Beaconsfield student places in International Composition Festival

Music for Young Children teacher Michelle Bohemier had a Regional winner in MYC’s 2009 International Composition Festival. Her student Sabrina Absi, who lives in Beaconsfield, and is in her first year in Sunbeams 1, came in 4th in Eastern Canada with her composition Friendship Splashing. The Festival is now in its 22nd year and is the largest in the world of its kind.

A total of 12,718 Music for Young Children students took part from across Canada, the U.S., New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea. Compositions are judged within their level in seven different regions – Western Canada (BC, AB, SK, MB), Ontario, Eastern Canada (PQ, NS, NB, PEI, NF), United States, South Korea, Singapore and New Zealand. The first place winners of each of these regions then compete internationally. Thirteen reviewers, including Canadian composer Nancy Telfer, played every piece.

Nancy Telfer has been a choral clinician and guest conductor for many provincial, national, and state organizations throughout Canada and the United States. Since 1979 Ms. Telfer has composed more than 260 works for soloists, chamber ensembles, orchestras, bands, pianists, and choirs, most of which are published in Canada and the United States. According to Ms. Telfer, “It is truly amazing to see what these children have composed – so much creativity and such a high understanding of music and music notation. As I was reading through the pieces I could hear the enjoyment the children must have had as they were writing. Composing is not a race where the greatest pleasure is often in the winning. It is while a composer is actually writing the music that the composer has the most enjoyment. I hope that these children will continue on with their composing. Music for Young Children has provided a unique opportunity for them!”

The successful Music for Young Children program, with corporate head office in Kanata, Ontario was founded in 1980 by Frances Balodis. The program, taught in small groups with adult and child both participating, includes piano instruction, singing, rhythm ensembles, sight reading, ear training, theory and composition. MYC is taught by independent teachers throughout Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam and South Korea with approximately 24,000 students enrolled this year.