HALIFAX -- Music Monday is an event that shines a spotlight on the quest for equitable access to quality music education in Canadian schools.
This year, due to physical-distancing restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was celebrated virtually with a 12-hour broadcast called “Music Monday @ Home.”
“We've always had big celebrations where we had a lot of students together, sometimes inside, sometimes outside, sometimes as many as 1,100 students. So, the Coalition For Music Education Canada decided to do it virtually this year,” says music teacher Lesley Ann Andrews.
The event, which began in 2004, is organized by the Coalition for Music Education in Canada and is celebrated each year on the first Monday of May.
Some Maritime students and teachers submitted videos for this year’s event, including two Cape Breton brothers who have gained recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic for hosting a weekly newscast called East Coast Kids News with Liam and Lucas.
“I played 'Morning Mood' on the trumpet and I said a little bit about why I liked it and where I learned it at school and stuff like that,” says Grade 5 student Liam Sakalauskas.
Music has been instrumental in helping people cope with the new reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, with groups like “The Ultimate Online Nova Scotia Kitchen Party (COVID19 EDITION)” soaring in popularity.
Organizers say it was important to continue the tradition of Music Monday this year, despite all of the challenges.
“Music is such an important part of peoples' lives and to help you get through difficult times especially. So it's really important this year, even more so I think,” says Andrews.
While this year's virtual format was a success, Andrews says she hopes things will be back to normal next year.
“Making music really is a group effort in many cases and we like to make music together,” says Andrews.
