Since 2014 High Notes Avante has been using the power of music to help those touched by mental illness.

Our vision:

Compassion, Understanding, Respect and Connections through arts for everyone touched by mental illness. 

Our mission: 

To inspire, give hope and connect those touched by mental illness through artistic expression.

Our registered charitable objectives are:

To relieve conditions associated with mental illness by offering art productions and programming directed towards the alleviation of loneliness and isolation, as well as to reduce the associated stigma.

To promote mental health by providing information from mental health professionals and testimonials from artists, well-known personalities and others who suffer or have suffered from mental illness.

Since at least 1 in 5 Canadians are living with mental health issues at any time, and half of us will have had a mental health issue by the time we turn 40--we ALL have a story. Whether it is you yourself, your daughter, your father, your sister, cousin, spouse or friend or coworker who has it--we are all affected. Mental illness deserves the same compassion and respect from society as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Our work encourages you to share more openly so that we can learn from each other and move forward on higher notes together.

Sadly, many suffer in silence and never reach out for help due to stigma and the fear of being judged. An astonishing 230,000 people consider suicide every year in Ontario and about 11 die by suicide every day in Canada. Still as many as 80 per cent of depression cases and many other conditions can improve, with help. We just have to make it easier to access.

We produced our first of many High Notes Galas for Mental Health in 2013. Our accessible and affordable events are not fundraising but image raising—making our lifesaving messages accessible. 

By showcasing what people are able to do despite mental illness we addressed the underlying problem of stigma and loneliness as we helped prevent premature deaths. A big chunk of our tickets were given away to current mental health clients with the hope to reduce loneliness and giving them hope for a better future. We wanted to and still want to brighten lives!

For our 10-year anniversary we wrote and produced a mental health anthem "WEALLHAVEASTORY (everyone's unique) which we hope will eventually reach everyone across Canada.

MOST RECENTLY, we started the FREE HIGH NOTES MUSIC PROGRAM with individual and group instruction on a variety of instruments--including piano, guitar and sax--for people with mental health issues and others who can simply not afford the normal price tag of music. We believe the therapeutical benefits of music making should be available to everyone. We hope to eventually grow the HIGH NOTES MUSIC PROGRAM to be offered to all students in grades 3 & 4 who wishes to learn n the public schools.

We welcome small and large donations.

Give what you can. All donations will receive an instant tax receipt, including those made in securities.