A partnership between the International Symphony Orchestra and London Aeolian is bringing free children’s violin lessons to the Sarnia area.
A partnership between the International Symphony Orchestra and London Aeolian is bringing free children’s violin lessons to the Sarnia area.
The El Sistema Youth String Education Program will see musicians from the Sarnia-based orchestra teaching students ages nine to 11 at the ISOBar orchestra site in downtown Sarnia, as well as at the Aamjiwnaang First Nation and Walpole Island First Nation.
El Sistema is a free string instruction program that began in 1975 in Venezuela and now operates around the world, including in London.
Anthony Wing, executive director of the orchestra, said he was approached by London Aeolian about expanding the program to Sarnia.
“As soon as we heard about the possibility of bringing El Sistema here, there was no hesitation about partnering with First Nation communities, as well as getting Harmony For Youth involved,” Wing said.
“Above all it will be 100 per cent fun while retaining the wider goals of developing self-worth, work ethic and compassion,” he said.
The expansion of the program to the Sarnia area is being supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, but the orchestra will seek support from local donors “to keep it going,” Wing said.
The funding and donations will allow the program to pay musicians providing the lessons, he said.
Harmony For Youth is providing instruments and volunteers.
“With arts education funding drying up year by year, it’s time to give it away and get violins into as many hands as possible,” Wing said.
“It has been demonstrated time and again that music education greatly, greatly improves students’ general academic work,” he said.
He said El Sistemia began as a movement for social change in Venezuela, and “it has grown like crazy, and most recently is a great success in London.”
The program will begin in March at the school at Walpole Island, Wing said.
Donations will also allow the program to add to the instruments it will be providing for the lessons.
“We have enough violins to start” with “our own stash,” as well as instruments from London Aeolian and Harmony For Youth, Wing said.
“I know we’re going to need more” because of the response so far to the Sarnia program, he said. “We already have 17 kids here at the ISOBar to start with” in March.
Instructors from London’s El Sistema program are scheduled to visit Sarnia later this month for an orientation session for local teachers, as well as students and their families.
Information about registering children for the program, or how to donate to support it, is available by calling the orchestra at 519-337-7775.
The program will begin with children ages nine to 11 but plans are to eventually expand to ages six to 16.