The New Sound: Keeping music education in public schools

Michael Meroniuk. Photo provided by author.

By Michael Meroniuk (he/him), music teacher and professional musician, Vancouver

I grew up in and around small-town BC, playing in the woods, exploring, building forts, and getting into trouble. Every few years, my family would pack up and move to the next town. I attended lots of schools in different communities, but it wasn’t until my Grade 9 year that I started to receive what I deem today as quality music education. Music education was the only reason I stayed in school. In the second half of Grade 11, I was introduced to music production by a teacher who, today, I consider to be the most intelligent, talented, hardworking, and devoted educator I’ve ever met. This experience changed my life forever. My grades improved, I developed meaningful relationships with friends, and even decided to pursue music as a career.

I worked for many years as a professional guitar player and later became a music teacher in Vancouver’s public schools. Throughout the process of being a music maker, I’ve met so many intelligent, welcoming, and compassionate people—contrary to the stereotypes of hotel-room-destroying rock stars.

It’s my fundamental belief that students need access to music in schools, not to become professional musicians, but to have a creative outlet—a fortress of retreat they can return to when the world challenges them.

In 2018, I came across a CBC news story stating that schools all across BC were experiencing major staffing issues and many schools did not have enough qualified educators. I didn’t dwell too much on it at the time, thinking it was more or less a hangover from the Supreme Court of Canada decision in 2016, which forced the provincial government to restore staffing to 2002 levels.

Students in The New Sound program. Photo provided by author.

In 2019, as a teacher teaching on call, I started to notice the impact of teacher shortages on music education. Several schools I worked in had no qualified music teachers, which meant the music program was non-existent or a teacher who had no expertise in music education was doing their best with little or no support and resources. I was shocked and heartbroken to see a subject I hold so dearly be inaccessible to students because they didn't have access to a qualified music teacher at school. In 2022, I kept coming across more stories about the ongoing teacher shortages and realized I needed to do something. So, I decided to create The New Sound.

The New Sound is an education initiative created to ensure every student has access to quality music education regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or physical location. We develop tools and strategies to keep music in schools. Our mission revolves around simplifying recording technology for both experienced or aspiring music educators, empowering them to inspire and engage students. We provide tools for educators to confidently lead students through the realms of music production, integrating seamlessly into existing programs. Our curriculum focuses on developing fundamental skills in recording, beat-making, and music creation using digital audio workstations, emphasizing a practical, hands-on approach. We simplify complex recording techniques into easily understandable concepts, making our courses accessible regardless of prior experience. Our goal is to foster creativity and confidence in students, encouraging them to create original music and progress steadily in their journeys, ensuring they feel a sense of achievement as their ideas come to life.

The only technology required to implement our music curriculum is a laptop with internet access.

If you, or your school, face challenges with implementing music programs, staffing, or if you have any questions about music technology, please don’t hesitate to reach out to info@thenewsound.org. I will be giving two clinics at the 2024 BC Music Educators’ Conference in October, so feel free to come by and say hello.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. It is just one example of why music education is an important part of our public education system. Music education creates space for creativity, connection, exploration, and expression—all of which are integral for students’ development in school.