Music Monday took an out-of-the-world twist this year.
Astronaut Chris Hadfield, cruising high above the planet on the International Space Station, was joined by schoolchildren across the country on Monday, singing Is Somebody Singing, a song Canada’s favourite astronaut co-wrote with the Barenaked Ladies’ Ed Robertson.
Students at Woodcrest and Westmount public schools joined in the festivities, filling the Thunder Bay air with their enthusiastic voices.
Twelve-year-old Aleksi Ouma, a Grade 7 student at Woodcrest, said music is an important part of his life. A self-described Skrillex fan, the youngster said it allows freedom of expression like no other medium. “You can do music in any way, shape or form. You can just sing or you can play an instrument. It’s a way to express yourself,” he said.
Cmdr. Hadfield has become a celestial celebrity of late, his Twitter snapshots of Earth from space garnering him nearly three-quarters of a million followers.
Students at both schools have been following his orbital trek, and Aleksi said it was great to join the famous astronaut in song. “It makes me pretty proud, because he’s an amazing man. It took him a long time to get the ability to go to the space station and to honour him is pretty cool.”
Grade 4 student Jackson Kibzei, a 10-year-old, said Music Monday is always fun. “Personally, I really like music. So having a day devoted to music is pretty cool,” said Jackson, a fan of electronic and rock music who lists Deadmau5 as his all-time favourite.
Woodcrest principal Deanna Hannaford, who led the charge on drums, said she was happy beyond words with her students efforts to connect with Hadfield in space. “It’s been dream come true for Jacqui Soulias, our music teacher, and me, to be privileged to accompany him on the drums today,” Hannaford said.
Music just has that ability to bring people together, she added. “It’s toe-tapping fun. Music speaks through the soul. Kids love to sing, they love to clap, they love to clap their hands and tap their feet. And I think when they have the opportunity to do that in a venue like we did today, they’re just totally excited. And they just love to sing.”
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