The evenko foundation thanks SiriusXM for its continued support, which made this $32,000 instrument donation possible.


$32,000 IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS DONATED BY THE EVENKO FOUNDATION!

A major donation is helping support the music department at Curé-Chamberland Elementary School in Trois-Rivières! The school received $32,000 worth of musical instruments, providing students with ideal conditions to thrive in their musical journeys.

Curé-Chamberland Elementary School, which welcomes nearly 250 students from pre-kindergarten (age 4) to Grade 6 — including five specialized classes for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) — stands out for the cultural diversity of its school community. In this context, music plays a central role in the students’ educational experience from the moment they arrive at school.

However, access to a variety of instruments remains a significant challenge due to a limited budget, despite the music teacher’s abundant creativity. Thanks to a generous donation from the evenko foundation, the school is now able to enrich its collection with 23 new instruments, including:

  • 2 Yamaha Alto Saxophones

  • 1 Yamaha Tenor Saxophone

  • 3 Yamaha Bb Trumpets

  • 1 Yamaha Bass Guitar

  • 1 Bass Amplifier

  • 1 Yamaha Rydeen Drum Kit

  • 1 Eastman Euphonium

  • 3 Eastman Trombones

  • 6 Prelude Bb Clarinets

  • 4 Yamaha Flutes and 10 Aras

This support also paves the way for greater musical harmony within the school, making it easier to integrate wind and percussion instruments into music classes for 4th to 6th graders. In addition, specially adapted Ara instruments will now be available to students in ASD classes. This generous gesture is a clear reflection of the evenko foundation’s deep commitment to student success and to the sustainability of music education at Curé-Chamberland.

The unveiling of this generous donation was co-hosted by two long-time friends: Jean-François Robitaille, a teacher at the school, and Alain Trudel, internationally renowned conductor and friend of the foundation. The event took place in the Curé-Chamberland school gym, in front of the school's 180 students.


Mr. Trudel opened the event with a short trombone performance, immediately capturing the students’ attention. This was followed by an energetic Q&A session, during which he shared his passion for music and spoke about the benefits of music education. The students were thrilled and asked many questions, which he answered with kindness and enthusiasm.

The event also featured several musical performances, including student requests — notably the theme from The Simpsons — all within a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The audience gave Mr. Trudel a warm round of applause. Clearly moved by the students’ warm welcome and genuine love of music, he continued the visit in the music classroom with one of the groups who will benefit most from the new Ara educational instruments.

But what is the Ara?
The Ara is an educational musical instrument designed to stimulate creativity and musical exploration in young children. It’s a fun, interactive, programmable music box that allows students to create their own songs in just seconds while developing their artistic instincts.

Designed and manufactured in Quebec, the Ara is meant for all aspiring songwriters, regardless of their musical knowledge. It gives each student the opportunity to compose an original piece they can be proud of.

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Ara: An Educational Musical Instrument
“A huge thank you to the evenko foundation. Your donation is truly invaluable to us. You've literally changed the sense of belonging in our school!”
– François Robitaille, teacher at the school

“Once again, the evenko foundation is working miracles. This couldn’t happen at a better school — and certainly not with a better teacher than Jean-François Robitaille, who’s here with us today!”
– Alain Trudel, internationally renowned conductor and friend of the evenko foundation

“Your donation represents more than 10 years of investment in our music department. It’s absolutely incredible. Thank you to the foundation!”
– Elisabeth Chiasson, School Principal

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About the evenko foundation

Launched in May 2015, the evenko foundation’s mission is to give all young people in Quebec the opportunity to thrive through music. The foundation believes that learning music is essential to the social, psychological, emotional, and academic development of youth. Since 2016, through its Instrument Donation Tour, in partnership with SiriusXM Canada, the foundation is proud to have donated more than $1,359,000 in instruments to over 48 schools and organizations across Quebec.

Source: fondation evenko

Nathalie Roberge| Directrice générale, fondation evenko - nroberge@evenko.ca
Lindsay Coll | Attachée de presse, evenko - lcoll@evenko.ca