Canadian singer Tim Hicks surprises St. Catharines students with ‘Gift of Music’

The Canadian country singer Tim Hicks joined the Niagara Conservatory of Music Wednesday to visit three St. Catharines elementary schools to make a holiday delivery.

The owner of the musical educational institution, Greg Wierzcholski, and members of Marz Homes collectively donated over $7,500 worth of musical instruments to Pine Grove Public Elementary, Carlton Public Elementary, and the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Elementary school in St. Catharines, as part of their Music Gives program.

The program allows the conservatory to team up with Prokids, a YMCA-affiliated program, to fund extra-curricular activities for families in need.

Last Christmas, and eight Christmases before that, the Niagara Conservatory of Music teamed up with the local St. Catharines musician to donate thousands of dollars in musical equipment to area schools.

Hicks is from Niagara, but travels back and forth from Nashville.

“Just having access to those instruments increases the percentage of kids that are going to be affected by music,” said Hicks. “There are countless numbers of studies that say kids that are involved in music do better in math — they are better rounded students.”

“Something we do every Christmas, where we surprise three different elementary schools with new instruments for their classrooms,” said Wierzcholski.

The award winning country star put on a show along with members of the Niagara Conservatory of Music’s “unplugged group.”

“It is our annual day of giving, hosted by the Niagara Conservatory — I’m along for the ride to make as much noise as we can,” said Hicks.

After the school visits, the group gave a new drum set to a young boy who lost his twin brother in a tragic accident earlier this summer.

“I watched a documentary recently where I saw Taylor Swift talk to kids in a children’s hospital, and I thought ‘if she can do it, I can do it’,” said Hicks. “This was a tragic situation that happened right here in St. Catharines, and again, if I could put one smile on someone’s face, to me, it’s worth it.”

The conservatory is hoping to expand the school donations throughout the year.

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