Participants

Participants are drawn with help from Counterpoint Counselling & Education Cooperative, Inc., a community support group. Some of their children will be provided a safe space and an opportunity to learn about creating music, and to take part in creating music with a positive and transformative message. Counterpoint has participated in the conception of the project and provides support as well as participants.

An aim of the community group is to nurture and maintain a relationship with local youth. This will be helped by a culminating festival and performance, and by allowing the musical friendships that develop a space to continue. A local studio has agree to donate recording time.

The process

The process is a guided journey towards self-expression. As the weekly sessions unfold, children will at first confront issues of fairness in the world and then, within a safe and supportive community of peers, artists and educators, with multimedia, musical instruments and the creative process as their tools, gradually bring the focus to the range of their own emotional landscape. As these young people participate in the active exchange of dignity and respect, supporting each other’s efforts and hearing each other’s stories, they’ll internalize non-violent communication styles and gain self esteem.

Each session devotes time to active listening and collaborative creation, resulting in learner-centred knowledge construction through experience.

And… they’ll learn to play the ukulele!