Music Monday Unites Canada Coast-to-Coast with 700,000 Voices for Music Education

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More than 700,000 students from more than 1500 schools across Canada are gathering today for the seventh annual Music Monday – a nation-wide, simultaneous concert that celebrates the importance of music education.  On Music Monday, students and teachers take their music programs outdoors and into their communities to perform the same song at the exact same time, uniting the entire country in song.

MUSIC MONDAY
May 2, 2011
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
The Canopy at The Forks, Winnipeg

Join us for this celebration featuring a performance by Juno Award nominated, Canadian Folk Music Award winning artist Luke Doucet of his song “Tomorrow is Coming” accompanied by 200 student guitar players, choirs and guest performers. Click here to watch the video of "Tomorrow is Coming."

The Coalition for Music Education holds an annual Music Monday Showcase Concert – a signature event meant to capture the spirit of Music Monday across the nation. In 2011, the Showcase Concert will be in Winnipeg at The Forks. 

Co-commissioned with CBC Radio 2, “Tomorrow is Coming” is available on iTunes with proceeds going to support the work of the Coalition. A wide variety of arrangements is also available for free on the Music Monday website at musiscmonday.ca. 

In 2011, the heart of Music Monday will be the Showcase Concert, starring Luke Doucet, in Winnipeg at The Forks, a symbol of the hundreds of celebrations taking place in communities across the country. The Forks is considered Winnipeg’s meeting place, one of its most beloved locations, at the junction of the Assiniboine and mighty Red rivers. 

“May 2nd is also Election Day and for many schools this means their gyms will be turned into polling stations that are filled with Canadian music lovers,” says Coalition for Music Education Executive Director, Ingrid Whyte. “This is a perfect time to come out of the classrooms and make music to demonstrate the importance of music education in your community.” 

Music Monday was created by the Coalition for Music Education in 2005 to celebrate the importance of music in our schools. The nation-wide celebration highlights the need to protect and promote quality music programs for every child in Canada. Music Monday is fast becoming a global phenomenon as the event is now being celebrated in Australia and across the United States. 

“This is an occasion to sing with young Canadians all over the country, and we are encouraging everyone to visit our website, learn about the song, tweet about it, and tell your friends,” says Whyte. “Music Monday serves as a reminder to all Canadians on this wonderful day that music education is a powerful tool for learning, harmony, creativity and achievement in young people.” 

Music Monday is celebrated on the first Monday of May each year at 10 a.m. Pacific time, 11 a.m. Mountain time, 12 p.m. Central time, 1 p.m. Eastern time, 2 p.m. Atlantic time and 2:30 p.m. in Newfoundland and Labrador.  

About the Coalition for Music Education in Canada
The Coalition for Music Education in Canada advocates for the contribution that music education makes in the lives of all Canadians. We believe that music is key – in learning and in life.  It is our goal is to see that all children have a quality program in music through their schools.  For more information and resources in support of quality music education, please visit our website at: www.weallneedmusic.ca.

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