May 3, 2012                                                                                         

Student Symphony Reaches New Heights on Music Monday

On Monday, May 6, students across the District School Board of Niagara will come together to fill the skies with music at the annual Music Monday concert.

Leading off this year’s event, DSBN students Billy Sadler and Aiden Tye will perform the DSBN’s official song “Sky’s the Limit” at Beamsville District Secondary School (BDSS). This performance kicks off a day-long musical celebration at BDSS. Over 350 students from 12 DSBN secondary schools will come together to commemorate the occasion. The day will culminate with a performance of the official Music Monday song at 1:00 p.m.

This year’s song is a collaboration between Barenaked Ladies frontman Ed Robertson and Commander Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station. The song, entitled “Is Somebody Singing” will be performed by all schools taking part in the event.

Many elementary students will also be in on the chorus, with events planned at public schools across Niagara. Visit the Music Monday map to see which schools have registered their events.

“Music education has a tremendous impact on students,” explains Gerda Klassen, DSBN Arts Consultant. “There are numerous studies that show that students involved in music programs are better in languages, learn to read more easily, are stronger in numeracy, and develop strong independent thinking skills. They also tend to show a high level of enjoyment in school. Beyond that, music education encourages, teaches and supports creativity in our students.”

Music Monday began as an initiative of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada to celebrate the importance of music in our lives and our schools. Last year, more than 650,000 students across Canada joined voices to perform the same piece of music on the same day.

For more information on Music Monday please visit the event’s official website.