2014 MusiCounts TD Community Music Grant Recipients Announced

October 23, 2014

SURPRISE PRESENTATION IN HAMILTON INCLUDES PERFORMANCE BY MEMBERS OF JUNO AWARD-WINNING GROUP, ARKELLS

Hamilton Music Collective’s An Instrument for Every Child (AIFEC), was buzzing in musical celebration yesterday. Two members of JUNO Award-winning group, Arkells, Max Kerman and Mike DeAngelis were on hand to help Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards & MusiCounts, and Alan Convery, Director, Community Relations at TD Bank Group, announce the recipients of the 2nd annual MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants. AIFEC, a program dedicated to providing all children with high quality music education, was one of the program recipients announced, receiving $20,000 worth of instruments. Hamilton program participants from Dr. Edgar Davey Elementary School expecting to attend an “instrument petting zoo” to learn about instruments were surprised by both the performance and the donation of over 100 instruments. Arkells performed two songs and passionately discussed how music has influenced their lives, illuminating the essential impact music programs like AIFEC have on a community and the overall sense of fulfillment for the students involved.

At the presentation, Kerman addressed the children from Dr. Edgar Davey Elementary School, saying, “You know, you and I, we’re neighbors in a way, I live about a 10 minute walk from your school. It may seem a little bit complicated, what we’re doing up here, playing an instrument with six strings, but really it’s quite simple, especially when you’re first starting out. If you put your mind to it, you can learn anything pretty quickly, that’s the great thing about music.”

This year, MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants program received over 100 applications. A total of $220,000 is being awarded to the 16 selected recipients. TD also announced that the partnership will be renewed with TD committing to an additional two years of funding for the program.

Now in its second year, the TD Community Music Grants were envisioned nearly three years ago by Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene who approached MusiCounts with the intent to get involved with the charity. He proposed an agenda for MusiCounts to support programs serving at-risk youth, who may lack opportunity towards music education and discovery through their own schools. With support from TD and artists like Kevin Drew, Tegan and Sarah and Arkells, MusiCounts brought this program to fruition, expanding their repertoire to create more opportunities for youth in under served communities across Canada. The MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants provide musical instruments and equipment to community centres, after-school programs and other community non-profit organizations, providing musical tools to youth in need.

“The MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants program provides a great avenue to help us change the lives of even more youth through the power of music,” says Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards & MusiCounts. “We are very grateful to have some of the country’s best recording artists celebrate the success of the program, including Arkells who joined us yesterday.Not only do these grants make a tremendous difference for the programs and communities they support, the impact of them clearly resonates within the artist community in Canada.”

“We’re thrilled to support MusiCounts, which gives young people the opportunity to access music, and benefit from music education,” said Alan Convery, Director, Community Relations, TD Bank Group. “TD is committed to creating opportunities for youth in communities across the country, giving them a chance to discover a love of music. The MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants program makes it possible for community organizations nation-wide to continue making a positive impact on Canada’s youth, through music.”

2014 MusiCounts TD Community Music Grant Recipients Are:
All Nations Healin’ Thru Artz (ANHTA) – Regina, SK
Culture for Kids in the Arts (CKA) – Hamilton, ON
Hamilton Music Collective – Hamilton, ON
Heart of the City Piano Program (Vancouver Chapter) – Vancouver, BC
John Howard Society of Sudbury – Sudbury, ON
Le Conseil des arts de Chéticamp – Chéticamp, NS
Lyrical Lines Education Network Inc. – Kitchener, ON
New Ross Family Resource Centre – New Ross, NS
North York Community House (NYCH) – Toronto, ON
Overture with the Arts (OWTA) – Dorval, QC
Partageons l’espoir/ Share the Warmth – Montréal, QC
Project Grace – St. John’s, NL
Success Power Opportunity Teamwork (The S.P.O.T) – Scarborough, ON
Tall Tree Festival Society – Port Renfrew, BC
The West End Culture Centre (WECC) – Winnipeg, MB
YMCA of Greater Vancouver – Surrey, BC

NEIGHBOURHOOD CHEERING CHALLENGE – LESLIEVILLE FARMER’S MARKET

NT5