Young B.C. musicians are connecting with veterans by creating original compositions dedicated to their service

Young musicians in Victoriaare honouring veterans in a unique and personal way this Remembrance Day they've composed music inspired by veterans and their stories, and have presented them to veterans, active members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families.

B.C. piano teacher Emily Armour, who came up with the idea, said this day isfor reflecting on what veterans and active service personnel have fought for, but she wanted her students to connect with veterans in a more personal way and show them they're valued as individuals.

"I was hoping it would give the kids a chance to connect to something really real on Remembrance Day," she said.

Her students, who range in agefrom five to 19, wrote piano pieces for 33 veterans who mostly live in B.C., but some arefromas far away as Ontario and Nova Scotia.

WATCH | Piano students compose original pieces honouring veterans:

Connecting students and veterans through music for Remembrance Day

3 years ago

Duration 2:30

In honour of Remembrance Day, a Victoria, B.C., piano teacher connected two generations by having her teenage students compose original pieces for specific veterans and playing them for them.

Compositionsprovideperspective,connection

Kai Stenstrom, 16, wrote a piece entitled Outcry inspired by a story he was writingabout aSecond World War soldier reliving histime in the trenches.

"I think it's important for us to understand and learn about the past and what these people have done for our country and other countries."

He said he tried to envision what people in those situations wentthrough to set the tone for his composition.

"It has this sort of emotional undertone that I like," Stenstrom said."I don't have a huge personal connection to the wars, but I tried my best to understand what other people would feel."

Sixteen-year-old Lola Koetke's piece was sent to Ontario, to the wife of aJoint Task Force 2 veteran whodied. She said she didn't want to let it get too dark, and instead tried to showgratitude and expresshope through her music.

"It's really given me a lot more knowledge and a lot more perspective on Remembrance Day."

Veterans 'honoured' and 'emotional'

Troy Latimer, a Cold War-era reservist, was the recipient of a piece written by a five-year-old boy one of the youngest of Armour's students.

"It's actually very humbling that this little fella would take the time to do something like that, and to do it so fearlessly, and to name it The Protector," Latimer said.

"I am absolutely honoured, and more emotional than I thought I was going to be."

Ten-year-old composerAinsley McPherson's piece, calledThe Lancaster's Flight,was inspired by hergrandfather and written for former air force captain Graham Hafey.

"I'm known not to be an emotional guy," Hafey said. "But that really moved me."

"I'm very, deeply honoured by this, I've never had anything like this before."

Latimer hopes this experience will encourage a wider interest in Canadian military history for theyoung artists.

Armour is proud of her students for taking on what could have been a heavy and intimidating assignment and putting a lot of thought into the process.

"They were fearless about it," she said.