Partnerships
The Leading Note Foundation is a group of concerned and socially active community members, musicians and teachers, who are committed to addressing the need of bringing music into our communities and ultimately back into our schools in Ottawa.
The OrKidstra and KidSingers programs are bringing several parts of the community together and the Foundation has close partnerships with the following:
- The Leading Note music store - visit their web site at www.leadingnote.com
- The Bronson Centre - visit their web site at www.bronsoncentre.ca
- The Ottawa Youth Orchestra - visit their web site at www.oyoa-aojo.ca
- University of Ottawa - visit the music department web site at www.music.uottawa.ca or the Experiential Learning Service web site at www.sass.uottawa.ca/els/
The Leading Note Music Store
The Leading Note has been in business since 1999 and is now an integral part of the classical music scene in Ottawa. Not only does it sell print music for all instruments at all levels for students, teachers, professional musicians, orchestras and choirs, but it plays a vital role in promoting music-making in Ottawa. The Leading Note has a customer base of at least 15,000 musicians of all ages and levels, so it maintains a close collaborative connection with the large, vibrant classical music community.
Both the owners and all five employees are active musicians. Tina Fedeski, Executive Director and co-founder of The Leading Note Foundation is a freelance flute player and teacher, who has played with all the established orchestras and festivals in Ottawa. She is passionate about youth music and coaching the Junior Youth Orchestra wind section at the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy is one of the highlights of her week.
Margaret Munro Tobolowska, Music Director and co-founder of The Leading Note Foundation is a dynamic musician. As well as being a former cellist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, she is passionate about teaching and loves performing for children. She has composed, written, produced and performed two CDs ‘A Cello for Chelsea’ and ‘Zara the Maggini’ - creative musical stories that incorporate storytelling, musical compositions, and arrangements into delightful performances that spark the imagination of children and adults alike.
The Bronson Centre
The program takes place in The Bronson Centre - a caring community centre - which provides quality and affordable space to community-based not-for-profit organizations with limited resources. The Bronson Centre provides The Leading Note Foundation with a perfect base to develop the program. The Centretown facility has many spaces available in after-school hours as well as a fully-equipped theatre that seats 900 and a hall with a large stage that can seat 200. It is conveniently located in the centre of Ottawa, is very well serviced by local transportation and has free parking for 40 cars behind the building. There are also numerous schools located close by, many of which are beacon schools.
The Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy (OYOA)
“Our goal is to provide youth in the Ottawa region with a continuum of high-quality orchestral and ensemble training and performance opportunities at an affordable cost in a supportive musical environment.”
Goal – Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy
Ten advanced players in OYOA have been mentoring the young OrKidstra students every week in the Orkidstra programs. This experience has been enlightening and inspiring for all involved. Their volunteering hours can be counted towards their high school volunteer requirements.
The Leading Note Foundation will offer scholarships to young musicians from the OrKidstra program to attend the OYOA on Saturday mornings starting in September 2008, further supporting the most talented children from the program in their musical endeavours.
University of Ottawa
A partnership has been developed between the Foundation and the Music and Experiential Learning Service departments at the University of Ottawa (the latter of which fosters active-based learning). This partnership officially began in September 2008.
Undergraduate students volunteer with the OrKidstra and KidSingers programs for over 100 hours throughout the academic year (as instrument teachers, voice teachers and music arrangers) for a credit course. Student participation from other programs within the university, such as the Arts Administration Program and even disciplines not related to music or the arts, may also be included in the future.
