2019 MUSICOUNTS BAND AID PROGRAM
The Most With a historic $1 million allocated to 96 schools across Canada, 2019 was the
WHO
WE ARE
MusiCounts is the national music
education charity associated with
the JUNO Awards. MusiCounts
believes music adds possibilities
for youth, and that all children
should have access to music
education in their school or
community.
WHAT
WE DO
MusiCounts provides instrument
grants to schools and community
organizations across Canada, and
celebrates musical excellence
through awards and scholarships.
WHY
MUSICOUNTS
There are many well-researched
benefits of music education. Music
education increases language
proficiency, self-confidence, bridges
cultural gaps and results in higher
student scores on science, math
and English exams. A 2013 study
concluded that it only takes one
hour a week of music education to
make permanent and positive
changes to the brain functions
of children.
most impactful year in MusiCounts’ history. Our instrument grant regional
THE Schools Ever reach was able to expand dramatically, with more schools supported in Atlantic
Canada and the Territories than ever before.
PROBLEM
Music education in Canada is
Supported
acutely underfunded, so many
MUSICOUNTS 2019 SCHOOL INSTRUMENT GRANT REQUESTS VS. ALLOCATIONS
children aren’t able to experience
the incredible possibilities that
music can bring. The demand for
our programs consistently exceeds
the support we are able to offer.
In 2019 MusiCounts could only
support 1 in 5 schools that asked
for our help, and that gap continues
96
to grow.
Supported
HOW YOU
CAN HELP
Requested
474
Together, we can help close the gap
and ensure all kids across Canada
have access to musical instruments
in their school or community. Visit
Instrument Funds
musicounts.ca/donate to make a Requested Vs. Awarded
donation now.
YOUR
IMPACT
Every dollar can help MusiCounts
support a youth music program.
Whether you can give $1 or $1000,
Applicant Schools Supported: 1 in 5
you can help put instruments into
the hands of kids who need them
most.
The Most Even with this exciting $1 million allocation, the gap between the schools we
are able to support and the schools we have to turn away continues to grow at
Schools Ever an alarming pace. It’s clear that school music programs are in need now more
than ever before.
DONATE NOW Declined
MUSICOUNTS.CA/DONATE
YOU CAN HELP US CLOSE THE GAP
DONATE NOW AT MUSICOUNTS.CA/DONATE
 MUSIC ADDS POSSIBILITIES At MusiCounts, we know that music adds possibilities for youth.

Self
Understanding
“ Music education develops self-confidence, self-esteem, promotes
self-expression and bridges cultural gaps. It's important and valuable to
Mental
Wellbeing
“ With the new instruments from MusiCounts, our students have a
chance to learn music, work as a team, and hold instruments for the first
instill a love for music in children. Having instruments provided by time. They are exposed to music that can help them regulate and heal. We
MusiCounts gives our community's youth the opportunity to develop and use music for mindfulness, meditation and calming. They may even
grow.
” discover a hidden passion or talent because of the Band Aid Program.
”
Brenda Major, Golden Prairie Arts Council in Carman, MB Brynae Bishop, Children's Village School in Calgary, AB
2019 MusiCounts TD Community Music Program recipient 2019 MusiCounts Band Aid Program recipient

Responsibility
“ On a deeper level, your grant has confirmed for the students what
coming together as a community can do. It’s a really special thing to see
Safe
Spaces
“ The severely cold weather we experience in the winter months means
weeks of indoor recesses for Yellowknife students. However one positive
how careful the students are with ‘our’ instruments. Having beautiful, element of the MusiCounts funding is that interested students can now
quality instruments has allowed me to teach students how to care for our come down to the band and music rooms during indoor recesses and lunch
things. It also shows the students that they matter, and that they are hours to practice and compose on instruments that work. MusiCounts

”
worthy of beautiful things too. changed the band experience from one of frustration to a place of musical

”
inspiration for our students.
Liz Paton, Blake Street Public School in Toronto, ON
2019 MusiCounts Band Aid Program recipient Stephen Richardson, École St. Joseph School in Yellowknife, NT
2019 MusiCounts Band Aid Program recipient

Empathy
“ The drums we received from MusiCounts have helped in teaching
students a vocabulary around feeling. The drum becomes a place where
they can play something, rather than needing to say something. Other kids
will show their empathy by playing these sounds and rhythms back to
them.
”
Maureen Misura, Spitzee School in High River, AB
2019 MusiCounts Band Aid Program recipient

Cultural
Awareness
“ Being able to offer music programming in our school and community is
the beginning of bringing generations together in music education. Having
these new fiddles will revive our youth in our traditional cultures, and give
them the opportunity to learn from our elders.
”
Eliza Mary Doyle, Cultural Exchange Society in Regina, SK
2019 MusiCounts TD Community Music Program recipient
 2019 MUSICOUNTS’ IMPACT

MusiCounts The MusiCounts Band Aid Program provides up to $15,000 worth of MusiCounts The MusiCounts Scholarship Program gives aspiring professionals in the
musical instruments and equipment to in-need school music programs to areas of music performance, music business or music production the
Band Aid ensure their continued success and sustained growth. Scholarship connections, skills and resources needed to get a jump-start on their career
in music.
Program $1,000,000 worth of musical instruments donated Program
6 recipients
96 schools supported Presented in part by the
RBC Foundation and Indspire $4,000 scholarship for each
17,000 students impacted in 2019
5 Day mentorship week in Toronto
20 sessions and workshops
30 music industry professionals as mentors
MusiCounts
TD Community
The MusiCounts TD Community Music Program provides up to $25,000
in musical instruments and equipment to community centres,
after-school programs and other community non-profit organizations.
“ Mentorship Week helped me realize that there are
so many more aspects of the music industry that I am interested in than I'd
previously thought. Radio production, sync and licensing, music curation ...

Music Program
These instrument grants can help existing music programs, or help
organizations start a new music program.
They're all avenues that I could take based on my own strengths.
”
$500,000 worth of musical instruments donated
Nathalie Parent, MacEwan University
2019 MusiCounts Scholarship Recipient

37 community organizations supported

7,000 young people impacted in 2019 MusiCounts Awarded to someone who has had an extraordinary impact on MusiCounts
& music education.
Inspired Minds
Ambassador Gord Bamford (2019-20)

MusiCounts Kim Hastings Award “ The greatest thing I get to do is interact with children and try to make a
difference in their lives... I’m honoured to be able to support such incredible
Pioneer Middle School, Rocky Mountain House, Alberta organizations like MusiCounts that help children and youth all across

”
Presented by the Canadian
Teacher of the 2019 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Scholarship Trust Foundation Canada.
Gord Bamford
Year Award Each year, the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award recognizes and
honours one exceptional Canadian music teacher.
Stephen Stohn & Linda Schuyler (2018-19)
“ Music is what makes us human; it's so important for kids to be involved
with music for that reason. Everyone deserves an opportunity to “ Our giving has been very much centered around education, particularly
music education. We believe that we can do our little bit to help the youth
experience it …

”
Music must be kept in school, and it needs to be a priority. End of story.
of today become better students and, in turn, better citizens.
”Stephen Stohn
Kim Hastings

“ It is very important to Stephen and me that we 100% love and believe in

the causes we support, like MusiCounts. Seeing firsthand the impact
instruments make on a school and community has shown us how giving
can truly make a difference.
” Linda Schuyler
 #WHYBANDAID ISSUES MUSICOUNTS APPLICANTS FACE:
1 2
MusiCounts Music programs deserve to succeed. Schools deserve the resources needed
to offer healthy, sustainable and inclusive music programs.
Band Aid Old, decaying
But music education in Canada is struggling. collections of
Program musical instruments
Each year MusiCounts receives hundreds of MusiCounts Band Aid Program
applications from schools across Canada that are not receiving an adequate
Hundreds of school music
level of support to offer a quality of music education for their students.
programs struggle every day with
instruments that are decades-old.
Instead of being able to enjoy
music making, students and
teachers across Canada are
constantly preoccupied with
instruments that are damaged
beyond repair.
Like Holy Redeemer School in
Spanaird’s Bay, NL. Before
receiving a MusiCounts
instrument grant, the school’s
music program relied on band
instruments that were purchased
in the 1980s. With 30+ years of
heavy use, many of these
instruments had fallen into a state
of disrepair. The music teacher
would regularly have to waste
valuable class time salvaging parts
from a few broken instruments to
put together one, semi-functional
instrument.
Holy Redeemer School’s new band
instruments received via
MusiCounts have enabled this
school to retire dysfunctional
instruments, and build a
sustainable music program that
will impact students for years to
come. Plus, the teacher can focus
on teaching music and not
repairing instruments.
No musical instruments
at all
Hundreds of schools across
Canada have no musical
instruments, and no music
program. In 2019, nearly half of
applicant schools sought musical
instruments that would help build
a new music program at their
school.
Like Argyle Alternative High
School in Winnipeg, MB. Before
receiving an instrument grant
from MusiCounts, there was no
music program at this inner-city
school that supports youth who
have experienced trauma, and
struggle with mental health.
Now, Argyle Alternative High
School is able to offer music
education programs for its
students. The new music therapy
program fosters cultural
awareness and promotes
emotional regulation.
3
Musical instruments
that don’t align with the
needs of the school’s
student population
Just because a school has musical
instruments doesn’t mean they
make the most sense for the
community of students.
Like Lucy McCormick Senior
School in Toronto, ON. Before
receiving a MusiCounts
instrument grant, this school
had no specialized instruments
designed specifically for its
student population, all with
physical and cognitive
exceptionalities.
Now, Lucy McCormick Senior
School is able to offer a music
program that is more inclusive
and accessible for its unique
population with the new adaptive
instruments received via the
MusiCounts Band Aid Program.
Many students are learning to
communicate and express
themselves in new ways.
2019 MUSICOUNTS BAND AID PROGRAM DIVERSITY OF IMPACT
Programs Among the 96 recipient schools, more than half reported receiving less than $500 Policies When a school receives a MusiCounts instrument grant, this can validate the
a year for their music program. This means that for the average MusiCounts value and importance of music education in the eyes of administrative
Transformed recipient school with this budget, an instrument grant of $15,000 equates to Shifted stakeholders. This often triggers a systemic change with regards to attitudes
thirty years worth of regular funding all at once. and funding for music programs in schools.

We believe MusiCounts’ substantial investments in music programs across
Canada are an unparalleled opportunity for many school music programs to
finally get ahead and build sustainable music programs that will continue to
impact students in the years to come, instead of constantly struggling to keep up.
Like Tantalus Community School in Carmacks, YK. When this school received
an instrument grant from MusiCounts, the school’s principal was able to
convince the school board to provide additional funds to hire the school’s first
ever music teacher for the small, K-12 school situated in a village with a
population of 500.

“ It’s so much easier this year. Before we always had to have kids sharing
instruments. But now, we no longer need to do that; each student has their
“ By giving us this grant, my school board really couldn’t say no to me
asking for a music teacher because they saw that I had all these
own instrument. It made my life easier as a teacher, and it made music
class more enriched for the students. We’ve gotten a lot further than we instruments, and they were so pleased that we got the grant. Now kids are

”
have in other years. doing things that we never thought they’d have a chance to do … If we
hadn’t got that grant from MusiCounts none of this would have happened.
Janice Hall-Short , Rexton Elementary School in Rexton, NB
2019 MusiCounts Band Aid Program recipient
”
It has made a huge difference in the lives of the children.

Morgan Douglas-Alexander, Tantalus Community School in Carmacks, YK

2019 MusiCounts Band Aid Program recipient

Identities Music is a unique vehicle through which young people can celebrate, explore
and share their culture and identity. In 2019, MusiCounts was thrilled to support
Celebrated 23 schools with specialized musical instruments that enable youth across
Canada to do just that.

“ After leaving Gladys Cook Education Centre with the skills of making
and playing drums, learning music, and improving in their academics, our
students are more in tune with their culture. This gives our students a
sense of pride, belonging and self-worth, and also equips them with
teachings to pass on to their children and family members. This program
will have a huge ripple effect in our school and in our community.
”
Lori Johnson, Gladys Cook Education Centre in Portage la Prairie, MB
2019 MusiCounts Band Aid Program recipient
 2019 MUSICOUNTS
TD COMMUNITY MUSIC PROGRAM
Strings Across the Sky (Parry Sound, ON)
MusiCounts $500,000 worth of musical instruments donated
TD Community 37 community organizations supported Strings Across the Sky strives to rekindle and sustain the cultural traditions
of fiddle music which once thrived in Indigenous communities across Canada.

Music Program 7,000 young people impacted in 2019
This cycle of the MusiCounts TD Community Music
Program was particularly special because of the
diversity of our recipient organizations, both
regionally and musically.
They do this by connecting children to their cultural roots through music.
The new fiddles and guitars received via the MusiCounts TD Community Music
Program will allow Strings Across the Sky to include more youth. The grant also
alleviates financial pressure, and helps ensure the long-term stability of the
program.
“ These new fiddles from MusiCounts give our program a boost of
confidence, energy and encouragement to continue our work. We have
passion and we have belief but it’s really hard to pay the bills and buy

Centre for Music on the Summit (New Glasgow, NS)

instruments with passion and belief.
”
Deb Jones, Strings Across the Sky
This organization exemplifies how music can connect communities. While it
focuses on teaching youth traditional Nova Scotian folk music, they are
adapting their programming to include the musical traditions and styles from
the homes of the many new Canadians that have immigrated to the community.
Now, the Centre for Music on the Summit is a place where all youth can share
their experiences and culture through music.

Saskatoon Open Door Society (Saskatoon, SK)

The Saskatoon Open Door Society welcomes and assists refugees and
immigrants moving to Saskatoon. They offer an after-school rock band program
for young people who are new to Canada, which helps to foster a sense of
community and belonging among the participants. With the new drums,
keyboards, guitars and basses received from MusiCounts, this organization was
able to stop relying on borrowed instruments, and focus on building a more
inclusive, reliable and sustainable music program for new Canadians.

There was a dramatic increase in applications for the

MusiCounts TD Community Music Program this year
With more than double the number of applications
received in 2019 compared to 2018, it’s evident that the
need for this community program is at its highest yet.
 MUSICOUNTS SUPPORTERS MusiCounts relies on the generosity of individuals, corporations
and third party fundraisers. Thank you for your support.

MusiCounts
Program and
Award Recipients
Please visit musicounts.ca to view
a full list of 2019 MusiCounts
recipients for all programs.
The Leadership Circle is a group of
like-minded individuals who
believe in the health and
sustainability of music education
across Canada. They are incredibly
generous supporters of the
MusiCounts Band Aid Program,

MusiCounts Mark Cohon - Chair ensuring that students all over

Canada have access to musical
Allan Reid - President & CEO
Board of Erik Hoffman - 1st Vice Chair instruments. Leadership Circle
members have access to exclusive
Jeffrey Remedios - 2nd Vice Chair
Directors Shane Carter - Secretary events and the JUNO Awards. By
joining the Leadership Circle, you
Directors are choosing to celebrate and
Julie Adam honour music education in
Bruce Allen schools with major supporters,
Melissa Bubb-Clarke renowned artists, local dignitaries
Joel Carriere and music program participants.
Jeff Craib
Steve Kane To view the MusiCounts
Christina Litz Leadership Circle members
Meghan Symsyk please visit
Jennifer Walsh musicounts.ca/leadershipcircle
Rob Zifarelli

Jennifer Dettman - Observer

MusiCounts Thank you to the MusiCounts

Advisory Committee for its SUPPORTED SINCE INCEPTION BY
Advisory ongoing support of MusiCounts.
For a list of MusiCounts advisory
Committee members, visit musicounts.ca
 MUSICOUNTS HISTORY

1997 2005
First School Instrument Grants MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award Launches
Awarded Via What Became
The MusiCounts Band Aid Program

2007 2013
MusiCounts Awards & Scholarships Begin
First Community Organization Instrument Grants
Awarded Via The MusiCounts TD Community
Music Program

2017
First MusiCounts Inspired Minds
Ambassador Recognized
2018
New MusiCounts Scholarship Program Launches
Focused on Jump-Starting Post-Secondary
Student’s Careers
2019
For The First Time Ever $1 Million
In Instruments Awarded via the
MusiCounts Band Aid Program

219 Dufferin St. Suite 211C, Toronto, ON M6K 3J1 416-485-3135 info@musicounts.ca musicounts.ca

@MusiCounts Charitable Registration Number: 10684 2057 RR0001