May 4th is Music Monday!  Launched in 2005 by The Coalition for Music Education, “Music Monday” is one of the world’s largest single events dedicated to raising awareness for music education. Each year, hundreds of thousands of students, educators, and music makers celebrate with events from coast to coast, and participate in the collective singing of the Music Monday Anthem, an original song written by a Canadian artist. The 2020 anthem is the iconic Hymn-to-Freedom by Oscar Peterson and Hariette Hamilton, in a new bilingual translation.

In honour of Music Monday, the Burnaby Music Teachers have created this video.  It is dedicated to all of our students.  I miss you and look forward to being back in the class room with you.  Until then, keep a song in your heart!  (Can you find me in the video?)

You can choose to sing or play the melody on recorder or ukulele, or follow the choir and piano arrangement of this song.  There are lots of options.  Feel free to play other songs too, and create music any way you like.  I’d love to hear about your Music Monday experience.

By raising our voices and instruments in support of Music Monday, we make a powerful statement to all Canadians about the importance of equitable access to quality music education for all students.  Check out the Coalition for Music Education website to see music celebrations streamed from 6am – 6pm.

Guide – Oscar Peterson: A Canadian Icon

Lyrics     Music – voice, recorder, or ukulele

Choir Music – SA and piano    Accompaniment track