FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2024

 

SOCAN Foundation Funds Composition Workshop for Sistema Toronto Students 
 

The SOCAN Foundation, a Canadian organisation with a mission to foster musical innovation and talent, has generously supported Sistema Toronto through a grant funding music composition learning with hip-hop artist and educator Aaron Manswell.

Sistema Toronto provides barrier- and cost-free musical and intellectual opportunities to more than 400 children in Toronto's underserved communities with the goal of inspiring transformative social action. The program focuses primarily on social development, aiming to transform the lives of children by teaching skills like problem solving, empathy, and self-advocacy via ensemble-based music education. 

Thanks to support from the SOCAN Foundation, senior orchestra students at Sistema Toronto’s Scarborough centre had the opportunity to participate in, collaborate, and inspire a new commission  by Manswell. Through this process he guided students through the process of learning to perform an original composition. The process saw students engage with various music genres, fusing classical and pop elements by combining orchestral concert hall composition with pop music production. Students learned orchestral playing and collaborated to perform an orchestral score accompanied by an original pop beat, both composed by Manswell. The final piece, titled “Race Car,” pairs an original upbeat pop instrumental with dynamic orchestral composition for cellos, violas and violins. 

Workshop participants had the opportunity to share their performance with younger students in the Sistema program, inspiring them with a performance of the composition. The senior students later performed their piece  at the Sistema Toronto - Scarborough Spring concert on June 11, 2024 to applause from their parents, teachers, and community. 

“We are so grateful to the SOCAN foundation for helping us in making these workshops a reality for our students,” says Shawn Earle, CEO of Sistema Toronto. “With their support, Sistema students get to experience an enriching musical opportunity and see more diverse representation within the music industry. We hope that these workshops spark inspiration within our students.” 

Through their collaborative approach to this project, students were encouraged to foster valuable connections with each other and create community through music. Working with Manswell also gave students the opportunity to work with a successful Black musician, allowing Black students to see themselves represented within Sistema Toronto's programming, as well as in the broader music scene. This project represents Sistema Toronto’s dedication to promote community building while providing opportunities for musical growth amongst the students. Support from foundations like SOCAN allows programs like Sistema Toronto to thrive and continue producing these opportunities for youth in Toronto. 

Untitled design.png

 

About Sistema Toronto:

Sistema Toronto is a charitable organization that provides 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. Students in the program receive 10 hours of free weekly instruction on strings (violin, viola, cello, or double bass), percussion, choir, and — for the youngest students — Music & Movement. 

 

About Socan Foundation: 

The SOCAN Foundation is a Canadian initiative that supports musical innovation and works to increase awareness of the importance of music creators. For the purpose of fostering societal appreciation of Canadian music, the SOCAN Foundation awards grants to Canadian music producers and publishers. These grants enable the dissemination of their music both domestically and internationally.