TheSpec - Grade 1 tunes in to new music plan
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9/8/10 9:11 AM
TheSpec - Grade 1 tunes in to new music plan
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/254204--grade-1-tun...
Home > News > Local > Grade 1 tunes in to new music plan
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Paul Morse
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Wed Sep 08 2010
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Grade 1 tunes in to new music plan
THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR
Inner-city Hamilton school kids will
be making a different type of music,
thanks to an innovative program that
introduces orchestral instruments
much earlier in the curriculum.
A $125,000 seed grant from a local
philanthropist will help bring a pilot
instrumental music program to Grade
1 students, to be debuted at King
George Elementary on Gage Street
North starting this year.
The four-year program, called An
Instrument For Every Child, will
expose the Grade 1 class at King
George to violins, violas, cellos,
trumpets, trombones, horns, flutes,
clarinets, guitars, mandolins,
accordions, recorders, percussion
and two ethnic instruments such as
the balalaika.
Next year the children will begin
taking lessons on their instrument of
choice, all free of charge.
Grade 1 tunes in to new music plan: Students from Adelaide Hoodless
School participate in the Jazz in the Hubs program brought to their school by
the Hamilton Music Collective and the Mohawk College Jazz Band. Their
working to make music a part of every students curriculum with their "A
instrument for every child program".
Cathie Coward/The Hamilton Spectator
The funding came from Hamilton businessman Paul Lloyd, president of home security firm Pasword (CRQT)
Protection.
"It's going to be wonderful," said elementary education superintendent Krys Croxall of the HamiltonWentworth District School Board.
"It won't be large to start with because this will be a pilot year."
Croxall said music is an integral part of the provincial elementary curriculum, but is generally limited to
instruments such as recorders and rhythm instruments. Learning orchestral instruments doesn't begin until
Grades 6 or 7.
"Kids that are really enthralled by the support they get in their music classes in Grade 1 will have the
opportunity to select an instrument and they will be provided with that instrument and lessons right after
school."
An Instrument For Every Child in Hamilton is modelled on a successful German program that grew from 300
children seven years ago to more than 50,000 kids today. It has also expanded to Venezuela.
Hamilton's version is the brain child of Astrid Hepner, a professional saxophonist and chair of the Hamilton
Music Collective, and is in partnership with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
"The idea is to expand it to as many schools as logistically possible," Hepner said.
More than just another music program, An Instrument For Every Child is a social project at heart, giving
children a chance to learn teamwork and relationship skills through music, she said.
The four-year AIFEC program will bring a qualified music instructor into the King George Grade 1 class for
45 minutes once a week this fall to "supplement" the classroom teacher's music lessons.
The children will learn about beat, rhythm and music notation, and be introduced to the instruments over the
course of the year.
Hamilton Music Collective and the school board are working with Long & McQuade Musical Instruments to
supply child-sized instruments where necessary.
pmorse@thespec.com
905-526-3434
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2 of 3
Awesome news!!
axemanchris
This totally made my day... probably my week! Music is FAR to readily ignored when it
comes to how we budget our time, resources, and most importantly, our FUNDING for
9/8/10 9:11 AM
TheSpec - Grade 1 tunes in to new music plan
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/254204--grade-1-tun...
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