Platinum Selling Recording Artist Marie Mai Joins MusiCounts To Celebrate Music Education At Longueuil School

Toronto, ON – Today, MusiCounts, Canada’s leading music education charity, was joined by Quebec’s queen of pop Marie Mai, musical director, David Laflèche and Stingray for a celebration at St. Mary’s Elementary School in Longueuil, QC. MusiCounts provides instrument grants to schools in-need all across Canada, and to-date the MusiCounts Band Aid Program has supported over 100 Quebec schools and community organizations with over $1.2 million in instrument grants and awarded 64 scholarships to Quebec post-secondary students.

“MusiCounts believes all students should have access to the life-changing benefits of music education, and we were thrilled to see the students of St. Mary’s using their new MusiCounts instruments already,” said Kristy Fletcher, Executive Director, MusiCounts. “Thank you to Marie Mai for inspiring the next generation of creators, and to Stingray for your continued support of MusiCounts!”

“What a privilege it has been for David and I to have the opportunity to meet these talented young artists! Music is much more than an art – it is a language of the heart! Thanks to MusiCounts’ involvement, these students will be able to continue to develop their passion! It is the best of all gifts!” said Marie Mai.

Award-winning Marie Mai performed “We Collided”, “Exister/Coming Through Me” and “Ton Histoire” with David Laflèche for an excited auditorium of students, and she spoke about her music career and participated in a Q & A session with students. Thanks to the generous support of MusiCounts’ partners like Stingray, St. Mary’s Elementary School received an $11,000 MusiCounts Band Aid Program instrument grant in 2019.

“We are proud to partner with MusiCounts by providing instrument grants to schools,” said Mathieu Péloquin, Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Communications, of Stingray. “Enabling youth to pursue music sets the stage for greater learning and opportunities, and we are thrilled to contribute to improving access to music education.”

St. Mary’s Elementary School’s music program’s annual budget is a mere four hundred dollars, and the new MusiCounts instrument grant received this year has allowed the music program at the school to continue to grow, and will give students access to instruments for years to come. This year, MusiCounts has donated $1 million in musical instruments and equipment to 96 schools across Canada through the MusiCounts Band Aid Program.

**To download hi-res images from the MusiCounts Band Aid Program celebration click here. (Photo credit: Citizen North)

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About Stingray
Montreal-based Stingray is a leading music, media, and technology company with over 1,200 employees worldwide. Stingray is a premium provider of curated direct-to-consumer and B2B services, including audio television channels, more than 100 radio stations, karaoke products, digital signage, in-store music, and music apps, which have been downloaded over 150 million times. Stingray reaches 400 million subscribers in 156 countries. The Stingray Rising Stars Program, launched in 1998 as the Galaxie Rising Star, sets out to discover, encourage, promote and champion new up-and-coming Canadian artists. Over the past 15 years, the Stingray Rising Stars Program has provided over 1000 bursaries and more than one million dollars to artists of various musical backgrounds. For more information: www.stingray.com.

About Marie Mai
Marie Mai is the undisputed Queen of pop in Quebec. An enormously talented singer -songwriter, Marie Mai has dominated the Quebec live music scene for more than 16 years, with over two million fans having flocked to her live shows. With 6 albums, 5 platinum certifications, 6 tours, 15 concerts at the Bell Center, 19 #1 hits, 10 Félix Awards (the highest honour in Quebec music), including 5 for Female Artist of the Year, she has solidified her status as a force in the music industry. As a successful songwriter in both French and English, Marie Mai has won 9 awards from SOCAN and was honoured as Songwriter Of the Year in 2014. She was a featured performer at the Closing Ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games and building on her success, she took on a mentoring role on the Canadian tv show The Launch (CTV) last winter, alongside the famous Scott Borchetta. What comes next can only be more exciting!
www.mariemai.com

About MusiCounts
MusiCounts, Canada's music education charity associated with CARAS and the JUNO Awards is keeping music alive in schools and communities across Canada by putting musical instruments into the hands of children that need them most. MusiCounts' mission is to ensure that youth in Canada have access to music programs through their schools and communities. MusiCounts celebrates musical excellence and achieves its mission through its Band Aid Program, the MusiCounts TD Community Music Program, the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, MusiCounts Inspired Minds Ambassador Award, Scholarships, and other music education initiatives. 

MusiCounts is funded by many of Canada's most dedicated individuals and corporate citizens including and especially The Leadership Circle, TD Bank Group, Stingray Group Inc., Bell Media, SiriusXM Canada, the Slaight Family Foundation, and Canada’s Great Kitchen Party. MusiCounts has been supported since inception by Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., Universal Music Canada, Warner Music Canada Ltd., JUNO Songwriters' Circle, and JUNO Cup. MusiCounts was established in 1997 and has awarded over $13,000,000 in support of music education in Canada. These funds have benefitted over 1,200 schools and communities, supported over 400 post-secondary music program graduates, and honoured 14 extraordinary music teachers and three MusiCounts ambassadors. 
www.musicounts.ca

Mackenzie Vandenberg

Strut Entertainment

Samantha Pickard

President, Strut Entertainment

About MusiCounts