(Photo: Submitted by Sistema)
A free program that teaches children to play musical instruments in an orchestra setting, has unveiled its 15 year vision.
Sistema New Brunswick President and CEO Ken MacLeod says they’ve launched a $12 million, 10,000 children campaign.
Currently, Sistema NB is offered to 1000 students in nine communities including Moncton, Saint John, Hillsborough and Fredericton, but it will expand through this campaign.
MacLeod says, “Our goal is to serve communities where there is the greatest need. So, we will be working with our partners to assess which are the best communities, the ones in most need, where we can make the biggest impact.”
As a part of this 15 year vision, Sistema NB intends to open five new centres across the province, two satellite centres, two additional regional youth orchestras, and a new in-school program. Their hope is to engage 6,500 more children in core programming, and 4,000 in ensembles.
MacLeod says, “Making Sistema New Brunswick more widely available to more children provides significant economic, social and cultural return on investment to the community. The mission of Sistema New Brunswick is to inspire children and youth to achieve their full potential. We use music and the orchestra as a catalyst to create social change.”
He believes, “All of our children have talent, but not all of them have opportunity. However, when provided opportunity, through their own hard work, guided by caring and experienced coaches and mentors, they can achieve at the highest levels.”
Sistema New Brunswick is based on a highly successful program in South America which focused on bringing about positive social change for underprivileged young people through music education. In New Brunswick it was initiated as part of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra (NBYO) in 2009 with just 50 students and has since grown to 1000 students in nine centres across the province.
MacLeod says, “One of our main operational principles is inclusion and to remove barriers to participation. Children start with us when they are six years of age. Our kids are there everyday afterschool for three hours. If you were to be there on a Friday afternoon, you will see kids, connected and full of joy. It’s a place they want to be and it is a wonderful experience. They’ve indicated better attendance at school, better able to focus and concentrate, improved behaviour and improved academic performance. Those are really important measures of outcomes and maybe the best measure now, is we are in our 12th year and students who started in grades 1,2 and 3, so we are just starting to see graduates.”
Robert Moreau, CEO of UNI Financial Cooperation is the Campaign Cabinet Chair and hopes this initiative will reach a whole generation of New Brunswick’s youth. “The campaign established a fundraising goal of $12 million where the private sector has already committed $6.2 million toward the campaign.”
Clare & Allison McCain are the honorary co-chairs for the Sistema NB, “10,000 Children” vision and campaign.
