Sylvia Carscadden, founder and director of the Kampana Handbells, received the inaugural Joan Mantle Music Trust Community Award on Saturday, April 5, 2014. The award was presented during the International Dinner in support of the Trust.
In accepting the award, Sylvia Carscadden said that music teachers don't always realize the tremendous impact they have on a person's life. “I want to reinforce to teachers the great influence they have on their students,” she said. “Music teachers provided experiences and opportunities that formed my appreciation of quality and the discipline of excellence. But most importantly, they made an extra effort to share what they loved. It has had a lasting impact on my life and I am truly honoured to receive this wonderful award.”
“Sylvia Carscadden shares Joan Mantle’s passion for music education for all ages and we welcomed this opportunity to recognize her significant contribution in the company of her family and friends,” said Ralph McIntosh, Chair of the Joan Mantle Music Trust Steering Committee. “Sylvia has had a positive impact on music in the community, has promoted lifelong music education, and has served as an inspiration to others through her musical contributions and accomplishments.”
Ralph McIntosh thanked the many people who attended the third International Dinner in support of the Joan Mantle Music Trust. He also commended the local individuals, organizations and businesses who donated items for the silent auction. “This event was a tremendous success, raising over $10,000 for the purchase of instruments for students in Rainbow Schools,” he said. “We greatly appreciate everyone’s support.”
About Sylvia Carscadden
Sylvia Carscadden founded the Kampana Handbells in 1975, serving as director until their final concert in December 2013. She spearheaded the only handbell group in northeastern Ontario, one of the few non-church and non-school based handbell groups in the province. An Honorary Fellow of Huntington University, she is a Charter Member of the Ontario Guild of English Handbell Ringers.
The unexpected gift of English handbells from her retired music-teacher mother would be the start of a legacy that would teach music and performance skills to dozens of children, teens and adults for close to four decades. Sylvia Carscadden’s passion for handbells grew into concerts for local audiences in support of many not-for-profit organizations and workshops on chime playing for elementary teachers. In the process, she inspired the creation of handbell/chime choirs in area schools and churches, and launched one of her daughters on a career as a professional handbell soloist and ensemble director.
Sylvia’s first choir was made up of her four children and their friends. While she was a competent pianist, she’d never seen handbells before, let alone played them. So she read and experimented and went to handbell workshops in Canada and the United States to figure out what to do with this uncommon gift.
As the children moved on and she came into her own as a gifted ringer and director, Sylvia - with characteristic enthusiasm and generosity – invited newcomers into successive Kampana choirs. Members honed their music reading skills and gained the self-confidence that comes from performing in public, and being supported by a “can do” attitude.
Over the years, the Kampana Handbells have been guest performers at many concerts in the Sudbury area, including the Bel Canto Chorus, Sudbury Chamber Singers, Heart & Soul Singers, Bell Park Gazebo series, Market Square Festival of Trees, and other city-based events. They have played at school concerts, fundraisers, dinners and meetings.
Sylvia Carscadden, founder and director of the Kampana Handbells, received the inaugural Joan Mantle Music Trust Community Award on Saturday, April 5, 2014. The award was presented during the International Dinner in support of the Trust.
In accepting the award, Sylvia Carscadden said that music teachers don't always realize the tremendous impact they have on a person's life. “I want to reinforce to teachers the great influence they have on their students,” she said. “Music teachers provided experiences and opportunities that formed my appreciation of quality and the discipline of excellence. But most importantly, they made an extra effort to share what they loved. It has had a lasting impact on my life and I am truly honoured to receive this wonderful award.”
“Sylvia Carscadden shares Joan Mantle’s passion for music education for all ages and we welcomed this opportunity to recognize her significant contribution in the company of her family and friends,” said Ralph McIntosh, Chair of the Joan Mantle Music Trust Steering Committee. “Sylvia has had a positive impact on music in the community, has promoted lifelong music education, and has served as an inspiration to others through her musical contributions and accomplishments.”
Ralph McIntosh thanked the many people who attended the third International Dinner in support of the Joan Mantle Music Trust. He also commended the local individuals, organizations and businesses who donated items for the silent auction. “This event was a tremendous success, raising over $10,000 for the purchase of instruments for students in Rainbow Schools,” he said. “We greatly appreciate everyone’s support.”
With her passion for nurturing musical ability in young people, Sylvia Carscadden made a point of inviting young musicians to perform as guests at Kampana concerts, including the Chime Choir from Copper Cliff Public School, which was founded by a former Kampana ringer. Children were always admitted free of charge and were encouraged to ring the bells and chimes after the concert.
The Kampana Handbells regularly entered the Sudbury Kiwanis Festival. Their involvement prompted the creation of a new category at this annual celebration of music, which provided an opportunity for more children and youth to be exposed to the unique sound of handbells. The Kampana Handbell choirs have also released two CDs.
As director of the group, as in the rest of her life, Sylvia was generous with her time, her spirit, and her resources. Her passion for music meant that she had high standards for her ringers. Her flexible, inclusive and supportive approach inspired the ringers to always do their best so they could hear Sylvia say, “Oh, that was so good! I’m so proud of you!”
About the Joan Mantle Music Trust
The Joan Mantle Music Trust was established in the fall of 2008 to help refresh, modernize and revitalize school music programs in the Rainbow District School Board. The Trust allocates funding for musical instruments and equipment to selected schools on a rotating basis. The Trust also accepts the donation of new and used musical instruments and allocates them to schools in need. This ensures that there is an ongoing improvement in the condition of musical equipment throughout the Board, allowing for students to achieve more in their musical studies together.