By Dan White – Special to the Sydenham Current
Monday, May 4 was not just Star Wars Day at Great Lakes Secondary School. It was the beginning of Education Week—and for approximately 800 students, Music Monday.
Our friend Chitra Dath, a music teacher extraordinaire, has been organizing Music Monday to kick off Education Week each May for the past decade, adapting as needed through the pandemic years. This year, she invited three adult musicians from Wallaceburg to join four from Sarnia and a throng of students.
At 8 a.m., Janet Barnes arrived at our place and the three of us travelled to Sarnia, instruments in tow. Inside the music room, students were already buzzing—chatting, warming up, many dressed in concert black, with a few Star Wars costumes mixed in for good measure.
As roughly 100 student musicians and a handful of adults entered the auditorium, elementary students began filing in. They practised school cheers, waved to friends on stage, and filled the space with the energy only the young embrace. By the time the event began, nearly 600 elementary students from several Sarnia schools had gathered.
Ms. Dath, dressed in a Boba Fett-inspired outfit, conducted the band while a senior student led the audience through Smash Mouth’s All Star and Katy Perry’s Firework. The room was electric as hundreds of students sang along with full band accompaniment. After a few run-throughs, the performances were recorded.
The morning brought together students from across the community in a shared celebration of music—and its ability to connect people.
At one point, I noticed a student who seemed overwhelmed by the experience. After checking in, Ms. Dath reassured me: “Music will save that girl.”
That moment stayed with me.
What Ms. Dath is doing in her classroom is planting seeds—seeds that communities like Sarnia, Wallaceburg, and Chatham will benefit from for years to come.
Over the past year, Joni and I have had the opportunity to play with community ensembles in all three areas, including the Wallaceburg Concert Band, the Lambton Concert Band, and the Chatham Concert Band. Across each of these groups, a few things become clear very quickly.
These bands are built entirely on volunteer commitment. Musicians from all walks of life—students, tradespeople, professionals, retirees—gather weekly to rehearse, improve, and connect. For some, the musical challenge is the primary draw. For others, it is the sense of belonging. For most, it is both.
The benefits extend well beyond the rehearsal hall. Community bands strengthen social connections, contribute to cognitive health, and create opportunities for performance that enrich local events. Smaller ensembles often grow out of these groups, further extending their reach into the community performing at events from Remembrance Day services to weddings and celebrations.
But none of this happens without a foundation.
Music education is that foundation.
There is growing concern that access to music education is declining. A survey by People for Education found that more than 50,000 secondary students in Ontario do not have access to music education. In many schools, arts budgets are extremely limited, and fewer trained music specialists are being hired.
If those trends continue, the pipeline that sustains community ensembles will be at risk.
Events like Music Monday remind us what is possible when students are given the opportunity to engage with music early—and meaningfully.
In just over a year, the Wallaceburg, Lambton, and Chatham concert bands will come together for a large-scale performance at Tecumseh Park in Chatham. BandTogether will celebrate the musicians who enrich their communities through the gift of music and highlight the importance of sustaining these programs for future generations.
The success of events like this—and the ensembles themselves—depends on the continued support of the community.
And perhaps most importantly, it depends on the next generation.
If you have the opportunity, bring your children to a performance, a rehearsal, or an event like Music Monday. Exposure to the arts at a young age can be the beginning of a lifelong connection to music—and to community.
