Another amazing Music by the Lake is in the books! This year, 328 elementary students from 65 schools and 80 secondary students from 31 schools attended the 8-day music camp located at Camp Wahanowin on Lake Couchiching. Operated by the TDSB Music Department in conjunction with Camp Wahanowin, equity of opportunity is a guiding principle in running Music by the Lake.

The core of the Music by the Lake camp experience is student participation in a large musical ensemble. At the start of camp, elementary student campers are assigned to one of the following groups: string orchestra, band, choir, steel pan ensemble, guitar ensemble, stage band, and new this year, ukulele ensemble or world drumming ensemble. Students also receive daily group master classes from professional music instructors throughout the 8-day camp experience. The music faculty at Music by the Lake provides comprehensive musical training to students based on their many years of experience as professional musicians and educators. 

A unique aspect of Music by the Lake is the opportunity for high school students, from grades 10-12, to support the elementary campers as mentors in the role of Staff Assistants. Staff Assistants offer support to campers, both in musical ensembles and as cabin leaders. Music by the Lake is also a rich professional development experience for future teachers and this year, nine Conductor’s Apprentices, university music students studying to become music teachers, worked alongside the ensemble conductors to instruct students and lead the ensembles.  

The elementary students at Music by the Lake rehearse for four hours a day and attend evening concerts that feature both professional and student performances. In addition, Music by the Lake engages students in many outdoor activities beyond musical learning.  Students participated in volleyball, archery, high ropes, rock climbing and mountain biking, among other activities.  

The staff at Camp Wahanowin ensured our students had many wonderful camp experiences and the TDSB Music Department thanks the various sponsors that provided bursary support by contributing to the Music by the Lake Bursary Fund. A special thanks to TD Insurance for their donations and the TDSB Student Success program.

Music by the Lake has provided music enrichment to thousands of TDSB elementary students over its long history and this year’s camp was one of the best camps yet!