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2008 JUNO Award Nominee Serena Ryder Comes Home to Celebrate MusiCan Grant - Peterborough Area Schools Showcase Talent
MusiCan, the charitable arm of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), the Prince of Wales Public School and Warsaw Public School today celebrated their $10,000 MusiCan Band Aid grants that were used to purchase new musical instruments for the schools.
The presentation included a special performance by Peterborough’s very own 2008 JUNO Award nominee Serena Ryder, who also spoke at the event about her passion for music education.
The event demonstrates the importance of MusiCan – which supports music education in Canadian schools. Band Aid, a component of MusiCan, provides $10,000 grants in the form of musical instruments to schools whose music programs have great potential, yet are in need of funding to ensure their sustained growth.
Excited to showcase their talent as they prepare for music festivals, both school bands participated in the event. The Prince of Wales School band, consisting of 37 students from grades 4 through 8, and the Warsaw School Band, comprised of Grade 8 students, entertained the audience with musical performances. Over 400 students and school staff were present to celebrate this gift of music.
Hailing from a musical family, Serena Ryder is a singer/songwriter known for her deep, bluesy and soulful voice that has drawn comparisons to Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin. Her first album, Falling Out was released in 1999 on the Peterborough, Ontario indie label Mime Radio. After recording a live EP, Ryder signed with independent recording label Isadora and released the critically acclaimed album Unlikely Emergency. Her most recent album release, If Your Memory Serves You Well, is Ryder’s major-label debut on EMI Music Canada. The album features vintage Canadian songs including “Good Morning Starshine,” “This Wheel’s on Fire,” which Bob Dylan co-wrote with the Band’s Rick Danko and her latest single, “My Heart Cries For You”.
If Your Memory Serves You Well has been certified GOLD and also features some incredible self-penned songs including hit single “Weak In The Knees.” Ryder will be participating in the upcoming Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Gala. She is currently working on her new album.
About MusiCan:
MusiCan, the music education charity of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) is helping keep music alive in schools across Canada. MusiCan’s mission is to ensure that children in Canada have access to a comprehensive music program through their school. MusiCan includes Band Aid musical instrument grants, the MusiCan Teacher of the Year Award, Scholarships and other music education initiatives. MusiCan is supported by various initiatives such as the platinum selling Juno Award nominee compilation CD, annual contributions by CTVglobemedia, EMI Music Canada, SONY BMG Music Canada Inc., Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada Ltd., as well as Songwriters’ Circle sponsored by CMPA and SOCAN, Juno Cup and individual and corporate contributions, including The Keg Spirit Foundation and SIRIUS Canada Inc.
Since the Program’s establishment in 1997, over $2.3 million will have been donated impacting 164 post secondary music program graduates and 120,732 individual students, their schools and communities, from coast to coast. MusiCan has also honoured three extraordinary music teachers through the MusiCan Teacher of the Year Award.
For more information on MusiCan, please visit www.musican.ca
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