Canada Day is July 1. It marks the day in 1867 when Canada became a country. This page has music for the day: the story of the anthem, pieces by Canadian composers, folk songs from coast to coast, and a simple plan for listening at a picnic or before the fireworks.
The anthem
“O Canada.” Calixa Lavallée wrote the music in 1880 for a large gathering in Quebec City. A judge named Adolphe-Basile Routhier wrote the French words. The song was first played on June 24, 1880.
The English words most people sing came later. Robert Stanley Weir wrote them in 1908. Parliament made “O Canada” the national anthem by law in 1980, 100 years after it was written.
Read Calixa Lavallée for kids.
Canadian composers to hear
“Hymn to Freedom,” by Oscar Peterson. A slow, strong piano piece by the jazz pianist from Montreal. Then try “Place St. Henri” from his Canadiana Suite, named for the neighborhood where he grew up. Read Oscar Peterson for kids.
“Juba,” by R. Nathaniel Dett. A two-minute piano dance by a composer born on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Clap along with the beat. Read Dett for kids.
Concerto de Québec, by André Mathieu. A sweeping piece for piano and orchestra by a composer who was a child prodigy. Read André Mathieu for kids.
“Star Gazing,” by Jean Coulthard. A piano piece by a composer from Vancouver. Read Jean Coulthard for kids.
“Shooting Stars,” by Alexina Louie. A short piano piece from her set Star Light, Star Bright. Look at the night sky after. Read Alexina Louie for kids.
“Niimi Aandeg (Crow Dances),” by Barbara Assiginaak. A piano piece by an Anishinaabe composer. Read Barbara Assiginaak for kids.
“Peace Country Hoedown,” by Christine Donkin. A lively piano piece named for a region of northern Alberta and British Columbia. Read Christine Donkin for kids.
For more, read Canadian composers for kids.
Folk songs from coast to coast
| Song | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| “I’se the B’y” | Newfoundland |
| “Farewell to Nova Scotia” | Nova Scotia |
| “Alouette” | French Canada |
| “Un Canadien errant” | Quebec |
| “Land of the Silver Birch” | Canoe country, sung at camps for generations |
| “The Log Driver’s Waltz” | A song by Wade Hemsworth about the men who rode logs down the rivers |
Sing one or two in the car. Read folk song study for homeschool.
Fiddles and feet
Canada has several fiddle styles. Cape Breton, in Nova Scotia, has a driving style that came from Scotland. In Quebec, fiddlers tap out a rhythm with their feet while they play. Métis fiddlers on the prairies have a style of their own.
Read violin vs fiddle.
One tune every hockey fan knows
In 1968, a composer named Dolores Claman wrote a theme for hockey broadcasts on television. So many Canadians know it that people have called it the country’s second anthem.
Music for fireworks
Music for the Royal Fireworks, by Handel. He wrote it in 1749 for a fireworks show in London. It is grand, bright, and full of trumpets and drums. Read Handel for kids.
For the walk to the park, read outdoor orchestra concerts with kids and ear protection for kids at concerts.
A plan for the day
| Time | What to play | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | “O Canada,” in French and in English | Stand and sing |
| Morning | “Juba” and “Peace Country Hoedown” | Clap and dance |
| The car or the picnic | Two folk songs | Sing along |
| Afternoon | “Hymn to Freedom” | Listen with eyes closed |
| Before the fireworks | Music for the Royal Fireworks | March around the yard |
| Bedtime | “Star Gazing” or “Shooting Stars” | Look for the first star |
Things to do together
Two languages. Learn the first line of “O Canada” in the language your child does not know yet.
Map the music. Put a mark on a map of Canada for each composer and each folk song.
Foot rhythm. Sit on a chair and tap heel, toe, heel, toe while you clap a tune. That is what a Quebec fiddler’s feet do.
Write a verse. Make up a new verse for a folk song about the place where you live.
Draw the day. Draw the fireworks while Handel plays.
Questions to ask
- Who wrote “O Canada,” and when?
- Which piece sounded most like the place where we live?
- What would a piece about our town sound like?
Print and play
Use a listening journal page for one piece. For music from the country next door, read classical music for the Fourth of July. For the rest of the summer, try the summer listening challenge.
More from this guide
This article is part of How to introduce kids to classical music.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.