Jazz on Wheels, Winnipeg’s jazz-based street party band, is back and rolling through inner-city festivals and outdoor parties throughout Winnipeg this summer. As always, the group is a mix of professional musicians and young apprentices—the energy is infectious and the music is lively. This is my first year as leader, and I’m excited! Throughout the […]

The Bridge: Learning for Life is a voluntary, not-for-credit music class at Hugh John Macdonald School that uses a rhythm-first approach to learning music. It is a privately-funded course offered through the school division’s Children’s Heritage Fund, with the support of private donors and foundations. Those are the program’s credentials, but for me, the Bridge […]

When I see my students’ enthusiasm at rehearsal and the joy they take in performance I find myself questioning why more people don’t learn to play a musical instrument. Why doesn’t everyone want to do this? Readers of this space will be familiar with my mantra when it comes to teaching: success breeds enthusiasm. And […]

As we wrap up another year of The Bridge: Music for Life—our most ambitious year by far in terms of student enrollment, rehearsals, and performances—I want to take a moment to talk about the remarkable people at Winnipeg 1 School Division and, in particular, Hugh John MacDonald School. HJM has served as host school for […]

The 2016 members of the Bridge: Music for Life program at Hugh John Macdonald School have been busy. With numerous performances augmenting our regular class time I’ve noticed something remarkable: my students have grown to love performing. Their joy on stage is palpable. Without a doubt, there is much value in playing for an audience! […]