Music Scores

Festival of the Sound’s Music Scores 2022 presents “Wandering with Wonder” with Samantha Whelan-Kotkas, Mark Limacher and Walter MacDonald Whitebear

Inspired by the land, water and sky, ‘Wandering with Wonder’ is an immersive musical storytelling experience using the arts to reconnect students with nature. On this journey, students will meet a magical young woman, Wonder, who guides them through a journey with her friends, Turtle, Eagle, Beaver and Bear. Through her eyes, we experience the transformational power of nature, music and friendship as she goes in search of her lost song.

This Spring, Parry Sound elementary school students will collaborate with Artists Samantha Whelan-Kotkas, Mark Limacher and Walter MacDonald White Bear. This incredible trio of teaching artists will bring an exciting multi-disciplinary, educational experience to our students that inspires imagination and creativity through music.

Through individual class visits in Parry Sound, students Grades 4-6 will hear instruments, teachings, and stories of the land taught by Walter – a Cree singer-songwriter, educator and motivational speaker, originally from Moose Factory First Nation. Reflecting on these teachings, students will create their own compositions with pianist Mark Limacher, an accomplished composer and improviser.

Ultimately, students will gain first-hand experience using music as an avenue for self-expression, reflecting on the process through storytelling with trumpet player, and educator Samantha Whelan-Kotkas. Samantha’s boundless energy, extensive education, musicianship and understanding of multi-disciplinary performance make her stand out as one of Canada’s top performers.

This year’s two-week virtual residency will culminate in a final performance on April 8th featuring music created together with our students and our visiting artists!

This adapted version for Parry Sound students of Wandering with Wonder is inspired by Samantha Whelan-Kotkas’ immersive, outdoor work of the same name.

Learn more

Music Scores is the Festival of the Sound’s unique initiative to bring professional musicians to Parry Sound twice each year for visits to all of the elementary schools in the region. Every spring and fall, Festival musicians visit students in grade 4 to 6 at our local schools to get to know the students in an informal atmosphere, share about their instrument(s) and passion for music, and participate in an interactive, mutual learning experience. At the end of the week, approximately 700 students then travel to the Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts to listen to the musicians, now their friends, in a formal concert setting.

The Festival of the Sound is dedicated to providing innovative, creative, thematic programming. This includes our “off-season” music educational projects.

The love of music often begins in childhood and the Festival is committed to bringing world-class, professional classical musicians into our local schools. During the school year, we organize an exciting and innovative music education outreach program called Music Scores. Through this program, the students are provided opportunities to meet professional musicians, learn together with them, and attend professional concerts at the Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts.