[Applause] well it was spring 2014 and I just taken
well it was spring 2014 and I just taken
well it was spring 2014 and I just taken my senior Wind Ensemble to the local
my senior Wind Ensemble to the local
my senior Wind Ensemble to the local music festival competition and my
music festival competition and my
music festival competition and my seniors had played a nearly flawless
seniors had played a nearly flawless
seniors had played a nearly flawless performance of some very advanced level
performance of some very advanced level
performance of some very advanced level high school repertoire and as a result
high school repertoire and as a result
high school repertoire and as a result the adjudicator had awarded them the top
the adjudicator had awarded them the top
the adjudicator had awarded them the top prize given out by the festival the
prize given out by the festival the
prize given out by the festival the award for the best ensemble and in that
award for the best ensemble and in that
award for the best ensemble and in that moment I was undoubtedly proud of my
moment I was undoubtedly proud of my
moment I was undoubtedly proud of my students but unexpectedly there was also
students but unexpectedly there was also
students but unexpectedly there was also the sense of emptiness that followed and
the sense of emptiness that followed and
the sense of emptiness that followed and I recall thinking on the bus ride back
I recall thinking on the bus ride back
I recall thinking on the bus ride back to the school that night that if this
to the school that night that if this
to the school that night that if this was everything we had worked towards if
was everything we had worked towards if
was everything we had worked towards if this was it then I was missing something
this was it then I was missing something
this was it then I was missing something I believe we live in a society and that
I believe we live in a society and that
I believe we live in a society and that I teach in an educational system that
I teach in an educational system that
I teach in an educational system that has an unhealthy infatuation with
has an unhealthy infatuation with
has an unhealthy infatuation with competition and the pursuit of
competition and the pursuit of
competition and the pursuit of individualized excellence and you don’t
individualized excellence and you don’t
individualized excellence and you don’t need it and you don’t need to look very
need it and you don’t need to look very
need it and you don’t need to look very far in the high school system to see how
far in the high school system to see how
far in the high school system to see how this plays out we give our highest
this plays out we give our highest
this plays out we give our highest scholarships to our top academic
scholarships to our top academic
scholarships to our top academic achievers we push our athletes our
achievers we push our athletes our
achievers we push our athletes our musicians our Chess Club players our
musicians our Chess Club players our
musicians our Chess Club players our deca Club participants to be the best
deca Club participants to be the best
deca Club participants to be the best and we even design competitions where we
and we even design competitions where we
and we even design competitions where we can show our students without a shadow
can show our students without a shadow
can show our students without a shadow of a doubt who is first and who was last
of a doubt who is first and who was last
of a doubt who is first and who was last who was best and who was worst and all
who was best and who was worst and all
who was best and who was worst and all the while I believe we ignore the
the while I believe we ignore the
the while I believe we ignore the tremendous amount of stress anxiety and
tremendous amount of stress anxiety and
tremendous amount of stress anxiety and pressure that we heap on to our students
pressure that we heap on to our students
pressure that we heap on to our students and I believe we ignore the resulting
and I believe we ignore the resulting
and I believe we ignore the resulting system where countless high school
system where countless high school
system where countless high school students walked the hallways of our
students walked the hallways of our
students walked the hallways of our buildings every single day feeling a
buildings every single day feeling a
buildings every single day feeling a profound sense of disconnection
profound sense of disconnection
profound sense of disconnection isolation and loneliness they choose to
isolation and loneliness they choose to
isolation and loneliness they choose to function on the margins of the community
function on the margins of the community
function on the margins of the community afraid to engage because they’re
afraid to engage because they’re
afraid to engage because they’re terrified that they just won’t measure
terrified that they just won’t measure
terrified that they just won’t measure up but I believe our society functions
up but I believe our society functions
up but I believe our society functions in a similar way so let me ask you the
in a similar way so let me ask you the
in a similar way so let me ask you the question when’s the last time you
question when’s the last time you
question when’s the last time you declined the opportunity to participate
declined the opportunity to participate
declined the opportunity to participate in an activity with others because you
in an activity with others because you
in an activity with others because you were afraid you would measure up that
were afraid you would measure up that
were afraid you would measure up that you might be judge
you might be judge
you might be judge by those around you and we developed
by those around you and we developed
by those around you and we developed these great little catchphrases like you
these great little catchphrases like you
these great little catchphrases like you know what I’d love to sing but I’m
know what I’d love to sing but I’m
know what I’d love to sing but I’m actually tone-deaf or I could you said
actually tone-deaf or I could you said
actually tone-deaf or I could you said that before I or I don’t have an
that before I or I don’t have an
that before I or I don’t have an athletic bone in my body and another
athletic bone in my body and another
athletic bone in my body and another common whenever it is you know I’d help
common whenever it is you know I’d help
common whenever it is you know I’d help but I don’t even know which end of the
but I don’t even know which end of the
but I don’t even know which end of the hammer to pick up and these catchphrases
hammer to pick up and these catchphrases
hammer to pick up and these catchphrases are highly effective in keeping us on
are highly effective in keeping us on
are highly effective in keeping us on the sidelines away from the judgment of
the sidelines away from the judgment of
the sidelines away from the judgment of others but sadly they also prevent us
others but sadly they also prevent us
others but sadly they also prevent us from experiencing the deep sense of
from experiencing the deep sense of
from experiencing the deep sense of belonging that comes when we know that
belonging that comes when we know that
belonging that comes when we know that we belong to others and I think it’s
we belong to others and I think it’s
we belong to others and I think it’s actually a byproduct of a society that
actually a byproduct of a society that
actually a byproduct of a society that at its core doesn’t really value the
at its core doesn’t really value the
at its core doesn’t really value the communal expressions of participation we
communal expressions of participation we
communal expressions of participation we seem to say that the quality of the
seem to say that the quality of the
seem to say that the quality of the activity or the level of the participant
activity or the level of the participant
activity or the level of the participant matters more than the relational
matters more than the relational
matters more than the relational belonging that’s formed when we
belonging that’s formed when we
belonging that’s formed when we participate together and I think it
participate together and I think it
participate together and I think it helps to explain a little bit at least
helps to explain a little bit at least
helps to explain a little bit at least in part the feeling that something was
in part the feeling that something was
in part the feeling that something was missing when I left that festival in
missing when I left that festival in
missing when I left that festival in 2014 because if I’m really honest with
2014 because if I’m really honest with
2014 because if I’m really honest with myself along the way I had started to
myself along the way I had started to
myself along the way I had started to buy into that traditional model of
buy into that traditional model of
buy into that traditional model of excellence and to push my students hard
excellence and to push my students hard
excellence and to push my students hard towards the competition and in so doing
towards the competition and in so doing
towards the competition and in so doing I started to use my students as a
I started to use my students as a
I started to use my students as a vehicle to pursue a musical goal versus
vehicle to pursue a musical goal versus
vehicle to pursue a musical goal versus using music as the vehicle to create
using music as the vehicle to create
using music as the vehicle to create inclusive spaces of belonging for my
inclusive spaces of belonging for my
inclusive spaces of belonging for my students and the one elevates the
students and the one elevates the
students and the one elevates the quality of the activity and the other
quality of the activity and the other
quality of the activity and the other elevates the individual their well-being
elevates the individual their well-being
elevates the individual their well-being their belonging and ultimately their
their belonging and ultimately their
their belonging and ultimately their sense of empowerment that matters most
sense of empowerment that matters most
sense of empowerment that matters most and I want to see a movement in
and I want to see a movement in
and I want to see a movement in education where we leave behind those
education where we leave behind those
education where we leave behind those traditional models of excellence and
traditional models of excellence and
traditional models of excellence and instead forge a courageous new path
instead forge a courageous new path
instead forge a courageous new path towards excellence as defined by shared
towards excellence as defined by shared
towards excellence as defined by shared engagement relational connectedness
engagement relational connectedness
engagement relational connectedness community collaboration where ultimately
community collaboration where ultimately
community collaboration where ultimately our success is determined by the quality
our success is determined by the quality
our success is determined by the quality and the impact of the human interaction
and the impact of the human interaction
and the impact of the human interaction and our ability to be of service to each
and our ability to be of service to each
and our ability to be of service to each other now maybe you think this sounds a
other now maybe you think this sounds a
other now maybe you think this sounds a bit wishy-washy or touchy-feely or maybe
bit wishy-washy or touchy-feely or maybe
bit wishy-washy or touchy-feely or maybe you’re wondering about what this
you’re wondering about what this
you’re wondering about what this actually looks like in practice and in
actually looks like in practice and in
actually looks like in practice and in part I hope to answer that last question
part I hope to answer that last question
part I hope to answer that last question through the illustration of one of the
through the illustration of one of the
through the illustration of one of the projects of our music program but before
projects of our music program but before
projects of our music program but before I get there let me first help to set the
I get there let me first help to set the
I get there let me first help to set the context a little bit for our journey
context a little bit for our journey
context a little bit for our journey because it was when my colleagues and I
because it was when my colleagues and I
because it was when my colleagues and I in our department began to think more
in our department began to think more
in our department began to think more mystically about our role as educators
mystically about our role as educators
mystically about our role as educators when we began to consider the human need
when we began to consider the human need
when we began to consider the human need for belonging to know others and be
for belonging to know others and be
for belonging to know others and be known in return when we began to tackle
known in return when we began to tackle
known in return when we began to tackle the tough question of what it might look
the tough question of what it might look
the tough question of what it might look like for high school music program to
like for high school music program to
like for high school music program to have something to say about social
have something to say about social
have something to say about social justice in our community and when we
justice in our community and when we
justice in our community and when we began to dream of creating inclusive
began to dream of creating inclusive
began to dream of creating inclusive spaces of belonging for students where
spaces of belonging for students where
spaces of belonging for students where they would be empowered to live lives of
they would be empowered to live lives of
they would be empowered to live lives of significance in the world it’s then that
significance in the world it’s then that
significance in the world it’s then that we realized we needed to leave behind
we realized we needed to leave behind
we realized we needed to leave behind those traditional models of excellence
those traditional models of excellence
those traditional models of excellence and instead to shift our purpose towards
and instead to shift our purpose towards
and instead to shift our purpose towards excellence that’s measured through
excellence that’s measured through
excellence that’s measured through relational belonging and one of the
relational belonging and one of the
relational belonging and one of the projects in our music program that’s
projects in our music program that’s
projects in our music program that’s helping us to live these values is
helping us to live these values is
helping us to live these values is called the circle of music and this is a
called the circle of music and this is a
called the circle of music and this is a project where we bring together youth
project where we bring together youth
project where we bring together youth from our music program and we pair them
from our music program and we pair them
from our music program and we pair them with the senior and her community who’s
with the senior and her community who’s
with the senior and her community who’s living with dementia and along with
living with dementia and along with
living with dementia and along with their caregiver they meet each week and
their caregiver they meet each week and
their caregiver they meet each week and over juice and cookies they dig into
over juice and cookies they dig into
over juice and cookies they dig into each other’s lives they get caught up on
each other’s lives they get caught up on
each other’s lives they get caught up on the week and they just build
the week and they just build
the week and they just build relationships and then that’s followed
relationships and then that’s followed
relationships and then that’s followed by a large group time of singing where
by a large group time of singing where
by a large group time of singing where community is fostered through the
community is fostered through the
community is fostered through the creation of art and then again before
creation of art and then again before
creation of art and then again before the time finishes is the opportunity for
the time finishes is the opportunity for
the time finishes is the opportunity for their participants to socialize and this
their participants to socialize and this
their participants to socialize and this is a project that’s a joint project
is a project that’s a joint project
is a project that’s a joint project between the Cameron Heights music
between the Cameron Heights music
between the Cameron Heights music program the kW Alzheimer’s Society merit
program the kW Alzheimer’s Society merit
program the kW Alzheimer’s Society merit a masters and community music graduate
a masters and community music graduate
a masters and community music graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University and st.
from Wilfrid Laurier University and st.
from Wilfrid Laurier University and st. Peter’s Lutheran Church which hosts the
Peter’s Lutheran Church which hosts the
Peter’s Lutheran Church which hosts the event each week but before I say too
event each week but before I say too
event each week but before I say too much more about how the circle of music
much more about how the circle of music
much more about how the circle of music is helping us to redefine excellence I
is helping us to redefine excellence I
is helping us to redefine excellence I want us to experience the circle of
want us to experience the circle of
want us to experience the circle of music at least a little taste of the
music at least a little taste of the
music at least a little taste of the circle of music here tonight so as I
circle of music here tonight so as I
circle of music here tonight so as I invite my friends to come and join us on
invite my friends to come and join us on
invite my friends to come and join us on stage I just want to be clear with you
stage I just want to be clear with you
stage I just want to be clear with you that what’s about to unfold tonight is
that what’s about to unfold tonight is
that what’s about to unfold tonight is not a performance this is not intended
not a performance this is not intended
not a performance this is not intended for you to sit in your chairs and to
for you to sit in your chairs and to
for you to sit in your chairs and to passively consume but rather this is an
passively consume but rather this is an
passively consume but rather this is an open invitation to each of you to be an
open invitation to each of you to be an
open invitation to each of you to be an active engaged participant with us as we
active engaged participant with us as we
active engaged participant with us as we sing so I’m gonna need you to turn off
sing so I’m gonna need you to turn off
sing so I’m gonna need you to turn off that voice in your head that’s used to
that voice in your head that’s used to
that voice in your head that’s used to saying that you’re tone-deaf and you
saying that you’re tone-deaf and you
saying that you’re tone-deaf and you can’t sing and I’m going to need you to
can’t sing and I’m going to need you to
can’t sing and I’m going to need you to society voice that says that you
society voice that says that you
society voice that says that you shouldn’t sing because the people around
shouldn’t sing because the people around
shouldn’t sing because the people around you are going to judge you and instead I
you are going to judge you and instead I
you are going to judge you and instead I want you to take a risk I want you to
want you to take a risk I want you to
want you to take a risk I want you to imagine that you’re sitting on stage
imagine that you’re sitting on stage
imagine that you’re sitting on stage next to one of these seniors or one of
next to one of these seniors or one of
next to one of these seniors or one of these youth experiencing the deep sense
these youth experiencing the deep sense
these youth experiencing the deep sense of joy that comes when we know that we
of joy that comes when we know that we
of joy that comes when we know that we belong and so before I turn it over to
belong and so before I turn it over to
belong and so before I turn it over to Sasha doodles and Kelly who is our
Sasha doodles and Kelly who is our
Sasha doodles and Kelly who is our projects coordinator for the circle of
projects coordinator for the circle of
projects coordinator for the circle of music I just want to say that when we
music I just want to say that when we
music I just want to say that when we finished singing tonight you are welcome
finished singing tonight you are welcome
finished singing tonight you are welcome to applaud but please don’t applaud as
to applaud but please don’t applaud as
to applaud but please don’t applaud as if this was some performance that you
if this was some performance that you
if this was some performance that you watched applaud rather in celebration of
watched applaud rather in celebration of
watched applaud rather in celebration of the moment that were about to share
the moment that were about to share
the moment that were about to share together or applaud in celebration of
together or applaud in celebration of
together or applaud in celebration of the relationships that have formed
the relationships that have formed
the relationships that have formed between these seniors in these youths
between these seniors in these youths
between these seniors in these youths over the last year of the the circle of
over the last year of the the circle of
over the last year of the the circle of music project are you ready
music project are you ready
music project are you ready great let’s sing together tonight
great let’s sing together tonight
great let’s sing together tonight [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
the earth is our mother we must take
the earth is our mother we must take care of her
care of her
care of her the earth is our mother
the earth is our mother
the earth is our mother we must take care of her
hey I know you’re not a Unipol hey I
hey I know you’re not a Unipol hey I know
the rebels are our sisters we must take
the rebels are our sisters we must take care open the rivers are our sisters we
care open the rivers are our sisters we
care open the rivers are our sisters we must take care oh hey Jana
must take care oh hey Jana
must take care oh hey Jana [Music]
the trees are our brothers we must take
the trees are our brothers we must take care we must take care hey hey hey these
care we must take care hey hey hey these
care we must take care hey hey hey these are mother she will take care of our
are mother she will take care of our
are mother she will take care of our face are my teeth will take care
face are my teeth will take care
face are my teeth will take care [Music]
[Music]
[Music] hey hey hey hey
hey hey hey hey
hey hey hey hey Oh
the circle of music is an experience
the circle of music is an experience that just simply wouldn’t exist in our
that just simply wouldn’t exist in our
that just simply wouldn’t exist in our program if we were following those
program if we were following those
program if we were following those traditional models of excellence and we
traditional models of excellence and we
traditional models of excellence and we would lose out on the opportunity to
would lose out on the opportunity to
would lose out on the opportunity to create community between diverse groups
create community between diverse groups
create community between diverse groups of people at its core I believe that
of people at its core I believe that
of people at its core I believe that competition in the pursuit of
competition in the pursuit of
competition in the pursuit of individualized excellence actually
individualized excellence actually
individualized excellence actually fractures relationships and when we
fractures relationships and when we
fractures relationships and when we prioritize technical prescribed outcomes
prioritize technical prescribed outcomes
prioritize technical prescribed outcomes we disempower community stakeholders and
we disempower community stakeholders and
we disempower community stakeholders and the circle of music it’s the kind of
the circle of music it’s the kind of
the circle of music it’s the kind of experience where regardless of whether
experience where regardless of whether
experience where regardless of whether the singing is excellent or not on a
the singing is excellent or not on a
the singing is excellent or not on a given Thursday music remains the
given Thursday music remains the
given Thursday music remains the facilitator of something that’s so much
facilitator of something that’s so much
facilitator of something that’s so much greater for intergenerational
greater for intergenerational
greater for intergenerational communities to be forged for spaces of
communities to be forged for spaces of
communities to be forged for spaces of mentorship and support to flourish and
mentorship and support to flourish and
mentorship and support to flourish and for the hearts and minds of our students
for the hearts and minds of our students
for the hearts and minds of our students to be opened up to the possibility of
to be opened up to the possibility of
to be opened up to the possibility of creating relationships with people that
creating relationships with people that
creating relationships with people that are vastly different than them
are vastly different than them
are vastly different than them relationships that are founded on the
relationships that are founded on the
relationships that are founded on the values of empathy kindness and respect
values of empathy kindness and respect
values of empathy kindness and respect values I believe we can all agree our
values I believe we can all agree our
values I believe we can all agree our world desperately needs more of right
world desperately needs more of right
world desperately needs more of right now in our culture at Cameron Heights we
now in our culture at Cameron Heights we
now in our culture at Cameron Heights we resist the notion that we need to foster
resist the notion that we need to foster
resist the notion that we need to foster the culture of competition and
the culture of competition and
the culture of competition and individualize excellence for the sake of
individualize excellence for the sake of
individualize excellence for the sake of preparing our students for a tough and
preparing our students for a tough and
preparing our students for a tough and competitive world rather I believe it is
competitive world rather I believe it is
competitive world rather I believe it is our responsibility as educators to
our responsibility as educators to
our responsibility as educators to create spaces of inclusion and belonging
create spaces of inclusion and belonging
create spaces of inclusion and belonging for students where they can ultimately
for students where they can ultimately
for students where they can ultimately be empowered to be difference makers in
be empowered to be difference makers in
be empowered to be difference makers in the world shaping the world into a place
the world shaping the world into a place
the world shaping the world into a place where the norm becomes seniors living
where the norm becomes seniors living
where the norm becomes seniors living with dementia meeting to build
with dementia meeting to build
with dementia meeting to build relationships with youth in our program
relationships with youth in our program
relationships with youth in our program we use music as the vehicle to push
we use music as the vehicle to push
we use music as the vehicle to push after this kind of social change in the
after this kind of social change in the
after this kind of social change in the world and the stories of hope and life
world and the stories of hope and life
world and the stories of hope and life transformation that are emerging are
transformation that are emerging are
transformation that are emerging are beautiful and deeply inspiring but I
beautiful and deeply inspiring but I
beautiful and deeply inspiring but I believe that the concepts I’m sharing
believe that the concepts I’m sharing
believe that the concepts I’m sharing with you tonight are broad and I
with you tonight are broad and I
with you tonight are broad and I actually get shivers thinking about what
actually get shivers thinking about what
actually get shivers thinking about what it would look like for each one of you
it would look like for each one of you
it would look like for each one of you gathered here tonight in your own ways
gathered here tonight in your own ways
gathered here tonight in your own ways to begin to implement these ideas in the
to begin to implement these ideas in the
to begin to implement these ideas in the communities that you belong to because
communities that you belong to because
communities that you belong to because the reality is this there are too many
the reality is this there are too many
the reality is this there are too many people in our society who live on the
people in our society who live on the
people in our society who live on the sidelines who feel relegated to the
sidelines who feel relegated to the
sidelines who feel relegated to the margins and they desperately want and
margins and they desperately want and
margins and they desperately want and need a space where they can belong but
need a space where they can belong but
need a space where they can belong but they are terrified that they just don’t
they are terrified that they just don’t
they are terrified that they just don’t match
match
match and they believe that who they are isn’t
and they believe that who they are isn’t
and they believe that who they are isn’t good enough they need a connector
good enough they need a connector
good enough they need a connector someone like you or someone like me
someone like you or someone like me
someone like you or someone like me who’s going to be willing to invite them
who’s going to be willing to invite them
who’s going to be willing to invite them off of the sidelines to pull them from
off of the sidelines to pull them from
off of the sidelines to pull them from their spaces on the margins and welcome
their spaces on the margins and welcome
their spaces on the margins and welcome them into communities where excellence
them into communities where excellence
them into communities where excellence is defined by the quality and the impact
is defined by the quality and the impact
is defined by the quality and the impact of the human interaction and our ability
of the human interaction and our ability
of the human interaction and our ability to be of service to each other
to be of service to each other
to be of service to each other I believe our society needs connectors
I believe our society needs connectors
I believe our society needs connectors now more than it ever has before and so
now more than it ever has before and so
now more than it ever has before and so tonight I leave you with one final
tonight I leave you with one final
tonight I leave you with one final question will you join me in the
question will you join me in the
question will you join me in the difficult but rewarding work of
difficult but rewarding work of
difficult but rewarding work of redefining excellence in our community
redefining excellence in our community
redefining excellence in our community thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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