Program Extension

One of our goals at Sistema Toronto is to ensure that as many students as possible have access to quality music and social development education that empowers, uplifts, and inspires them. In order to reach as many students as we can, Sistema Toronto has begun offering daytime programming at the TDSB Africentric Alternative School and Firgrove Public School as well as complementary programming through Toronto Public Libraries.

Daytime programming takes place during regular class time in schools that do not otherwise have access to music programming. Sistema Toronto Teaching Artists visit with students at least once a week, teaching them strings, choir, percussion, and music theory, while helping to foster social skills such as confidence, empathy, leadership, responsibility, and teamwork. Additional complementary Sistema Toronto programming occurs through our partnerships with community organziations including, most recently, the TPL York Woods Library. Here, Sistema Toronto Teaching Artists visit to provide workshops – either stand-alone sessions or multi-week series’ – to children in the community. In the 2023/4 year, these included a 4-week Music & Movement series for children ages 3-4 years; a panel discussing the history and influence of hip-hop music with students from Sistema Toronto – Yorkwoods alongside hip-hop artist Aaron Manswell; and Djembe Jams: a djembe workshop for children age 7 and up.