13°c Light rain showers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Changing kids' lives one note at a time
City school embraces global music program
AJ Rosaldo, 8, has her violin tuned by Sistema Winnipeg teacher Barbra Hamilton before Elwick Community School students perform for Winnipeg Harvest volunteers Monday. (MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Elwick Community School student, AJ Rosaldo (second from left), 8, plays her violin along with about 30 other students who are part of the Sistema after-school program. (MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Nevada Rushford could be principal violinist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra one day.
She's only seven, but the Grade 2 Elwick Community School student has been taking lessons from professional musicians for more than a year. By the time she graduates from high school, the pint-sized violinist will be better trained than the majority of North American student musicians.
Nevada, and more than a score of her Elwick classmates, are part of a musical and social movement that began in Venezuela as a way to bring music to street children and help them realize the possibilities of life.
Sistema is a serious commitment. Children agree to take music lessons five days a week for three hours at a time. In Winnipeg, they're taught by two dedicated teachers and a rotation of WSO musicians.
There's no cost to the students or their families. The Seven Oaks School division and the WSO shoulder the expenses, including paying for the instruments. The WSO accepts donations of string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments for the program.
"It's changing their lives, one note at a time," says WSO executive director Trudy Schroeder. "I think it's the most important thing the WSO has ever done."
Some of Elwick's students come from financially challenged families.
Schroeder, WSO principal violist Dan Scholz, teachers and the Elwick choir and orchestra performed at Winnipeg Harvest Monday afternoon. One violinist, biting her lip with concentration, wore a pink plastic headband. Another had on his ball cap. They were in snowpants and frayed jeans and they were making music.
Scholz works with the kids once a week. He conducts the WSO youth orchestra and believes every child, no matter where they live, deserves the chance to study music.
"I don't think any child should be denied the opportunity to participate in any activity, whether it's sports or music. This gives children who might not have had the chance to come to the concert hall a great chance."
There are four Sistema programs in Canada. It began in New Brunswick and Ottawa before moving to Winnipeg. Elwick was the first local school to be involved. The inner city's King Edward School also participates.
Tanya Derksen, the WSO's director of education and outreach, says the program is expensive.
The cost per student is $3,000 and there are 50 children involved. Seven Oaks supplies the teachers, space and busing; the WSO musicians teach at a discounted rate. Volunteers serve snacks to the kids. Much of the funding comes from private donors.
Teacher Erin Risbey says Sistema and its influence on kids are "amazing."
"It's such a big commitment by the kids," she says, "but they really want to be there. I think the parents see the value in the program, too."
"It's amazing the see them performing Bach and Haydn."
Trudy Schroeder is evangelical as she talks about the student orchestra.
"For us, in this time, we realize as an orchestra we have to make a difference in our community," she says, "The symphony is not just for people who can buy tickets. This is for everyone."
She says the average middle-class student would never have the chance to train with musicians of this calibre, nor would they dedicate so many hours to their practice.
"They say you need 10,000 hours of practice to become great at something," says Schroeder. "If they stay with it through Grade 12, they'll have that."
The students have already had the chance to listen to the symphony live. This spring, they'll do that one better when they perform live with the orchestra at the concert hall.
Monday morning, the choir and orchestra whipped through Beethoven's Ode To Joy, voices clear, bows flying, ponytails bobbing. They'll perform the same song with the WSO and likely get the same reaction. Thunderous applause and a few quiet tears.
Nevada may not become a professional musician, but she already knows how to use her talents to stir a crowd.
lindor.reynolds@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 19, 2013 B1
Fact Check
Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
About Lindor Reynolds
Lindor Reynolds began work at the Free Press as a 17-year-old proofreader. She was fired three weeks later.
Many years later, armed with a university education, she was hired as a columnist. During 16 years on the job she has managed to avoid being sacked again.
Lindor has received considerable recognition for her writing. Her awards include the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists’ general interest award and the North American Travel Journalists Association award.
She has earned three nominations for the Michener Award and has been awarded a Distinguished Alumni commendation from the University of Winnipeg. Lindor was also named a YWCA Woman of Distinction.
She is married with four daughters.
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- 'Responsible Winnipeg' ads appear on sign run by mayor-owned Goldeyes' baseball park
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Two women face rare charges of harbouring alleged murderer
- Li granted additional day passes
- Fight for gay rights a long one
- RRC hub late, over budget
- Bethania CEO put on leave during investigation
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Winning 6/49 ticket purchased in Winnipeg
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Restaurant Dubrovnik demolished
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Man missing since 2009 found safe
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Missing woman's remains found in Point Douglas home
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Newly minted MD a beacon for kids in youth program
- Bethania CEO put on leave during investigation
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- RRC hub late, over budget
- They'll be fiddling around
- Tapping sweetness from birch trees
- Eardrops and dogs recipe for maiming
- 'Responsible Winnipeg' ads appear on sign run by mayor-owned Goldeyes' baseball park
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Ochre Beach residents are 'thankful everybody got out'
- She leads an underwear revolution for African girls
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Ask, don't grab, your partner in old-tyme dance
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- Black market in moose thrives
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.