John Adaskin Project

John Adaskin Project

John Adaskin Project. A plan to promote increased use of Canadian music in education. In 1961 a 'Graded Educational Music Plan' was conceived and initiated by John Adaskin, executive secretary of the Canadian Music Centre. In 1962, a committee began grading and evaluating Canadian repertoire in terms of its suitability for student performers.

To promote the composition of additional Canadian school music, a Seminar for Graded Educational Music was held in Toronto 11-16 Nov 1963. As part of this seminar, 15 Canadian composers visited schools in the Toronto area, observing student performers with the idea of writing music for their use. 'Seminar II' (Toronto, March 1965), at which the project was renamed in Adaskin's memory, featured concert demonstrations of music by 10 of the 15 'Seminar I' composers and planning for the future of the project.

At a policy conference in Toronto 23-25 Nov 1967, composers, educators, and publishers considered further the development of Canadian music for schools and the need for creativity in education. Enthusiasm at this conference ran high, but action was delayed until 1973, when the CMEA joined the CMCentre to animate the plan, with the amended name 'The John Adaskin Project (Canadian Music for Schools),' under the direction of Patricia Shand. The aims of the joint project were: to acquaint educators with published Canadian music suitable for student vocal and instrumental ensembles, to promote publication of additional music for student performers, and to encourage Canadian composers to add to the repertoire.

The following are works commissioned by the project and later published:

BissellTwo Songs from Shakespeare (BMIC 1965)

Coakley, Donald. Songs for the Morning Band (Kerby 1980)

Fleming, R. 'Madrigal' (Waterloo 1965); ' You Name It' Suite (GVT 1965)

FreedmanThree Vocalises (Leeds 1965)

KeninsNocturne from Nocturne and Dance (B & H 1969)

Kunz 'A Clear Midnight' and 'Slow, Slow Fresh Fount' (Waterloo 1965); 'To Hear an Oriole Sing' (Waterloo 1965)

PépinThree Miniatures for Strings (Oxford University Press 1966, then C. Pépin 1966)

SchaferStatement in Blue (BMIC 1966, UE 1971)

Somers 'The Wonder Song' (BMIC 1964); Theme for Variations (BMIC 1966)

WeinzweigClarinet Quartet (Leeds 1970)

The project has organized numerous workshops, demonstrations, and lectures for teachers, and has produced resource guides to assist teachers in locating published and unpublished Canadian music suitable for student performers (see Publications). It has continued to encourage the creation of additional Canadian repertoire for student performers through direct commissioning and through collaboration with other educational organizations.

Housed in Toronto at the CMCentre, the project has been funded by the CMEA, the CMCentre, the Canada Council, the OAC, the Ontario Ministry of Education, and private foundations.

Publications

Shand, Patricia. Canadian Music: A Selective Guidelist for Teachers (Toronto 1978)

- Musique canadienne: oeuvres choisies à l'intention des professeurs (Toronto 1982)

Maxwell, Karen. A Guide to Solo Canadian Trombone Literature Available Through the Canadian Music Centre (Toronto 1985)

Shand,Patricia. Graded List of Unpublished Canadian Band Music Suitable for Student Performers (Toronto 1985)

- Graded List of Unpublished Canadian String Orchestra Music Suitable for Student Performers (Toronto 1985)

Stubley, Eleanor. Graded List of Unpublished Canadian Brass Chamber Music Suitable for Student Performers (Toronto 1985)

Shand, Patricia. Guidelist of Unpublished Canadian String Orchestra Music Suitable for Student Performers (Toronto 1986)

- Guidelist of Unpublished Canadian Band Music Suitable for Student Performers (Toronto 1987)

Stubley, Eleanor. A Guide to Unpublished Canadian Brass Chamber Music Suitable for Student Performers (Toronto 1989)

- A Guide to Solo French Horn Music by Canadian Composers (Toronto 1990)

MacInnis, Peggy. Guidelist of Canadian Solo Free Bass Accordion Music Suitable for Student Performers (Toronto 1991)