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SONGS from THE SCHOOLS
YONA-Sistema helps students get in tune with each other
BY CAITLIN HART
t’s standing room only in a classroom at St. Teresa of Calcutta Elementary School. Twenty Grade 2 and 3 students stand
in rows, bows in hand, ready to show off what they’ve been
learning in the Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta (YONA- Sistema) program at their school. The students chatter and play with their music stands as their teacher, Mr. Nathan Chan, sits at the front of the classroom behind an electric piano.
Joy is a word one hears over and over from parents, staff and teachers describing the YONA-Sistema program. The kids don’t use the word, but it’s clear they’ve found joy in their little violins.
Jacquie McNulty, the YONA-Sistema Lead, says that learning to play in an ensemble not only teaches the students music, but it fosters their leadership abilities, builds emotional resilience and teaches a life lesson: it allows kids to learn that mistakes happen as they play music, and you can’t fix what’s already done. You move on and play the next passage as best as you can.
Founded in 2013, YONA-Sistema is a free music program operated by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Winspear Centre in partnership with the Edmonton Catholic School District, Edmonton Public School Board and Kipohtakâw Education Centre. →
Photos by Levi Manchak
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