Sister Thérèse Potvin - daughter of N. Charles + Amélie Montpetit
- b. 1920-06-25 Edmonton, AB
- entered as a nun in 1941
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Sisters of the Assumption of the Virgin have moved to the Sisters of Providence in the south part of Edmonton; Sister Potvin, a Sister of the Assumption is one of these sisters who lives there now (2015).
This project contained ten volumes in total, 1,600 songs which if illustrated, analyzed, and spread out pedagogically and progressively were made into CDs, DVDs and into a whole kit of didactic tools. Among the great musicologists studied such as Orf, Dalcrove, Maltenot. Willems, and Susuki, it is especially those of Kodaly on which she based her "Via Musica" which recommends the folkloric repertoire or basic folklore as material in order that the learner reach the ability of reading musical notations. Kodaly especially values the ability of the human voice as the musical instrument par excellence, over and above all other instruments."
"To sing our language in one thousand and one songs, animated and acted by social and joyous activities (plays rounds, dances) is a linguistic treasure for the youth which has so few opportunities to speak our language properly."
They are now able to participate in a lively activity which enables them to strengthen their pride in their cultural identity. And it is in fact, this aspect of musical education which right away won over Sister Thérèse and which urged her to undertake such a colossal project taking 20 years to accomplish. All along the journey one notices the collaboration of administrators, of pilot projects, of teachers, plus the constant encouragement of her congregation, the Congregation of the Sisters of the Assumption who supported her and encouraged her in her mission. Thanks to the encouragement of many, many collaborators highly qualified in musical composition and in editing through the use of the computer that the series "Via Musica" saw the light of day when such a resource was most needed."
"Sister Thérèse explained that this great collective advancement in musical education which she humbly brought to Alberta in 1963 with the choir "A Coeur Joie" and which then brought the Third International "Choralies" movement to Edmonton in 1973. This experience made her realize that few participants could read music! This evidence made her start her studies and research. Due to new knowledge in pedagogy, the Minister of Education asked her to develop French guide books in musical education. Then she was invited develop a course for teachers at the Faculty St. Jean. From then on a whole series of requests for pedagogical curricula in French were made from all corners of the country and of the world, even from Europe and Asia. Finally it's after receiving a scholarship from the Hungarian Minister of Culture in 1974 that Sister Thérèse became the stimulating agent for forty bursaries to study in Hungary. This contributed to the creation of the Kodaly Association of Alberta. Thanks to her life-project and to her love of music that our teachers are now capable of using "Via Musica" which unites esthetics and culture in our youth."
" The works of "Via Musica" are so rich and their pedagogical usefulness are without equal in the francophone world." This is what Marc Honegger (1926-2003) has said. Amongst other things he was the author of a four-volume Dictionary of music, director of the Institute of Musicology of the University of Human Sciences of Strasbourg from 1958 to 1983; and vice-president of the Society of International Musicology from 1982-1992."
** This text was taken from the souvenir-booklet printed for the 75th anniversary of St-John's College Choir, Edmonton, AB 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment