Four Manitoba Schools to receive CARAS Band Aid Funds

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The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), producers of the annual Juno Awards, announced on September 28 that an unprecedented 25 Canadian schools will receive grants from the Academy's Band Aid program in support of music education. Four Manitoba schools are included in that list, three more than last year. There are more than twice the recipients of Band Aid grants in 2005 across Canada. Grants will be awarded to elementary and secondary schools, helping to keep music alive for students from JK to Grade 12.

The four Manitoba schools are:
Fores Park School, Winnipeg
Frontier School Division No. 48 Area 2, Dauphin
Isaac Beaulieu Memorial School, Marius
River Elm School, Winnipeg

A primary goal of the CARAS Music Education Program is to help address the erosion of music education in Canadian schools. Band Aid, a component of the CARAS Music Education Program, provides $10,000 grants in the form of musical instruments to schools whose music programs have great potential, yet are in need of funding to ensure their sustained growth. Including this year’s grants, CARAS will have donated over a million dollars to music programs, impacting 75,000 young Canadians from coast to coast.

“We are pleased to extend our Band Aid grant program, adding more recipient schools than ever before,” said Melanie Berry, President of CARAS, in a press release. “These grants will put funds directly into the hands of teachers in metropolitan, rural and remote schools to purchase instruments for music programs ranging from Orff to concert, jazz and marching bands,” said Berry. “Students from all walks of life – from low income, socio-economically disadvantaged and culturally diverse backgrounds will have the chance to play music and further explore their own creativity.”

Awareness of the program has dramatically increased, which demonstrates the tremendous need for the program. CARAS received 115 applications this year from schools in need from across the country.

Schools were selected by CARAS’ Music Education Committee based on the greatest need in keeping with criteria that included: economic need; inventory and condition of instruments; number of students; dedication of school staff; and overall impact the grant would make within the school and the community. The winning schools are able to customize the grant to their individual needs by drawing from a shopping list of band musical instruments. Once the school has chosen their instruments, they are delivered to the music program by CARAS, and a special presentation is made at the school.

In past years, presentations have been made by Alanis Morissette, Jann Arden, Remy Shand, Jully Black, Susan Aglukark, Jane Bunnett, Moist, members of The Tragically Hip, Great Big Sea, The Moffatts, members of 54-40 and others.

A primary goal of MusiCan – the CARAS Music Education Program, is to help address the erosion of music education in Canadian schools. Band Aid, a component of MusiCan, provides $10,000 grants in the form of musical instruments to schools whose music programs have great potential, yet are in need of funding to ensure their sustained growth.

Visit CARAS online at www.carasonline.ca.

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