About Euterpe
Mission Statement
EUTERPE: Music Is The Key, named after the Greek Muse of Music, is a registered not-for-profit charity whose mission includes providing highest-level LIVE and VIRTUAL music education/performance programs that bridge and connect the diverse musical cultures of Classical, Jazz, Stride, Blues, Latin, Indigenous/Métis, Caribbean, South Asian and other musical styles to those who might not have access to these life-enhancing opportunities. Our principal focus is children, especially those in underserved communities.
Seniors are also among those who benefit tremendously from our unique stylistically diverse performance programs.
Euterpe: Music Is The Key’s evidence-based programs are provided free-of-charge to all recipients and organizations and are endorsed by leading neuroscientists on music and the mind as well as by the education and arts communities.
Music Is The Key for happier, healthier children, families, seniors, and respective communities.
CHILDREN:
For 20 years Euterpe: Music Is The Key has enriched children’s lives with music by creating and presenting highest-level music education performance programs, LIVE and VIRTUAL, that inform, inspire and excite the imagination. Our programs bridge and connect the diverse musical cultures of Classical, Jazz, Latin, Indigenous/Métis, Caribbean, South Asian and other musical styles. A principal focus is children, especially those in underserved communities. When children experience the successful collaboration of cultures through musical bridges it demonstrates a healthy approach to uniting and communicating the best of what we are to each other all through the universal language of music.
Our programs are presented by world-class performers/educators of diverse cultural backgrounds. Inclusion and engagement is paramount to Euterpe’s philosophy and our programs have a tremendously positive impact on children of all backgrounds, including marginalized children (largely of low-income, culturally diverse backgrounds) in underserved schools/communities.
Our Music Mentorship Program provides sponsorship of musical instruments and lessons for these children.
The long-term educational, artistic and health benefits of learning music and participating in music-making activities is known to provide inestimable benefits for the developing brain, aiding immensely with mental health, focus, academic achievement, all areas of positive social development, overall health and well-being throughout life. Yet, vitally important music programs that were once an integral part of Canadian school curriculums are no longer unavailable to the vast majority of children in our country. Music is facing elimination in schools.
Euterpe’s life-enhancing evidence-based music education performance programs inspire children of diverse cultural backgrounds to want to hear more of this music, to play a musical instrument and to become involved in music-making activities, such as singing in a choir or playing in bands. When children are involved with this music early on, they become much better equipped in life.
Euterpe: Music Is The Key’s unique music education performance programs connect children to the culture, heritage and roots of these musical styles/genres and demonstrate how these diverse musical styles unite us all through the universal language of music.
Euterpe: Music is The Key was awarded a 3-year Ontario Trillium Foundation Grow Grant in 2020, and a Canada Council for the Arts grant in 2021.
SENIORS
For 20 years, Euterpe: Music Is The Key has been devoted to bringing highest-level, stylistically diverse performance programs to SENIORS. Tens of thousands of seniors lives have been significantly enriched by the many wonderful performance programs provided by Euterpe’s world-class performers, whose fun and engaging rapport with the residents accompanies the superb music-making. Euterpe: Music Is The Key’s unique performance programs, which have been endorsed by leading neuroscientists on music and the mind, richly fulfill the tremendous need for live musical stimulation for seniors.
EUTERPE – Additional Musical Initiatives Include:
EUTERPE: Music Is The Key: Sponsors Ensemble Vivant (core Euterpe musicians) to deliver Euterpe’s invaluable music education/ performance programs in public schools throughout the nation in every locale that Ensemble Vivant performs.
COLLABORATIONS
EUTERPE: Music Is The Key musicians regularly collaborate with children and youth choirs to give young people the opportunity to perform with world-class professionals. It’s the music-making that brings the lasting joy, no matter the demographic.
EUTERPE: Music Is The Key collaborates with other charities, community outreach programs, institutions, and educational facilities.
CONCERTS in NEEDFUL COMMUNITIES
EUTERPE: Music Is The Key musicians provide concerts in needful communities. Live, shared musical opportunities bring people together giving lasting, joyous experiences.
FREE CONCERT TICKETS
EUTERPE: Music Is The Key provides free tickets to all Ensemble Vivant concerts to targeted community groups serving people of all ages and from all walks of life.
Euterpe Musicians:
Euterpe’s flagship performance group is internationally acclaimed Ensemble Vivant, whose core members are:
- Catherine Wilson, piano/artistic director
- Sarah Boyer
- Norman Hathaway, viola
- George Koller, bass
Other leaders from the classical and jazz community include:
- Corey Gemmell, violin
- Aysel Taghi-Zada, violin
- Erica Beston, violin
- Don Thompson, O.C., vibes
- Kevin Turcotte, trumpet/flugelhorn
- Guido Basso, O.C., trumpet/flugelhorn
- Phil Seguin, trumpet, percussion
- Steve McDade, trumpet/flugelhorn
- Alexander Brown, trumpet
- Mike Murley, sax
- Perry White, sax
- Tara Davidson, sax
- Allison Au, sax
- Jake Koffman, sax
- Virginia MacDonald, clarinet
- Sybil Shanahan, cello
- Tom Mueller, cello
- Mary Katherine Finch, cello
- Liza McLellan, cello
- Beth Silver, cello
- Lydia Munchinsky, cello
- Jim Vivian, bass
- Ross McIntyre, bass
- Andrew Downing, bass
- Brian Barlow, drums
- Barry Elmes, drums
- Juan Carlos Medrano, Latin Percussion
- Adrian Bent, drums
- Alicia Ault, voice
Euterpe Makes a Difference. You Can Help.
The benefits of Euterpe’s initiatives for the young, developing mind are inestimable, and the multiple healing and other benefits for people of all ages are widely documented.
