UNDER EMBARGO: JUNO Award Nominee iskwē To Join MusiCounts To Surprise Local School
The below information has not been publicly shared and is under strict embargo until 10:00am EST on October 16.
TORONTO, ON – On Wednesday, October 16, JUNO Award nominee iskwē will join MusiCounts, Canada’s leading music education charity, for a celebration at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Elementary School. In early 2019, the school received a $5,000.00 MusiCounts Band Aid Program instrument grant thanks to the generous support of The Slaight Family Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that children and youth have access to healthcare, social services, and to the arts, especially music. iskwē will perform for the excited students before speaking about her experience with music education.
The MusiCounts Band Aid Program has supported over 1,000 schools across Canada and provides up to $15,000 worth of musical instruments and equipment to school music programs in need, to ensure their current success and sustained growth. In 2019, 96 schools across Canada received $1 million in instruments and equipment. Applications for 2019-20 are now open, and schools can apply for instruments for their new or existing music program at musicounts.ca
| Date: | Wednesday, October 16, 2019 |
| Where: | St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Elementary School |
| Time: | Media Check In: 9:30 a.m. |
| In Attendance: | JUNO Award nominee, iskwē |
| RSVP Contact: | Mackenzie Vandenberg |
| Onsite Contact: | Ashley Sperling |
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About The Slaight Family Foundation:
Established in 2008, The Slaight Family Foundation is committed to making a difference. The Foundation supports projects related to health care, social service initiatives, the arts, at-risk youth as well as providing aid to disadvantaged countries.
www.slaightmusic.com
About iskwē
iskwē is a Juno Award nominee for Indigenous Album of the Year (2018) and winner of the WCMA Electronic/Dance Artist of the Year (2017). A personal sense of community and ancestral curiosity has enabled iskwē, of cree and Métis decent, to enlighten, inspire, unsettle and entertain audiences around the world. iskwē’s new album acākosīk (pronounced acha-ko-suk) - The Stars - ᐊᒐᑯᓯᐠ will be released on November 8.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
November 14 - The Aeolian Hall, London, ON
November 16 - New Vision United Church, Hamilton, ON
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, Bell Media, SiriusXM Canada, the Slaight Family Foundation, Canada’s Great Kitchen Party, and The London JUNO Host Committee. 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.
