Who we are:

Sarah McLachlan School of Music (SoM) operates Community Music Programs in British Columbia and Alberta, serving more than 1,100 children and youth who would otherwise not have access to music education. 

Our vision is to transform lives through the power of music. We do this by building communities where kids can experience connection and personal growth through equitable access to supportive, creative, and inclusive musical learning and expression.

For us, accessible, equitable and barrier-free means SoM is free for all students. Receiving no government funding, to make sure young artists can “find their voice” without cost, our school relies on donor support. 

What we do:

Primarily, SoM runs free, after-school, 1-hour, weekly small group music programs that match students and mentors based on age, interest, experience and availability. 

All students are enrolled in our core program, Musical Discovery. Students are invited to choose a focus instrument to participate in small group classes. Focusing on building foundational skills and musical knowledge, students explore music and express themselves in a way that is meaningful to them. Every group is unique because it is built around the interests, motivations and goals of the students themselves.

Today (24/25), Sarah McLachlan School of Music (SoM) ensures that 1,100 students are seen, heard and valued each year at our locations in Edmonton, New West, and Vancouver. Building on Sarah’s vision, our programming uses music as a vessel to meet the needs of our students, improve their quality of life and positively impact their mental health by providing a space to be themselves and find a sense of belonging. 

We are honoured to be a safe space where our students are supported to build confidence, combat isolation, and have access to programming that is supportive of their diverse social-emotional needs.