Sistema Toronto is once again providing their students with the opportunity for creation, expression, and mentorship through a new creative composition project. In line with their mission to inspire and empower youth through culturally responsive music education, the children’s music charity is offering their students the chance to learn elements of composition and professional performance techniques in a multi-part workshop with Aaron Manswell and the Nathaniel Dett Chorale (NDC). Funded by SOCAN Foundation, the Toronto Arts Council, and Desjardins, the project will span the whole term, and will culminate in a community performance alongside the professional musicians of the NDC on May 29th.
Manswell, a celebrated producer, conductor, and award-winning composer, began working with students at Sistema Toronto – Scarborough in January, engaging the students in a two-part workshop designed to inspire their creativity. During the two sessions, Manswell worked with students to determine a list of themes important to them, including Peace, Bullying, Parents, Safety, Denial, and Pressure. From this list, students voted on their final theme of Trying, before writing lyrics and devising a melody that would become the “hook” of the final piece. As Manswell explained to the students, the hook is a central part of a composition – the part that gets “stuck in your head” – making the students’ contributions and voices truly central to the piece.
Once the students established their lyrics and wrote their melody, Manswell worked to develop their composition into its final iteration: a 5-6 minute piece for choral performance, entitled Try. Now, students will spend the rest of their term rehearsing the piece to prepare for its debut at the season closing concert of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale at Grace Church on the Hill on May 29th.
“The students’ voices were central to this initiative and they have really embraced the idea that they have ownership of this work” says Shawn Earle, CEO of Sistema Toronto. “You can tell that they feel a sense of artistic achievement every time they rehearse the piece, and more importantly, that they can see themselves in the music.”
A core part of Sistema Toronto’s mission is culturally responsive programming that reflects students’ backgrounds and identities. At the Scarborough centre, where a large percentage of students identify as Black, collaborating with mentors like Manswell, NDC Artistic Director Brainerd Blyden-Taylor, and the NDC vocalists allows students to envision their own potential as artists and see that their heritage has a vital and celebrated place on the concert stage. For the 93% of students identifying as people of colour, this project is a chance to explore music beyond the Western canon, honouring their diverse lived experiences while expanding the boundaries of their musical education.
“As a Black composer, I’m honoured to collaborate with Black children to compose music that feels natural to us, using composition techniques that honour the oral traditions of our heritage” says Manswell. “Projects like this validate these cultural music creation avenues and have the power to inspire the next generation of Black composers.”
Sistema Toronto provides barrier- and cost-free musical and intellectual opportunities to over 650 children and youth each week in Toronto’s underserved communities, using ensemble-based music education to foster skills like teamwork, creativity, and resilience. Students enrolled in the core program receive 10 hours of free weekly instruction including strings (violin, viola, cello, or double bass), percussion, choir, winds (clarinet or trumpet), and music theory, and for the youngest students, Music & Movement. The program aims to empower students to reach their full potential while inspiring transformative social action.
You can read more about the performance and purchase your tickets at: www.nathanieldettchorale.org
About Sistema Toronto
Sistema Toronto is a charitable organization that aims to provide accessible and inclusive music education to children from Toronto’s underserved communities. By fostering a love for music, Sistema Toronto empowers children to develop essential life skills and achieve their full potential, positively impacting their lives and the communities they belong to.
About Aaron Manswell
Aaron Manswell is a Toronto-based composer, music producer, conductor, and Doctor of Musical Arts whose work has been premiered and recorded across North America. His work with Sistema Toronto has included his composition of a commissioned piece titled Race Car that is now part of Sistema Toronto’s benchmark repertoire for students across the program.
About the Nathaniel Dett Chorale
The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada’s premier professional choral ensemble dedicated to the performance and preservation of Afrocentric vocal music. Founded by Brainerd Blyden-Taylor, the 21-member ensemble honors the legacy of R. Nathaniel Dett by showcasing a sophisticated repertoire that spans classical, spiritual, gospel, and jazz traditions. Renowned for their technical excellence and cultural advocacy, the Chorale continues to bridge divides and inspire global audiences through the powerful medium of song.
