El Sistema (which translates to The System) is a publicly financed, voluntary sector, music-education program founded in Venezuela by educator, musician, and activist José Antonio Abreu with the motto “Music for Social Change.”
Sistema Winnipeg is a partnership between the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Seven Oaks School Division and Winnipeg School Division. This program encourages students to reach their full potential and inspires greater social change within the community through accessible music education. It delivers musical training every day after school at no cost to participating families.
Sistema Winnipeg engages with up to 150 students in grades 2 to 12 at two main school locations, Elwick Community School (SOSD), and King Edward Community School (WSD). Program experiences include general music, instrumental sectionals, full orchestra and choir rehearsals, and other activities for violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, trombone and tuba. We were very productive throughout the 2023/24 school year, with lots to highlight and celebrate.
Before the school year even started in September, Sistema Winnipeg had eight students attend the Rosamunde Summer Music Academy in August! Thanks to our partnership, we supported ten students at the week-long academy, which develops physical and mental well-being as well as musical and technical abilities and ensemble skills.
The Sistema Winnipeg program officially started in September when we welcomed new and returning students to the program and our new Sistema Winnipeg Music Director, Monica Chen, who is also the WSO’s RBC Assistant Conductor.
In September, students also started participating in Winnipeg Youth Orchestras (WYO). We supported 12 students in weekly rehearsals and provided transportation thanks to our community volunteer drivers.
In early October, the Beethoven Orchestra, students who have been playing their instruments for three to 5 years, performed at the WSO’s Community Celebration concert, conducted by Monica Chen for the first time!
Both participating schools shared the stage in November to record Máhsi ts’eniwe, their submission for the CBC Canadian Music Class Challenge. The work is a Dene Kede composition written by Gloria Gaudet and Leela Gilday and arranged by Sistema Winnipeg teacher Chris Budlong!
Students from both schools performed at the first Family Night events for their communities, showcasing the work they’ve put in. These events end with a celebration over food – potluck style. Sistema Elwick also performed at the Seven Oaks School Division’s Hall of Fame induction concert, honouring Lydia Hedrich, who helped support the creation of Sistema Winnipeg in 2011.
Students in WYO had two performances – the 100th anniversary of the orchestra and their annual Fall Fantasia concert.
The first term ended with the Tannis M. Richardson Winter Concert, named in honour of Tannis M. Richardson, whose ground-breaking gift in 2017, jointly launched the Sistema Winnipeg Endowment Fund with Michael Nozick.
In January, Sistema Winnipeg students were invited to sing the national anthem at a Manitoba Moose game! Sistema families got to experience a Canadian hockey game in person, many for the first time!
In February, the Sistema Winnipeg Benefit Concert fundraiser was held for the first time in a few years, thanks to the support from the Desautel Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba and St John’s College. This concert was presented in memory of Judith Prescott Flynn, who helped support and plan the annual event over the years.
Sistema Winnipeg also offered volunteer opportunities for the participating students. They became the teachers for folks attending the WSO’s Kid’s Concert Series! Running the Instrument Petting Zoo, Sistema Winnipeg kids showed others how to hold and make a sound on the instruments.
Ending off the second term, both schools held their second Family Night events for their communities. Sistema King Edward also performed at Isaac Newton School as a mini-outreach concert for the music program.
After spring break, Sistema Winnipeg students performed with the WSO at the orchestra’s Adventures in Music program, playing for a sold-out hall full of students from across the province.
May saw the last Family Night performances, a performance at Seven Oaks School Division’s Arts in the Park event for Sistema Elwick and the final WYO concert of the year, the Sounds of Spring concert.
We are incredibly proud to share that we have 50 students interested in Rosamunde in August and 20 students accepted to Winnipeg Youth Orchestras for the 2024/25 school year, marking a huge milestone for the program.
The Sistema Winnipeg school year ended with the Michael Nozick Spring Concert held on June 18, at the Seven Oaks Performing Arts Centre at Garden City Collegiate. We celebrated the students’ achievements with an evening full of musical moments by Sistema Winnipeg. This concert is named after Michael Nozick, whose incredibly generous gift launched an endowment fund for Sistema Winnipeg, jointly with Tannis M. Richardson.
Including the final concert, the Sistema Winnipeg program had 15 performances between both school locations and 3 volunteer opportunities at the WSO Kid’s Concerts. If students were also in Rosamunde Summer Music Academy in 2023, and Winnipeg Youth Orchestras this year, they had an additional 4 performance opportunities!
With the support of our community, partners, foundations and sponsors, Sistema Winnipeg will continue to support the growth, both musically and socially, of our student communities. We are grateful for the support we receive!
Jeffrey Acosta is the Manager of Education, Community and Sistema.
