Making Music Education Accessible to Underserved Youth
Photo Credit: The Royal Conservatory of Music
Research has shown that music education is a proven gateway to improved self-confidence, discipline, creativity, and the acquisition of life-long learning and social skills. However, there is a profound inequality of access for youth from disadvantaged communities – youth like Rohith from Brampton, Ontario, with a passion for playing the double bass, or Sofia from Toronto whose parents could no longer afford the harp lessons she loved. This challenge is exactly what the Royal Conservatory of Music sought to address in 2022 with the launch of the Oscar Peterson Program (OPP).
With support from The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation, the OPP seeks to remove financial barriers and provides long-term, tuition-free music instruction, unlocking opportunities for talented young musicians from underserved communities across the Greater Toronto Area. Students participate in a rich curriculum of weekly lessons, music theory and history classes, workshops, and attend performances in the world-class Koerner Hall. Access to mentors from the RCM round out the experience, with faculty leading regular rehearsals and sectionals that foster both skills and confidence. The success of the program has been life-changing.
I had to stop taking harp lessons because we couldn’t afford it. When we heard about this new program starting, it was a dream come true.Sofia, OPP participant
Sofia, a passionate harpist, was devastated when her family had to cancel her music lessons for financial reasons. “The Oscar Peterson Program changed my life,” she says. “In 2022, I had to stop taking harp lessons because we couldn’t afford it. When we heard about this new program starting, it was a dream come true.”
Sofia has immersed herself completely in the program, receiving exceptional training and performance opportunities. She is now pursuing a Bachelor of Music at Wilfred Laurier University, becoming the Oscar Peterson Program’s first student to continue music studies at the post-secondary level. “I literally would not be able to go to Laurier to continue studying if it weren’t for the Oscar Peterson Program."
Rohith playing his bass in rehearsal.Photo Credit: The Royal Conservatory of Music
Bass player Rohith also achieved a significant personal goal: acceptance into the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra after only one year in the OPP. This accomplishment is not only a milestone but also highlights Rohith’s growth with the OPP, where he now encourages and guides fellow students.
“Rohith goes out of his way as a mentor and leader in his section,” said Colin Clarke, Artistic Director of the OPP. “TYSO demands a high level of advancement, and through Rohith’s participation in both orchestras, he is raising the level of playing in the Oscar Peterson Orchestra.”
The Oscar Peterson Program offers young Canadians a transformative chance to enrich their lives on a personal, intellectual, emotion and social level. By providing accessible opportunities, the program reflects the Foundation’s belief that everyone deserves the chance to discover and nurture their talents and explore their potential.
