More than 600 children will soon gather in East York to mark Uke Day, a celebration of ukulele music, singing and community.
Poised to take place on April 18, this year’s event will be held at Wilkinson Junior Public School, where the students of music charity Doane Music School will perform with special guests.
“We’re just so proud of the kids when they get there,” said Melanie Doane, its founder and artistic director. “We work really hard to pull it off each year.”
A musical legacy
Doane, a Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter and educator, has been orchestrating a musical movement in East York since 2008. She started with a class of eight when her own children were in elementary school, and her music school now delivers uke lessons to nearly 1,000 students each week with the help of its teachers — 10 here in Toronto and three in Nova Scotia.
She remembers how her father, J. Chalmers Doane, the music supervisor for Halifax schools, brought music into the lives of many children. Building on her father’s music pedagogy, Doane continues the legacy, drawing inspiration from both her parents and her two children, Rosie and Theo.
“Everyone can do music,” Doane said of her philosophy. “Even when they don’t know that they can, we want them to have that experience. We’re a charity and we make it accessible.”
Doane offers the program for a very low fee. In some neighbourhoods, kids receive the program at no cost. She raises the money to run the 30-week curriculum, and any extra financial support she receives allows her to reach more kids starting from Grade 4.
Her students own their ukuleles, allowing them to reinforce learning at home.
“It just makes a difference in the commitment level for everyone,” Doane said. “When they know it’s theirs, they just love it more.”
Empowering children through music
When asked what advice she has for kids who may be afraid to learn music, Doane says, “I get it. It’s scary to try anything new and music is not easy … it does require bravery.
“But the rewards are really, really worth it and especially when there is some anxiety, music is the most beautiful way to deal with it.”
Stella Stamatiou, 12, who is in her third year at the program, said performing is “a little bit scary at first.”
“But then once you’re playing up there, it comes naturally. It feels like the music is coming alive.”
Stella’s mom, Danielle Stamatiou, worked to bring the program to Blake Street Junior Public School about 10 years ago.
“I love everything — from learning the basics about harmony, about singing, about playing together,” she said.
“I want people to know what it does for the community and for the kids.”
In the last school year, Doane’s students performed at more than 60 community concerts.
Performing with famous Canadian artists
Doane’s top students get a chance to demonstrate how good they are. In recent years, they have recorded with Canadian musicians such as Jann Arden, the Barenaked Ladies and Molly Johnson.
WATCH | Melanie Doane and her ukulele students perform:
“We’ve been so lucky to have these artists,” she said.
Doane is keeping her future recording plans under wraps.
As Uke Day approaches, she leaves no doubt that “the real star of the show is all the kids being in there together.”
“These musical moments are made of magic, and that’s the luck of it all for me that I get to do it. It’s such a privilege.”
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