2019 is ESQ’s 8th anniversary. As we look back we are proud of the contributions that our program has made to the communities we serve. In the last 8 years we have introduced music in the lives of almost 500 children and youth and music has transformed some of those lives through active participation in musical activities, musical events and music summer camps.
Our new year started with some personnel changes: We are very happy to welcome our new Personnel and Program Manager Pablo Seib and head teacher and Kaia’tanoron Dumoulin (Karonhianonhnha School, in Kahnawake). Kaia’tanoron was one of the founding teachers of the ESQ program at Kahnawake eight years ago and since that first year she has helped so much with teaching violin, producing posters, and being organizer and teacher at Encore Sistema Summer Camps.
At our Saint Gabriel School site, in addition to our regular grade 3-6 groups, this year we have introduced a new beginner grade one class and we are very proud of our registration numbers and record attendance of 39 students! The mid year presentation will take place on December 12th at 12:00 pm. On the program: Twinkle, Delaware Hornpipe and What a Wonderful World among other surprises.
At our newest site, at Parc Extension, the registration numbers keep increasing to about 30 students presently. They have been working very hard and have prepared a video for CBC’s 2019 Canadian Music Class Challenge. Parc Extension students will give their for their Christmas Concert on December 19th at the PEYO cafeteria at 4:30 pm.
Starting this October ESQ began a partnership with KoSA, drum and percussion experts. In addition to string instruments and singing, Kosa’s founder and Director Aldo Mazza now enriches our regular programming with African drumming circle classes at two of our sites: Centre William-Hingston in Park Extension and Karonhianonhnha School, in Kahanawake.
The Encore!Sistema students from Karonhianónhnha School, Kateri School, and Kahnawake Survival School will be featured in an upcoming presentation in Kahnawake in collaboration with Aldo Mazza of Kosa Music.The performance will take place: Monday, December 9th, 2019 from 4:45 PM- 5:30 PM at Karonhianónhnha Tsi Ionterihwaienstáhkhwa in the gym. Admission is FREE
Finally, the Orchestre Symphonique de Longueil (OSDL) and their orchestra conductor Marc David, are already starting preparations for our annual side by side concert in the spring of 2020. This year’s concert theme will be movie music and will involve the ESQ students of Kateri, Karonhianonhnha School and Survival High School in Kahnawake. As a part of our collaboration, and in addition to the combined concert, all ESQ students will attend a dress-rehearsal with the OSDL on April 30, 2020 and will receive complimentary tickets to the OSDL family concert on March 22, 2020.
