Music Opportunities for Youth

Calgary Youth Orchestra

• Internationally renowned youth orchestra that contributes to the community in Calgary and is the flagship ensemble for the Mount Royal University Conservatory.

Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra

Harmony Project Sooke

• Offers programming for students in the Sooke area such as strings, drumline, orchestras and other small ensembles. Students that participate in their programming also receive a musical instrument to take home. 

Instruments Beyond Borders

• Provides instruments to youth orchestras around the world as well as in the areas around Vancouver. Instruments Beyond Borders takes donations of instruments in working order to help them support youth orchestras throughout the world. 

Kamloops Music Collective

• Serves as a hub of information that promotes year round programming, mentorship/leadership training, musical instrument training, spaces to perform, music program enhancement education and many other outlets in the Kamloops area.

Kunda African Cultural Music and Dance

• Provides programming regarding West African music and dance practices to various audiences and participant groups with its two bases located in Vancouver, British Columbia and Dubreka/Conakry in Guinea, West Africa.

Ptarmigan Arts

• Provides arts programming to people in the island community and visitors to Pender Island, British Columbia.

Saint James Music Academy

• Provides music education for at risk youth to boost their self-esteem and inspire them.

Vancouver Adapted Music Society

• Provides accessible music for the Greater Vancouver area for musicians with physical disabilities.

VSO School of Music 

West Vancouver Youth Band Society

Manitoba Band Association

• Promotes growth and development of bands and band activities for students in Manitoba through the production of festivals, band camps, honour bands and many other initiatives. 

Bluestem

• Choir in Manitoba for youth in grades 9-12 that are avid music-makers interested in singing.

New Brunswick Youth Orchestra

• Striving to provide excellent education to youth in New Brunswick, this orchestra provides orchestral training, sectional coaching, pre-season summer camp, touring opportunities and so much more to their community.

Calos Youth Orchestra

Soundbone 

• Preserves and promotes the traditional music, dance and arts of Newfoundland and Labrador by providing equal opportunities for all ages to be involved at a reasonable price.

Strong Harbour Strings

• Provides equal access to music education for children and youth in Buckmaster’s Circle and Shea Heights neighbourhood in addition to their online programming.

NACC

• Provides mentorship, growing and learning opportunities in music for youth in the Northwest Territories.

Alexander Society for Inclusive Arts

• Charitable organization based in Wolfville, Nova Scotia that demonstrates ways we can all learn together through inclusive creative arts activities. 

Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra

Iqaluit Music Society

• Provides free music education to the remote community of Iqaluit. Iqaluit Music Society also founded the Alianait music festival to bring professional musicians into their small remote community.

Algomatrad 

• Focuses on the acknowledgement of Indigenous lands in Canada. Builds community by encouraging celebration, sharing and learning of traditional music, dance, arts and heritage craft. 

The AMY Project

• Creates a space for women and non-binary youth to engage in performing arts training and creation programs to tell their stories. 

Arts Vivants

• Learning and engagement hub associated with Canada’s National Arts Centre that provides performances, events, resources and more for families, students and educators to use both virtual as well as in person.

Bandology

• Bandology is a proud local non-profit dedicated to more music for more kids via education, collaboration and community. Bandology provides opportunities for kids to play, perform and be inspired, support music educators and advocate for the power of music education.

Dreams Come True Studio 

• Their goal is to engage individuals of all ages and abilities to participate in high quality productions.

Guelph Youth Music Centre

• Fosters arts and community in the Guelph community by running many programs including kids chorus, summer camp, ukulele class, musical theatre, music for children with disabilities and so many more! Serves as a permanent home for Suzuki programming.

Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra

Heart of the City 

• Program in Ottawa that focuses on breaking the barrier of costly music education by having volunteers teach piano lessons in schools for children. 

The Institute for the Performing Arts

• Located in Concord, Ontario, The Institute for the Performing Arts creates a space for young people to train in theatre, dance and music at the highest level of excellence. 

Kawartha Youth Orchestra

Kingston Youth Orchestra 

Musicbox Children’s Charity

• Partners with organizations in twelve cities across the country, to make music education more accessible for children.

monstrARTity

• Fills in the gaps of south-Asian curriculum by exploring music, dance, singing, art and so much more for both youth and seniors in the Mississauga area. 

Niagara Youth Orchestra

OrKIDStra

• An organization that uses music to teach life skills such as teamwork, commitment, respect and pride in achievement. Reaching kids aged 5-18 in Ottawa, OrKIDStra offers free instruments, music lessons and ensemble playing. 

Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy

The Rap Camp 

• Inclusive camp that fosters self expression and confidence from their campers through the art form and safe context of rap. 

SONG

• Sounds of the Next Generation (SONG) provides free music education to children in Northumberland County in the form of a socially inclusive after-school music program. 

Stratford Symphony Youth Orchestra

Sudbury Youth Orchestra

Suzuki Music 

• Hosts group classes throughout the year that help to build a sense of community for children at this school by using the Suzuki Method. 

Thunder Bay Youth Orchestra

Greater Toronto Area

Alpha Rhythm Roots

• Provides workshops, weekly lessons and more that focus on West African traditional music.

Awesome Music Project 

• Delivers programming to youth using music and storytelling to initiate conversations about mental health and wellness.

Batuki Music Society

• Provides African-Canadian youth, ages 16-25 years old, with an opportunity to participate in a mentorship program to help them reach their full potential and dreams as artists.

Durham Youth Orchestra

Lula Music & Arts

• Lula Music and Arts Centre promotes a thriving Latin, Brazilian and global roots music community through concerts, workshops, festivals and outreach in the Toronto region and beyond.

Mississauga Symphony Youth Orchestra

Nagata Shachu

• Japanese Taiko drumming group that performs in concert settings and provides classes for interested individuals ages 16 and up.

Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra

The Rosebud Orchestra

Sistema Toronto

• Serves children in underprivileged communities in Toronto by providing music education on string instruments. 

Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra

Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra

Ukrainian Youth Ensemble

Xenia Concerts

• Strive to create programming for children and their families that face systemic and social barriers, by working alongside neurodiversity and disability communities.

Kitchener-Waterloo Area

Community Music School of Waterloo Region

• Private lessons, workshops and early childhood music programs for kids who cannot access them in the Waterloo region.

KW Youth Concert Band

Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Orchestra

Confederation Centre of the Arts 

• National meeting place to have discussions about Canada’s evolution in the performing arts and heritage activities. Attracts people with many different perspectives from all around the country to convene as well as share their artistic practices and learning.

Association des Orchestre des jeunes de la Montérégie

CAMMAC

• Provides opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to engage in music making practices, with a music library that allows musical groups to sign out music free of charge.

JM Canada

• Focuses on providing a space for young musicians between the ages of 0-16 to experience performance opportunities.

L’orchestre symphonique des jeunes de Montréal

Orchestre des jeunes du mont Royal

Orchestre des jeunes du Quebec maritime

Orchestre symphonique des jeunes de Joilette 

Orchestre symphonique des jeunes de Laval 

Orchestre symphonique des jeunes de Sherbrooke

Orchestre symphonique des jeunes du West Island

University of Regina Conservatory of Performing Arts

• Provides accessible arts education to individuals in the community surrounding the university, even if those individuals are not attending the university.

All-City Band Yukon

• Non-profit organization that provides a place for youth in grades 8-12 to perform wind ensemble and jazz band music in Whitehorse and other Yukon communities.