OrKidstra
Two Youth Ensembles Honored by Their Governments
Sistema-inspired ensembles in Canada and England recently received big accolades at two high-profile events.
Finding Their Voice: OrKidstra’s KidComposers
Margaret Maria Tobolowska, OrKidstra Cofounder and Teaching Artist, in collaboration with the OrKidstra Team
When a dedicated youth music organization starts brainstorming, the sky opens with possibilities. Such was the lead-up to the creation of KidComposers, a natural extension of OrKidstra’s online Improv Explorers program.
Canadian Program Produces Short Documentary on Pandemic Music-Making
Enjoy this short documentary from Ottawa-based program OrKidstra about the highs and lows of musical growth and achievement. Produced entirely virtually, You Are Your Own Best Teacher: OrKidstra’s Masterclass Story is a 20-minute video that shares how OrKidstra members kept the music going during distance learning.
Canada Connects
Kathryn Cobbler, Teaching Artist, OrKidstra, Ottawa, Ontario; Jacquie McNulty, Site Manager, Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta (YONA) – Sistema, Edmonton; Karma Tomm, Director, Sistema Kingston, Ontario
As El Sistema-inspired programs, we value community. Over the years, programs of various shapes and sizes have sprung up across Canada, laying down roots in priority communities. Although each program is unique in how it strives to support the students and families it serves, we are united as El Sistema-inspired programs in our shared belief in the transformative power of music. We are also bound together in confronting issues that concern all Canadians—issues of income inequality, racism, and systemic oppression, to name a few.
OrKidstra’s Youth Group Gives Students Space to Be Themselves
Andrew Gesing, Program Coordinator, OrKidstra, Ottawa, Canada
“From pizza parties and Frisbee games to movie-watching and intense card matches, Fridays have been something to look even more forward to!” For Noah Linson-Hudson and almost 30 other OrKidstra students, Friday night Chamber Music and Youth Group has been the highlight of the week.
OrKidstra Sings at Canada’s National Hockey Game
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed placerat condimentum blandit. Pellentesque eu metus varius, mattis dolor id, mattis neque. Aenean tempor erat eu consequat sagittis. Phasellus eu arcu gravida, ultricies purus ut, consequat enim. Sed suscipit eros consequat felis vehicula finibus. Cras ac lorem sagittis magna laoreet feugiat quis et sem. Aenean aliquet sem nec convallis placerat. Sed ut ultricies dolor. Duis quis odio rutrum, rhoncus enim id, iaculis nisl. Morbi in varius nibh. Donec ut enim massa. Etiam pulvinar felis ullamcorper felis mollis accumsan.
Wider reach for the youngest; new fun for the oldest
Tina Fedeski, Executive & Artistic Director, OrKidstra
Ottawa’s OrKidstra program has innovative programs growing on both ends of the students’ learning journey with them, like bookends. On the “entry” side is meeting prospective young students in schools.
