About Us & The El Sistema Philosophy
Welcome to Quintissimo, an organization based on the El Sistema philosophy. Our mission is to create positive social change by providing free music education to underserved children in the Bay of Quinte area.
Quintissimo derives its name from the Bay of Quinte and the musical superlative issimo: "exceptional and absolute, issimo is the final word and the embodiment of the Italian quality of life and love for the very best.”
Inspired by Jose Antonio Abreu's philosophy, our program recognizes that music education can help children reach their full potential and gain important life skills such as teamwork, discipline, empathy, communication, commitment, compassion, respect, growth mindset, and self-esteem.
Founded by Diana Lam and Amber Walton-Amar in 2021, Quintissimo is committed to providing free tuition, instruments, and music to students who may not otherwise have access to these resources. In return, each student commits to playing in an ensemble, which fosters camaraderie and a sense of belonging.
Our program is currently hosted at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute. Our long-term goal is to expand our program to multiple schools in the Hastings Prince Edward School District, and to continue to grow instrumentally and geographically. If you're a school or know of a school that's interested in hosting Quintissimo, please don't hesitate to contact us. We look forward to making a positive impact on our community together!