National Arts Centre's Music Alive Program
What is the National Arts Centre's Music Alive Program (formerly known as the Music Ambassador Programme)?
From Lethbridge and Picture Butte to Fort McMurray and High Level in Alberta and from Estevan to La Ronge to Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, thousands of students and their teachers are being introduced to classical music through the National Arts Centre's Music Alive Program. Seven Teaching Musicians hired by the National Arts Centre are travelling to schools throughout the two provinces to promote music education, to deliver classroom programming and to support teachers as they integrate music into their lesson plans.
Designed in conjunction with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra and the Regina Symphony Orchestra, the Music Alive Program reaches over 100 schools each year, most of them in rural areas where the need for music education is greatest.
Utilizing the NAC's Introducting Beethoven teacher resource kit in 2009-2010, along with instructional units developed by curriculum specialists in Alberta and Saskatchewan (University of Alberta's Dr. Robert de Frece, a professor of music and music education, and Janie Fries, a teacher who has been actively involved with the recent renewal of Saskatchewan's arts education curriculum), the Music Alive Program is a cost-effective, practical way for Canada's National Arts Centre and local professional orchestras to help reverse the decline of music education in Canadian schools.
Today in Canada, roughly half of classroom teachers have no training in music. Taking this into account, the Teaching Musicians offer support and expertise to classroom teachers, inspiring them to engage with music in their classrooms.
Each selected school receives at no cost:
- a 60 minute interactive school presentation with a teaching musician
- the NAC Teacher Resource Kit Introducting Beethoven and other music resources to tie in with the provincial guidelines for music, grades 4-6
- an instructional unit for classroom teachers with suggested activities to prepare the students for the musician's visit and to sustain the learning following the visit
- a Introducting Beethoven student newspaper study guide for each participating student
The fun and educational school presentation is designed to foster in both students and teachers alike interest in and enthusiasm for classical music, and presentations are offered in both English and in French. The National Arts Centre has selected 70 schools in Alberta and 30 schools in Saskatchewan to participate in the programme.
Rosemarie Siever, one of three teaching musicians hired for the Music Alive Program in Calgary, thanked the NAC for encouraging children to take an interest in their local orchestras and music in general.
"Whether or not the students are contemplating becoming musicians, it's just so important to allow children to be creative and to express themselves through music" she said.
For further information on the Music Alive Program please contact program coordinator Pamela Coe.
(613) 947-7000 ext. 342 / PCoe@nac-cna.ca
