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'You can do so much with this': London school receives $15K in new musical instruments

Staff at St. Paul Catholic School surprised its students today with an announcement of $15,000 in new musical instruments for students, as part of the MusiCounts Band Aid Program. The announcement also included a surprise performance by four-time Juno nominee, bülow.

St. Paul Catholic Elementary one of 96 schools to receive part of $1 million in equipment

CBC News ·
Students at St. Paul Catholic Elementary School with MusiCounts executive director Kristy Fletcher (back left), Juno nominated artist bulow (back centre), London JUNOS Host Committee chair Chris Campbell (back right) and music teacher Theresa Mathers (back far right). (Chris dela Torre/CBC)

While music education funding in Ontario has been declining in recent years, one London school received a bit of good news.

Students at St. Paul Catholic Elementary School now have $15,000 worth of new musical instruments and equipment, thanks to a grant from MusiCounts, the music education charity associated with the JUNO Awards.

"You can do so much with this," said music teacher Theresa Mathers, who works at various schools in the London area, including St. Paul Catholic Elementary.

"I want instruments because it helps kids be inside the music. And to be able to access the instruments and play and be a part of it is quite thrilling."

St. Paul Catholic Elementary School is one of 96 schools across Canada to benefit from the MusiCounts Band Aid Program. It's allocating $1 million worth of musical instruments and equipment this year.

School staff revealed the news to students at a presentation Monday, which also included a surprise performance by four-time Juno nominee, bülow.

'In a perfect world, we wouldn't exist'

"As we know, cuts to musical education have been significant over the last several years," said MusiCounts executive director, Kristy Fletcher.

"In a perfect world, MusiCounts wouldn't exist. But the reality is we need to fill in the gaps. We want to make sure that music programs continue to flourish in schools, and this is a perfect example at St. Paul Elementary."

Just some of the instruments purchased with $15,000 in new funding for students at St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in London. The instruments were hand-selected by music teacher Theresa Mathers, who applied for the grant through the MusiCounts Band Aid Program. (Chris dela Torre / CBC)

Fletcher also acknowledged support from the London JUNOS Host Committee, which helped raised more than $130,000 for MusiCounts by donating $1.00 per ticket from various shows at London Music Hall, Budweiser Gardens and other London music venues in the lead-up to Juno Week.

The Juno Awards will be broadcast live on CBC from Budweiser Gardens in London.

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