This was the third and final year that my daughter sang in the Kodály Choral Festival here in the Waterloo Region. The only one like it remaining in the entire country of Canada. It is sponsored by our local business community and run by our board of education with oodles of fantastic teachers who selflessly volunteer.
Many of the songs performed are lively, spiritual songs from around the world with a small selection of uniquely Canadian pieces, some written and composed by our very own local music teachers. Last night my kids sang in Hebrew, Greek, Japanese and in French of course!
IT.IS.FABULOUS!
My nine-year old son performed at Kodály for his very first time. He says it’s his last but I highly doubt it. As he stood on the first riser, almost dead center for all to see, I could tell that this boy is destined to be a star! He is a natural born performer! To a captive audience numbering almost 2,000, he sang his heart out alongside nearly 450 other children from 19 different schools.
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Kodály ~ 2012 |
Music festivals like this one, not only encourage our children to get more involved in the arts but it helps build confidence in those who participate. Those who are (and were) in Grades 4 to 6, going back twenty-six magnificent years, can look upon this time and honestly say it was a highlight of their youth.
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| 450 kids on 1 stage from 19 different schools! |
Last year at Kodály we were introduced to a music teacher from one of our local schools who, once upon a time, was a student on that very same stage. That to me is a sign of a successful program, a job well done!
I truly believe that music is a necessary but largely undervalued component in our educational system and I am grateful that our board sees the value in it!
Thank you Kodály Choral Festival and the Waterloo Region District School Board for moments like these….
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| 2010 |
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| 2011 |
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| 2012 |
As our oldest son watched on, I could see the wheels spinning. I know he regrets not trying out for Kodály when he had the chance in elementary school. You can image how pleased I was when we heard the high-school concert choir guest performing at Kodály. The very same high school he will be attending in September! I was even more pleased to see his transcript this morning…. first course… MUSIC!
I couldn't agree more with you on this one!!! Until I found music at the age of 19, I was a shy outcast of a boy. Once I discovered the joy of performing for a crowd, I completely transformed myself and became a new man.
I only wish I had discovered it sooner, things could have been so different.
Congrats on your children's success, that performance is a big deal and you must be very proud!
I agree as well! Growing children need to be exposed to music and the arts. It is great to learn about and to see where their talents lie.
I know, I personally love music. (I just wrote a post about this the other day.) It's always been a big part of my life and I hope my boys will find it a big part of theirs as well.
Oh goodness, your kids are gorgeous and I'm sure this is an experience for them they'll remember for the rest of their life.
All kids should be exposed to music. I know with my daughter it comes naturally, she loves music, dance, etc. My son loves to dance to anything, but sing, hopefully he'll pick that up soon. Awesome post!
So much fun! I was following your tweets last night as well ) I always get emotional when my kids perform
Music moves me, I'm encouraging our Sydney now to get into the choir but she wasn't ready this year
I get severely irked when I think about how much 'music' kids get in school these days compared to when I was young.
My girlie loves to sing– such fun!
What an awesome opportunity for your children! We were just at Kiwanis with my son, and I was so proud to see him belting out the songs.
music and art are a HUGE part of my homeschool and life!
music was a huge part of my growing up years! Kodaly sounds so cool 🙂
Music is an integral part of my soul – it's part of what makes me alive, honestly! It's been HUGE in my life, and when I was in high school, I KNOW that I would have been a HUGE mess without having choir to put my energies into.
Music communicates in ways that words alone can not, and I too think it's SUPER important to have our kiddos exposed to it as much as possible. It may be the key to having them discover a part of who they are, and how to express themselves.
I love these pics of the kiddos, and your daughter is growing up to be quite a young lady, Shash! She's gorgeous, and her smile just SHINES! You make pretty kids! 🙂 What a neat opportunity for the kids, too. I love it!
Awesome and lovely post.