-sighted.
As the program registers students for a second year, Ms. Fedelska says it has been breathtaking to watch the
response of children hungry to learn music -- trudging through the snow carrying instruments to their weekly
lessons, young musicians blossoming, children gaining confidence through music, the waiting list to get in the
program.
"There must be a need, we weren't just imagining it."
More information on the Leading Note Foundation can be found at www.leadingnote.com.
Elizabeth Payne is a member of the Citizen's editorial board.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008
Copyright © 2008 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Elizabeth Payne . Children eager to learn music
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Kimberly Nelson was a new principal at one of Ottawa's most challenging inner-city elementary schools when two
women walked into her office with an offer that seemed too good to believe.
"I thought: 'Who are you? No one wants to give us anything for free and you are giving us instruments?' "
The women who visited Ms. Nelson at Cambridge Street School a year ago were musicians Tina Fedeski and
Margaret Munro Tobolowska of the Leading Note Foundation. They offered her students free instruments, music
lessons and the opportunity to play in an orchestra -- "an opportunity that they never had or I doubt ever would be
able to have."
This was the birth of OrKidstra -- a free music program inspired by the phenomenally successful Venezuela musical
miracle known as El Sistema -- and Ms. Nelson still gets choked up when she talks about the effect the fledgling
program has had on some of her students.
"We had children new to our country coming from war-torn areas -- not a lot of English, there is no extra curricular in
their lives, their soccer ball is wrapped up elastics -- being given an instrument. They rose to the occasion with such
pride and such commitment, it was awe-inspiring.
"It makes me hungry for more," Ms. Nelson adds, thinking of the list of 30 names she has in a drawer -- students who
wanted to take part last year but were unable to because the program was full.
Fifteen Cambridge Street School students took part in the inaugural year of OrKidstra. They joined more than 25
other students from Centretown schools, including St. Anthony's, Centennial, Glashan and Elgin Street. The
program continued over the summer and a choir, KidSingers, was added. This fall, with the help of grants, donations
of time, money and instruments as well as growing enthusiasm, the program has expanded.
The program's success has delighted its founders. Like Ms. Nelson, Tina Fedeski, a flautist and, with her husband
Gary McMillen, owner of The Leading Note music store on Elgin Street, gets emotional when she talks about the
result of such music education.
She was moved to start a similar program in Ottawa after learning about El Sistema during a visit to Venezuela to
see her sister. She watched a documentary about the program which now involves 300,000 Venezuelan children
and is being emulated around the world, and knew she wanted to be involved in something similar in Ottawa.
"I just have to think about them (the children of El Sistema) and I get choked up," she said.
The program seems to have that effect. World-renowned opera singer Placido Domingo admits he wept when he
saw the Venezuela Youth Orchestra perform, evoking the strongest emotions he had ever felt.
And it is not surprising. The Venezuelan program has transformed lives, something musicians will tell you music can
do, but is seldom seen on such a glorious scale. Because of that emotional connection, the music produced has a
passion that is palpable.
It is also contagious.
The Ottawa program has touched people throughout the Ottawa area who have sent in musical instruments and
thousands of dollars to help make it a reality. Ottawa musicians and student musicians have also lined up. There
have been fundraising concerts by Ottawa musicians. Ms. Fedelska teaches flute and Ms. Tobolowska, a cellist with
the National Arts Centre Orchestra, teaches cello, many of the other teachers in the program's inaugural year came
from the NAC. Ms. Fedelska said she decided early on that as soon as possible, the program would begin paying its
teachers.
"The whole point is to teach the value of music."
Ms. Fedelska says the reaction to the program, by the students, teachers and the public, has been overwhelming.
"This hits you, it's brought out the best in people."
And part of that is because people have seen how necessary some kind of music in the lives of children is.
Ms. Fedelska says most of the children in the program have had no music education at all -- "In the schools we deal
with, they are lucky to sing O Canada. It's unbelievable."
School funding cuts have consistently hit arts education hardest -- particularly music, which requires expensive
instruments and dedicated teachers. This has gone on for decades, despite a growing body of research showing the
positive intellectual, emotional and social effects of music on children.
Parents who can, pay for private music lessons, but for many of the kids of Cambridge Street and other inner-city
schools, private lessons are not an option.
Musicians and supporters of music education have long complained that the dearth of music education in Canada is
both wrong and short-sighted.
As the program registers students for a second year, Ms. Fedelska says it has been breathtaking to watch the
response of children hungry to learn music -- trudging through the snow carrying instruments to their weekly
lessons, young musicians blossoming, children gaining confidence through music, the waiting list to get in the
program.
"There must be a need, we weren't just imagining it."
More information on the Leading Note Foundation can be found at www.leadingnote.com.
Elizabeth Payne is a member of the Citizen's editorial board.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008
Copyright © 2008 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Tippy Toes - Tobolowska