At the speed of sound
Popular children’s music program expanding to Bridgewater
For seven years, Anna Macfarlane has enjoyed meeting her musical friends every Monday for a popular after-school program called Musical Friends. Anna and her mother, Melanie, who is a volunteer with the program, have joined with several children from the area at St. Stephen's Anglican Church in Chester since Anna was two years old.
Today, the budding young musician plays several instruments, including piano, guitar, drums and ukulele.
“You can pick what you like, and you can learn it and you can be really good at it,” she said.
Anna Macfarlane also enjoys singing and joining her class as they write songs for an album about elephants, monkeys and mice under the guidance of their teacher, Halifax singer- songwriter Avery Dakin.
During a recent interview, mom Melanie Macfarlane said part of the program's appeal is that it is open to anyone.
“It's very inclusive. It's adjusted to the child's skill level and what they enjoy. The program can be adjusted to anything,” Macfarlane said.
“Whatever the child would like to do is what the teachers do their very best to accommodate.”
“There is something magical about a child learning to make music. The look on their face when a five-yearold can play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. They know that tune and suddenly they are making that tune,” said Dawn Harwood-jones, the originator of the program in 2013 at St. Stephen's Anglican Church in Chester.
“We teach them love of music and self-esteem. They learn to play an instrument at their level that makes them so proud, or they learn to sing that makes them so proud. And they learn the love of music.”
Harwood-jones said some children have gone on to become professional musicians, although that's not the main aim of the program.
“Musical Friends started as a really small program in Chester to teach singing to children and it grew to teach lots of different kinds of music and do other outreach programs in the community,” Harwood-jones said.
She said the congregation wanted to help the wider community with no strings attached.
The program would be open to all elementary school youth, and all barriers to participation would be removed — it was free, the youth were walked to the Parish Hall and rides home arranged when necessary. They were also fed healthy snacks.
“Almost all kids are hungry after school,” Harwood-jones said.
And, she said, Musical
Friends also provides free access to top-notch teachers for children who can't afford it.
“Since 2013, the Chester program has enjoyed extraordinary teachers from the area and from Halifax,” she said.
“I have been a musician all my life and I have produced music all my life and I know it's transformative powers in all ages. The problem was the people who needed it most couldn't access it,” Harwoodjones said.
Harwood-jones said research shows kids who take music or the arts do better in math, science and English.
“So, it's not just a fun thing but helps create a more rounded kid,” she said.
One mother whose kids go to Musical Friends in Chester has decided to expand the program to Bridgewater.
“This is an outstanding program, inclusive, joyful and an incredible benefit to the community,” said Heather Armstrong, a music teacher and owner of Scotia Music.
“When I was growing up, music is what I would turn to. It was my best friend,” Armstrong said. “There are a lot of children out there that don't have that right now. Especially with the pandemic.”
Armstrong said Musical Friends would meet at the Masonic Lodge#39 on Dominion Street, in Bridgewater, Tuesdays after school. She said the Bridgewater program would be taught by local musicians. It is funded by a grant from the Town of Bridgewater.
Musical Friends continued to offer weekly events throughout the pandemic, first online and then one-onone or with a friend or family bubbles, masked, distanced and without sharing instruments.
Musical Friends was scheduled to go back online in January.
Even if classes continue online for the foreseeable future, Anna Macfarlane and her musical friends will be able to create more songs about animals, such as the song about the mouse taking over the house.