Euterpe: Music Is The Key, a registered not-for-profit charity, has received a $173,200 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. MPP Peter Tabuns announced the grant, designed to spur growth over a three-year period, recently at the Arts and Letters Club, noting the work that the organization has accomplished with a similar grant that was awarded to the organization in 2020.
In the fall of 2023, Euterpe celebrated 20 years of working with under-served communities in largely inner-city neighbourhoods to spread the love of music through performance programs and workshops. Exposure to live music is the foundation of their offerings. Lessons and instruments follow for those who are interested.
“Music makes the world a better place,” said Peter Tabuns, MPP for Toronto-Danforth. “I want to thank Euterpe: Music Is The Key for their efforts to expand the number of children who develop their musical skills, OTF for funding their efforts and the students who have taken on the opportunity.”
Euterpe: Music Is The Key
Pianist Catherine Wilson founded Euterpe in 1993, and today around 30 musicians are employed through the organization, providing performances, as well as mentorship for budding musicians in Toronto and Brampton.
Previous funding went towards supporting their programs:
- Hosting 74 performances delivered by professional musicians;
- Administrative costs;
- The costs of moving a grand piano from school to school from Yamaha Canada Music Ltd.;
- Developing program materials;
- Funding a scientific study into the impact that Euterpe: Music Is The Key’s programs have on children.
Their flagship performance group is Ensemble Vivant, of which Wilson is the artistic director.
Their work is founded on evidence-based research, which they conduct on an ongoing basis. The studies were designed specifically for Euterpe: Music Is The Key by neuroscientist Dr. Trainor of the McMaster Institute of Music and the Mind.
Laurel Trainor (Ph.D., University of Toronto) is a Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster University, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (FRSC), Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, a McMaster Distinguished University Professor, and a Research Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute, among other things.
Her PhD focus is on the connections between music and healing, and the beneficial ways our brain reacts to music and music-making.
“The benefits of learning a musical instrument and making music with others, such as playing in a band or singing in a choir, are inestimable and life-lasting, including aiding immensely with mental health, focus, all areas of academic learning, positive social and emotional development and overall health and well-being. Our philosophy at Euterpe: Music Is The Key is that all children have the right to be nurtured by musical opportunities that are proven to be life-enhancing. Our inspiring music-education performance programs are proven to empower children of all backgrounds,” comments Catherine Wilson.
Overwhelming Interest
So far, the study has revealed that virtually 100% of the children would not have been exposed to high level music learning opportunities otherwise. Their response is overwhelmingly positive; they want to hear more, and learn to play an instrument to make their own music.
Catherine Wilson comments, “The children are tremendously inspired by our programs, and some reach out asking for instruments. A few years ago we created our Music Mentorship Program, ensuring that children who reach out to us upon experiencing our program, are given instruments and lessons at no charge to them or to their families.”
A partnership with Yamaha Canada Music Ltd makes that possible, gifting the kids with the instrument of their choice.
12-year-old Victoria Abiodun is one of the thousands of students who have been impacted. After experiencing one of their performances at her Jane Finch area school in Toronto, she reached to ask for drums. She became part of Euterpe: Music Is The Key’s Music Mentorship Program, and after 1 year of lessons, performed with Ensemble Vivant at the announcement ceremony on April 22.
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