Youth & Indigenous Reach

An important focus of the PHMS is the Education aspect of our Mission.

In our early years we provided and hosted music education and lessons at our Performance Centre which became popularly known as “The School of Music”. In the 70’s and 80’s as musical education for children transitioned into the schools the PHMS focused on Classical and Choir presentations and eventually added concerts from all Genres.

With the School District struggling to provide musical education the PHMS, in recent years, has expanded its focus to bring live music to Youth on the Coast, with a particular focus on Indigenous and Minority needs.

To deliver this commitment to expanded Youth Programming the PHMS is collaborating with the S.D.46 Madeira Park Elementary and Pender Harbour Secondary Schools, the shishalh Education Division and the S.D.46 Indigenous Learning Team.

In 2026 this commitment evolved, through our discussions, into several events.

March Workshops for Madeira Elementary students in the morning and in the afternoon another for Indigenous Secondary students from Gibsons and Sechelt at the shishalh Community Hall by, Juno winner, Morgan Toney & Ryan Roberts fusing the fiery fiddling of Cape Breton with the old songs of the Mi’kmaq.

In May 2026 Krystle Dos Santos & Company presented A History of Motown featuring the impact of black women in music. The afternoon workshop involved the whole PHSS student body busing to the Pender Performance Centre where they were joined by an Indigenous Learning class from Sechelt which focused on Women in Music for Black History Month in February.

Then in the Fall, local musicians will present Introduction to Instruments in the Pender Performance Centre and shishalh Hall for younger children. This year will feature a Celtic Bagpiper, shishalh Drummer/Singer and Pianist & Fiddler.

If you would like to support this initiative and keep it going into the future, you can make donations at PHMS Programming Fund or contact our Treasurer, Kathleen Barlow: .