Canada LIVES Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 11, 2017 – Inspired by Canada's sesquicentennial celebration, the Coalition for Music Education will commemorate Canada's musical heritage with a new Music Monday anthem that celebrates the unifying power of music. Commissioned by the Coalition for Music Education, the new anthem is co-written by award-winning songwriters Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas. Entitled Sing It Together, the new anthem unveiled today is available in various languages and arrangements to be used in this year's Music Monday celebration. Music Monday takes place Monday, May 1, 2017 in cities across the country, anchored by a showcase event in Ottawa, ON.

Over the past 12 years, millions of voices have joined together on Music Monday to raise awareness about the value of learning music for children and youth in our schools and communities," says Holly Nimmons, Executive Director, Coalition for Music Education in Canada. "Music lives in every community of our country. It's like a heartbeat across our nation, connecting music makers of all generations and backgrounds. What better way to celebrate the country's 150th year than with a coast-to-coast-to-coast event that unites us as we 'Sing It Together'?"

The 2017 Music Monday sing-along will be led by a live-streamed national showcase concert from our nation's capital in Ottawa, in recognition of the sesquicentennial year. It will also continue last year's #MMC2C2C initiative with a day-long webcast of videos from music programs. This year, the webcast includes the northern coast-line that is home to many indigenous people.

Sing It Together is a collaboration between JUNO award winning, veteran songwriters Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas. Jordan is a singer-songwriter, producer, actor who is Songwriter Chair at the Slaight Family Music Lab, Canadian Film Centre. His songs have been on 35 million CDs, and he has written many hit songs for international artists such as Rod Stewart (currently writing with Stewart for his next album) and Amanda Marshall (Fall From Grace). Co-writer Ian Thomas has many Top 20 records, written for international artists, composed for 22 feature films and been honored witha JUNO Award, four SOCAN classic awards (including 2014 National Achievement Award for excellence in songwriting), and a UNICEF Humanitarian Award.
 

Focusing on the power of voices, Sing It Together asks us to sing for joy, for truth, for healing and for freedom. The recording and video feature Inuit throat singing, Métis fiddling, indigenous drumming, and children's choirs in celebration of Canadian musical heritages. Creating Sing It Together was a journey of discovery and the songwriters encourage music makers to continue this discovery where music lives in their schools and communities "Music is the landscape of Canada," explains Marc Jordan. "We hope it will be a song that illuminates the mosaic of music and cultures that thrive in every corner of the country".

Sing It Together was recorded at Canterbury Music and includes highly-respected, experienced Canadian musicians. It also features Youth4Music musicians and advocates who are part of a national network of youth leaders. Youth4Music promotes the importance of learning, creating, making and valuing music in Canada. Visitors to the Music Monday website (www.musicmonday.ca) can view the video of the original recording of Sing It Together, download music and lyrics, and register to add their voice in the annual celebration.

Those wishing to participate in Music Monday 2017 are invited to visit www.musicmonday.ca for more information and to find ways to get involved, such as learning "Sing It Together" to join in the nationwide sing-along, creating a school or community event, or submitting a video to be included in the nationwide #MMC2C2C webcast on Music Monday. Videos must be from within Canada and relate to Canadian schools, music groups, businesses or community programs. Preference will be given to performances of Canadian music.

Music Monday is made possible with the generous support of the Government of Canada, TD Bank Group, and the NAMM Foundation as well as Titanium level support from Yamaha Canada Music Inc., Long and McQuad and all of our partner organizations. For a full list of sponsors please visit:

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