Coalition Calling on Canadians to Fill the Skies with Music

TORONTO, ON, February 8, 2013 - The Coalition for Music Education is celebrating the premiere of this year’s official Music Monday song today; I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) by calling on millions of Canadians to learn the song in preparation for Music Monday 2013 on May 6. The song was written by Canadian Space Agency Astronaut and musician Chris Hadfield and Barenaked Ladies’ Ed Robertson and commissioned by The Coalition for Music Education and CBCMusic.ca in partnership with the Canadian Space Agency to celebrate music education in schools across Canada. The song premiers today on CBCMusic.ca and other CBC platforms including Radio One and Radio, with Hadfield performing on the International Space Station and Robertson and the Barenaked Ladies on Earth with Canadian National Showchoir Champions, the Wexford Gleeks.

“The Coalition is calling out to millions of Canadians to help us Fill the Skies with Music and unite our nation in song,” says Coalition Executive Director Holly Nimmons. “We’re inviting music makers of all ages and backgrounds to learn I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) so we can join together on Music Monday, May 6, in our annual coast-to-coast-to-coast simultaneous concert. Music Monday celebrates the power of music and gives a national voice to young music makers.

School music programs and musical groups from all genres across Canada can now access free downloads through the Coalition’s Music Monday website:

• I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing) lead sheet and lyrics,
• 14 musical arrangements, including choral, band, Orff, recorder, guitar, steel pan, drumline, ukulele and barbershop,
• translations of the song into 11 languages including French, Inuktitut, Cree, Ojibway, Russian, Italian, German, Dutch and American Sign Language,
• a Learning and Teaching Module for elementary classrooms that demonstrates the connections between science and music, based on lesson plans from the Canadian Space Agency.

Hadfield, a veteran of two space shuttle missions, will soon become the Commander of the International Space Station (ISS) - a first for any Canadian. Hadfield will speak live from orbit on the International Space Station during Music Monday.

Check out Chris Hadfield, The Barenaked Ladies and the Wexford Gleeks perform the song:

Yamaha Canada Music is the Founding Sponsor of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada
The Coalition for Music Education works to raise the awareness and understanding of the role music education plays in Canadian Culture, and to promote the benefits music education brings to young people. We envision Canada as a country where the lives of all children are enriched by quality school music programs, and where their active participation in music is valued and supported in our communities. For more information about the Coalition, please visit MusicMakesUs.ca

To follow the Coalition’s Music Monday mission, please visit MusicMonday.ca ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @musicmakesus_ca