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| Who |
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Who benefits from SASS? SASS Canada workshops and recitals in the schools have been offered free of charge since 2003 to students in grades 6-12, but younger students sometimes get involved, at the discretion of local teachers. We have also seen the continuance of SASS- style writers' circles at the university level, carried forward through the leadership of SASS graduates. SASS Canada pays professional songwriters an honorarium to deliver workshops in the schools on a regulary basis, believing that society needs to value its professional artists. SASS strives to support two main groups: young people and Canadian songwriters. Who supports SASS? SASS has been primarily funded by local public school boards, especially the Durham District School Board, because SASS serves all communities of students, from gifted to at-risk youth. The heart of each SASS club is its teacher. To date, over 200 educators have volunteered their time to lead and listen to SASS writers. Industry sponsors, community groups and generous individuals have supported the SASS program, including the Music Industry Association of Canada (MIAC), Long & McQuade, local Optimist and Rotary Clubs, the Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA), Rogers Cable 10, The Metalworks Institute, the Ontario Trillium Fund, The Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC), and donors such as Byron Nelson and Janet Connors. Songwriters such as Wendell Ferguson, Katherine Wheatley, Linda M, Suzie Vinnick, Jim Parker, David Leask, Carrie-Lynn DeMaeyer, Lynn Harrison, Debra Alexander, Jeff Eager, Don McLeod, David Anthony, David Blair, Jim Vallance, Vezi Tayeb, Patrick Dune, Dale Russell, Selena Gittens, Chad Doucette, Rob Laidlaw, Duane Gibson, Artemis Chartier and others have collectively led over 1,500 songwriting clinics. Celebrities such as John Kay (Steppenwolf), Amy Sky, Anne Murray, Marc Jordan, Lance Hoppen, Chris Patterson (The Arrogant Worms) and Dale Russell have been among the many volunteer judges evaluating SASS song contests. Producers Dale Russell of Trail Mix Studios, Patrick Dune of Dune Tunes Recording, and Patrick Stephenson of Action House Studios have donated studio time to record SASS students, producing three beautiful compilation albums to date. In the 2008 release ‘Songs That Make A Difference’, young writers encourage the world to address famine, poverty, and environmental problems. |
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Very special thanks to Janet Connors, a private citizen who
believes in kids and the arts and single-handedly covered the
costs of 15 SASS Club launch concerts in 2008.
believes in kids and the arts and single-handedly covered the
costs of 15 SASS Club launch concerts in 2008.
| Joshua Hisle and Michael Ronstadt of "Lost In Holland", on tour in SASS schools in 2010 |
| Multiple CCMA Award-winning guitarist and musical humorist, Wendell Ferguson |
| Katherine Wheatley at an elementary SASS Club in 2004 in Oshawa, Ontario |
| Linda M |