MusiCounts makes a difference
When school budgets are tight, music classes are often the first to be cut. For more than two decades, MusiCounts — Canada’s music education charity associated with the JUNO Awards — has been doing whatever it can to battle that.
“Our mission is to ensure that all children in Canada have access to music education,” says MusiCounts Executive Director Kristy Fletcher. “We fill in the gaps when there’s erosion of access, which disproportionately affects children from lower income families.”
MusiCounts channels its efforts into musical instrument donations to schools and non-profit community groups, recognition for exceptional music teachers and music education advocates, and post-secondary scholarships at Canadian schools. Some of the scholarship winners have been awarded tickets to this year’s JUNO broadcast in Vancouver, to see first-hand what the celebration of Canadian music is all about.
Approximately 65 students from B.C. schools and groups (who have received musical instrument donations from MusiCounts) will get to take part in JUNO Week, performing together on an outdoor stage at the Vancouver Art Gallery on March 24.
Fletcher says getting to make the phone call to a successful applicant is “almost like Christmas.”
“People are often crying because they realize how transformational this is — the instruments often last up to 20 years, which means just one instrument grant can impact thousands of children,” Fletcher explains. “Music teachers are community heroes.”
Last year, thanks to an application from Vancouver teacher Amanda Hennessey, Lord Selkirk Elementary received an instrument grant valued at $10,000, including 30 guitars, two keyboards, and electronic drums. It has allowed the children to take part in a Grade 7 band program in preparation for high school, and an after school Rock Band club. The kids were also treated to a school visit from JUNO-winning band Marianas Trench.
The tough part is not being able to meet all of the very worthy requests; MusiCounts is only able to approve one out of every four applicants.The charity is grateful that their involvement with JUNO Week helps shine a spotlight on ways for people to donate, including through its website musicounts.ca, or by texting MUSIC to 20222 to donate $5.
Fletcher says giving the gift of music to a young person is just that simple.
“All of the JUNO nominees and winners had to start somewhere, and typically that’s a music class. It’s important that we keep music education alive for the kids of today.”