WATCH: A Colwood arena was filled with the sound of more than 2000 singing elementary school students Monday. Kids from across the West Shore made a new week something to celebrate with the annual Music Monday at the Q Centre. Luisa Alvarez was there.
For the 5th year at the Q arena and 14th year running, elementary students from all over the West Shore had the room bursting with the sound of music.
All 2,3000 students sang songs together and some classes brought their own flare, adding instruments and solos.
Grade 5 student Genevive Bacon from Wishart Elementary School says she always has fun singing with everyone.
“You get to let go and sing and let your voice kind of express itself,” said Bacon.
It gives students a break from their morning classes and that could be one of the reasons students love it, but soloist Kelsey Pavosick says it’s not the only one.
“My favorite part is hearing everyone sing together and just how amazing it sounds altogether,” said Pavosick.
“It’s one of the few times in our district where we come together all the kids to participate together,” said organizer and music teacher Maureen Jarry.
“At sporting events, they are competing against each other, so this is a chance for them to sing together and make music together.”
Music Monday is a national event that brings students across the country together in song.
It was first launched in 2005 by The Coalition for Music Education to promote the importance of music in classrooms and everyday lives.
“It’s great to see the preschoolers up to our grade fives who will be going onto middle school and hopefully be playing in the band next year, so we hope that they take it with them into their adult lives as well,” said Jarry.
“People think blue Monday or its a sad day of the week and its just one of those things we just want to do to build up people’s spirits and start off the week in a great way,” said SD 62 superintendent Jim Cambridge.
While not everyone was able to fit at the Q center, schools throughout the district participated in their own way. In Sooke, students gathered outside in the afternoon to sing.
Luisa Alvarez
