CMC Notes Newsletters

CMC Notes Newsletter – May 2025 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Fall Re-Registration 3. CMC Spring Recitals 4. Summer Camp Registration 5. Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases 6. Featured Student 7. Featured Teacher Important Upcoming Dates Thursday, May 1st: TODAY is the deadline for submitting your Re-Registration form for the fall! Reserve your fall lesson day and time by completing the fall Re-Registration form that was emailed out in April. Contact the office at cmc@cmccanada.com if you did not receive one.   Friday, May 2nd: Spring Recital sign up starts! An email with a sign-up form will be sent to all of our students – please complete by May 15th!   Thursday, May 15th: Deadline for Spring Recital sign-up form! (will be emailed out on May 2nd)   Saturday, May 17th: Lessons are still ON as scheduled, but no Musical Preludes classes scheduled today!   Monday, May 19th: CMC is CLOSED for Victoria Day!   Click HERE for our private lesson 2024-2024 CMC School Year Calendar! Click HERE for our Musical Preludes Schedule! Click HERE for our Suzuki Cello Group Class Schedule! Fall Re-Registration! Every spring, students are invited to reserve their lesson day & time for the fall by re-registering. A Re-Registration form was emailed out to you in the past few weeks, and you have until the May 1st DEADLINE (TODAY!) to complete it. Please email the office at cmc@cmccanada.com if you didn’t receive an email in April. Spots will be opened to new students or students requiring a change in their schedule after the re-registration deadline, so please ensure you reserve your spot by May 1st by completing the Re-Registration form! IF you do not plan on continuing lessons this fall, please let us know by emailing our office at cmc@cmccanada.com, thank you so much! CMC Spring Recitals Please mark your calendars for now for the spring recital dates below (Jun 1st and 8th); our recital sign-up form will be emailed to you on May 1st, so please sign up then if you’re interested! NOTE: Recital participation is completely optional, but we encourage our students to take advantage of this opportunity to perform for an audience in a supportive environment, to develop a musical goal to work towards and achieve, and to show your loved ones what you’ve learned so far!   SUNDAY, JUNE 1st IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church: 12:30pm: cello recital (students of all cello teachers & our Suzuki cello group class) 2pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 3pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 4pm: voice/winds recital (students of all voice & wind teachers) 5pm: adult recital (all instruments & voice for students 18+) 6pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm) 7pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm)   SUNDAY, JUNE 8th ONLINE via Zoom 10am: all instruments & voice for any teacher IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church: 1pm: piano recital (students of Alida & Josh) 2pm: piano recital (students of Cheng-Feng, Chris & Erik) 3pm: piano recital (students of Neal, Michele & Aimi) 4pm: piano recital (students of Luan & Mark) 5pm: piano recital (students of Hiro & James) 6pm: piano recital (students of Louise & Emmett) Our recital sign-up form will be emailed to you on May 1st – the online sign-up form must be completed by May 15th in order to sign up. Summer Camp Registration! SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN: Register before spots run out!   Music & Art Creations Summer Camp:   A magical fun-filled week for 4-7 year olds with music, art, movement, drumming and instruments exploration!   Monday to Friday from 9am to noon,   $325/week.   Week 1: July 7-11, 2025Week 2: July 14-18, 2025Week 3: August 11-15, 2025   Please click HERE for more information or to register – space is limited to only 8 students per week! Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! Alex May 25th – With Sina Salimi and Mahnaz Rad @ Tapestry – doors at 7:00pm, music at 8:00pm   May 31st – Undercommons Collective @ Annette Studios – 7:00-10:00pm   Emmett May 9th, 11:30pm: the Emmett Hodgins Quartet is hosting the jazz bistro jam.   Enjoy!!! Featured Student! Loïc-Antoine (Piano) 1. How old were you when you first started music? 5 years old   2. Why did you choose the instrument you currently play? I chose the instrument because when I used to pick up my sister with my mom, I heard someone playing the piano and I thought it sounded and it would be cool to play it.   3. What do you like most about your music teacher? What I like the most about my teacher, is that she’s enthusiastic and she takes songs I like and arranges them so they’re easier to play.   4. Do you have a favourite piece to play? Nobody from One Republic   5. If you could play any other instrument, what would it be? Guitar   6. What do you like to do in your spare time? Some things I like to do in my free time are to play piano, video games, draw, read comic books and play basketball. 7. Who are some of your musical inspirations? Avicii, Teddy Swims and way more.   8. What do you like most about CMC? What I like the most at CMC is it’s welcoming and the teachers and staff are nice and helpful   9. Anything else you want to add? My first teacher was Aimi, and Louise is kinda like her too. She makes piano really fun, just like Aimi did! If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Featured Teacher! Josh Smiley (Piano) 1. How old were you when you first started music? That’s a tough one to answer, since my parents also play I’ve always had music/playing instruments as part of

CMC Notes Newsletter – April 2025 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. CMC Spring Recitals 3. Summer Camp Registration 4. Lost & Found 5. Featured Student 6. Featured Teacher Important Upcoming Dates Thursday, April 17th: Fall Re-Registration forms will be emailed out to complete before our May 1st deadline! Monday, May 1st: Deadline for Re-Registration forms for the fall: reserve your fall lesson day & time by re-registering by May 1st! (forms will be sent on April 17th)   Click HERE for our private lesson 2024-2024 CMC School Year Calendar! Click HERE for our Musical Preludes Schedule! Click HERE for our Suzuki Cello Group Class Schedule! CMC Spring Recitals Please mark your calendars for now for the spring recital dates below (Jun 1st and 8th); our recital sign-up form will be emailed to you on May 1st, so please sign up then if you’re interested! NOTE: Recital participation is completely optional, but we encourage our students to take advantage of this opportunity to perform for an audience in a supportive environment, to develop a musical goal to work towards and achieve, and to show your loved ones what you’ve learned so far!   SUNDAY, JUNE 1st IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church: 12:30pm: cello recital (students of all cello teachers & our Suzuki cello group class) 2pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 3pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 4pm: voice/winds recital (students of all voice & wind teachers) 5pm: adult recital (all instruments & voice for students 18+) 6pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm) 7pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm)   SUNDAY, JUNE 8th ONLINE via Zoom 10am: all instruments & voice for any teacher IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church: 1pm: piano recital (students of Alida & Josh) 2pm: piano recital (students of Cheng-Feng, Chris & Erik) 3pm: piano recital (students of Neal, Michele & Aimi) 4pm: piano recital (students of Luan & Mark) 5pm: piano recital (students of Hiro & James) 6pm: piano recital (students of Louise & Emmett) Our recital sign-up form will be emailed to you on May 1st – the online sign-up form must be completed by May 15th in order to sign up. Summer Camp Registration! SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN: Register before spots run out!   Music & Art Creations Summer Camp:   A magical fun-filled week for 4-7 year olds with music, art, movement, drumming and instruments exploration!   Monday to Friday from 9am to noon,   $325/week.   Week 1: July 7-11, 2025Week 2: July 14-18, 2025Week 3: August 11-15, 2025   Please click HERE for more information or to register – space is limited to only 8 students per week! Lost & Found If any of these items are yours, please email cmc@cmccanada.com! Featured Student! Julien (Piano) 1. How old were you when you first started music? 7 years old   2. Why did you choose the instrument you currently play? My sister Safia inspired me to play piano.   3. What do you like most about your music teacher? Cheng-Feng supports me in my own compositions. I like Cheng-Feng’s enthusiasm and his method of teaching. He is one of a kind! He’s really fun to talk to and play piano with. I play jazz music with Josh. Playing jazz with Josh makes learning to read music more fun.   4. Do you have a favourite piece to play? I enjoy composing my own music. I have enjoyed improvising over ‘Fly me to the moon’. My favourite pieces to play are the ones I play with my sister.   5. If you could play any other instrument, what would it be? Guitar   6. What do you like to do in your spare time? I like to play piano and build lego.   7. Who are some of your musical inspirations? Philip Glass. Dario Marianelli. Elmer Bernstein. John Williams. 8. What do you like most about CMC? CMC has always been such a welcoming place.   9. Anything else you want to add? I will go to Etobicoke School of the Arts for high school starting in the fall with a concentration on Film and Drama. I hope to be able to compose music for films that I and other people create. I know that I am ready for this because of all that I have learned at CMC. If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Featured Teacher! Jacob Chung (Saxophone, Clarinet) 1. How old were you when you first started music? I started piano lessons at 6 years old through the RCM program, and began playing saxophone in Gr. 10. Music was constantly playing in my home, and my grandfather had a nice little collection of jazz LPs.   2. Why did you want to make music your career? There is no greater feeling than playing music I love with people I love for an audience for money.   3. Which groups are you currently playing with, if any? I lead my own quartet/quintet. I also play in the Erena Terakubo Sextet, the Richard Cortez band, and I am on the Mingus Big Band roster. And a lot of different freelance.   4. What do you enjoy most about teaching? Facilitating the “lightbulb moments.”   5. Some students have challenges with consistent practicing. What advice would you give them? I fight procrastination by breaking down tasks/challenges into their smallest constituent units and mastering the little things one by one. This way I accomplish something every time I play. 6. What do you like to do in your spare time? Right now I’m watching a series called Severance and I’m fully invested.   7. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Paris or Rome or Amsterdam or Copenhagen or London   8. Anything else you

CMC Notes Newsletter – March 2025 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. CMC Spring Recitals 3. Summer Camp Registration 4. Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases 5. Featured Student 6. Featured Teacher Important Upcoming Dates Tuesday, March 4th: Deadline for registration for the May/June 2025 Session of RCM Exams   March 9 – 16th: March Break! CMC is closed. No lessons or classes all week. Enjoy your time off!   Monday, March 17th: Lessons and classes resume as usual   Click HERE for our private lesson 2024-2024 CMC School Year Calendar! Click HERE for our Musical Preludes Schedule! Click HERE for our Suzuki Cello Group Class Schedule! CMC Spring Recitals Please mark your calendars for now for the spring recital dates below (Jun 1st and 8th); our recital sign-up form will be emailed to you on May 1st, so please sign up then if you’re interested! NOTE: Recital participation is completely optional, but we encourage our students to take advantage of this opportunity to perform for an audience in a supportive environment, to develop a musical goal to work towards and achieve, and to show your loved ones what you’ve learned so far!   SUNDAY, JUNE 1st IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church: 12:30pm: cello recital (students of all cello teachers & our Suzuki cello group class) 2pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 3pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 4pm: voice/winds recital (students of all voice & wind teachers) 5pm: adult recital (all instruments & voice for students 18+) 6pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm) 7pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm)   SUNDAY, JUNE 8th ONLINE via Zoom 10am: all instruments & voice for any teacher IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church: 1pm: piano recital (students of Alida & Josh) 2pm: piano recital (students of Cheng-Feng, Chris & Erik) 3pm: piano recital (students of Neal, Michele & Aimi) 4pm: piano recital (students of Luan & Mark) 5pm: piano recital (students of Hiro & James) 6pm: piano recital (students of Louise & Emmett) Our recital sign-up form will be emailed to you on May 1st – the online sign-up form must be completed by May 15th in order to sign up. Summer Camp Registration! SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN: Register before spots run out!   Music & Art Creations Summer Camp:   A magical fun-filled week for 4-7 year olds with music, art, movement, drumming and instruments exploration!   Monday to Friday from 9am to noon,   $325/week.   Week 1: July 7-11, 2025Week 2: July 14-18, 2025Week 3: August 11-15, 2025   Please click HERE for more information or to register – space is limited to only 8 students per week! Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! From one of our CMC teachers:   “This festival called Women from Space happening in March is really amazing. It’s only 38$ for 3 nights! Really fun, challenging and diverse programming.”   https://www.womenfromspace.com/ Featured Students! Greta & Ramona (Piano) 1. How old were you when you first started music? Greta: 4 Ramona: 3   2. Why did you choose the instrument you currently play? G: It sounds fun to play. R: I like playing with my fingers.   3. What do you like most about your music teacher? G: Louise is friendly and helps me with memorizing stuff. R: I like the songs. I like that she reminds me of the holds.   4. Do you have a favourite piece to play? G: Pumpkin Boogie R: Early in the Morning   5. If you could play any other instrument, what would it be? G: violin R: violin   6. What do you like to do in your spare time? G: Practicing piano and roller skating R: Bike riding and reading 7. Who are some of your musical inspirations? G: Olivia Rodrigo R: Taylor Swift   8. What do you like most about CMC? G: I like the recitals. I like playing in front of other people. R: The secret garden! I like the swing.   9. Anything else you want to add? G: Thank you for teaching us how to play instruments. [Note: photo credit: Angela Lewis] If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Featured Teacher! Michele Comrie (Piano) 1. How old were you when you first started music? 3 years old.   2. Why did you want to make music your career? Because I loved it so much! There wasn’t any other option in my mind.   3. What do you enjoy most about teaching? Getting to know each of my students and watching them grow over the years!   4. Some students have challenges with consistent practicing. What advice would you give them? Practice at the same time every day so you can set yourself a consistent schedule!   5. What do you like to do in your spare time? I love to cook, garden, camp and canoe.   6. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Right now Morocco is at the top of my list. If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Facebook Instagram ©2025 Music Lessons Toronto, In-Person at our school or online Lessons Toronto, Music School Toronto, ON, Canada | 314 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto, ON M6R 2M7, CA All Posts Blog Posts CMC Notes Newsletters Uncategorized CMC Notes Newsletter – February 2025 2025-02-01/ CMC Notes Newsletter – February 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Summer Camp Registration & Discount 3.… Read More CMC Notes Newsletter – January 2025 2025-01-01/ CMC Notes Newsletter – January 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Parkdale Community Food Bank Donations 3.… Read More CMC Notes – December 2024 2024-12-01/ CMC Notes Newsletter – December 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. CMC

CMC Notes Newsletter – February 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Summer Camp Registration & Discount 3. Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! 4. Featured Student 5. Featured Teacher Important Upcoming Dates Saturday, February 15th: Lessons are still ON as scheduled, but NO Musical Preludes classes today! Monday, February 17th: CMC is closed for Family Day! Tuesday, March 4th: Deadline for registration for the May/June 2025 Session of RCM Exams   Click HERE for our private lesson 2024-2024 CMC School Year Calendar! Click HERE for our Musical Preludes Schedule! Click HERE for our Suzuki Cello Group Class Schedule! Summer Camp Registration & Discount SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN: EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT!   Music & Art Creations Summer Camp:   A magical fun-filled week for 4-7 year olds with music, art, movement, drumming and instruments exploration!   Monday to Friday from 9am to noon,   $325/week.   SAVE $30 by registering before February 14th and pay $295!   Week 1: July 7-11, 2025Week 2: July 14-18, 2025Week 3: August 11-15, 2025   Please click HERE for more information or to register – space is limited to only 8 students per week! Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! Chris CMC teacher Chris has an event playing a new piece by Kalaisan Kalaichelvin entitled Poitu Varen on February 5th at Hugh’s Room presented by Soundstreams.   Check it out here: https://soundstreams.ca/events/td-encounters-poitu-varen/   Enjoy! Featured Student! Adriana (Drums) 1. How old were you when you first started music? I first started when I was 6 to learn how to play the guitar. Then I started learning ukulele at 9. Then I took a very long break and started music lessons again 2 years ago.  2. Why did you choose the instrument you currently play? I have always wanted to learn how to play the drums. Being able to keep the beat and create beats is something I think is so cool. I also love a challenge and learning how to play drums definitely pushes me to try new things and develop new skills.  3. What do you like most about your music teacher? Hiro is just cool. He’s open to trying out different genres of music and is good at providing tips to help me improve. He’s also good at providing different exercises that challenge me. I’m also always impressed at how he can figure out the drum patterns by just listening to a song once.  4. Do you have a favourite piece to play? I really enjoy playing Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana because I feel like such a boss when I play it.  5. If you could play any other instrument, what would it be? I’m interested in percussion drums so maybe conga drums or the cajon.  6. What do you like to do in your spare time? Exploring indie coffee shops, traveling to big cities, growing fruits and vegetables on my balcony, and spending time with my partner and my almost 5 year old.  7. Who are some of your musical inspirations? Groups like Sleater-Kinney and Metric. I’m also a big fan of Latin music like salsa and of course, Shakira. I’ve recently been into K-Pop like Blackpink and Stray Kids, so it varies.  8. What do you like most about CMC? Everyone is so supportive and welcoming, which I really appreciate as an adult student. If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Featured Teacher! Brandon Wall (Guitar) 1. How old were you when you first started music? I first picked up a guitar when I was 12, but didn’t start lessons until I was 13  2. Why did you want to make music your career? I couldn’t imagine doing anything else without at least giving music a shot as it truly was my dream.  3. Which groups are you currently playing with, if any? This has changed a lot over the years, but my current main project is a Strokes cover band called The Brokes which has been a lot of fun. I also play in the Suitcase Sam Band, Marlon Chaplin, a folk duo called Beth James, and am working on my own self titled EP.  4. What do you enjoy most about teaching? I love coming up with multiple approaches to the same challenge/problem. Every passage, rhythm, melody or concept can be explained or thought about in a variety of ways, and often something that is confusing to someone when explained one way will make perfect sense from a different angle when it “clicks”. I love finding the pathway to that moment.  5. Some students have challenges with consistent practicing. What advice would you give them? Keep your guitar or instrument out on a stand in plain view and not in a case. You’ll be way more likely to grab it and play it for 5 minutes if it’s easily accessible, and often times if you grab your instrument to play for a few minutes, you’ll end up playing for longer. And then just strive to play a little bit every day instead of big chunks once or twice a week.   6. What do you like to do in your spare time? I love seeing concerts, going to baseball games, playing board games, video games, working out, and as cliché as it sounds I really love playing guitar in my spare time.  7. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? This answer changes a lot over time as well… currently I’d say Japan or New Zealand is at the top of my list.  8. Anything else you want to add? My favourite food is sushi, the best Taylor Swift album is Folklore, and I hope to one day see someone get a 29 point hand in cribbage. If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Facebook Instagram ©2025 Music Lessons Toronto, In-Person at our school or online Lessons Toronto,

CMC Notes Newsletter – January 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Parkdale Community Food Bank Donations 3. Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! 4. Featured Student 5. Featured Teacher Important Upcoming Dates Wednesday, January 1st: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!   Monday, January 6th: First day back of private lessons after the winter break   Tuesday, January 7th: First day back of Suzuki Cello Group class after the winter break   Saturday, January 11th: First day back of Musical Preludes after the winter break   Click HERE for our private lesson 2024-2024 CMC School Year Calendar! Click HERE for our Musical Preludes Schedule! Click HERE for our Suzuki Cello Group Class Schedule! Parkdale Community Food Bank Donations – Thank You! During the month of December, CMC collects food and essential items to donate to the Parkdale Community Food Bank.   “Since 2007, we have been ensuring access to barrier-free food for all. Embracing the belief that joy is fundamental to nourishment, our mission is to create a hunger-free community. Through barrier-free access to diverse food options, every person who walks through our doors has a place at our table. We believe that access to high quality, healthy food is a human right. We are able to feed over 10,000 families every month thanks to the generous support of our partners and friends in the Parkdale community.”   Thank you so much to our CMC community for all the food and hygiene items collected for the Parkdale Community Food Bank! They were much appreciated! Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! Emmett CMC teacher Emmett will be playing with The Emmett Hodgins Trio at the Jazz Bistro January 21st, 8:30-11:00pm! Gonna be a very fun night!   Emmett Hodgins – PianoChris Parnis – BassAaron Blewett – Drums   Chris CMC teacher Chris will be playing with his wife Tara Kannangara on January 11th at the Garrison! It will be very fun! https://exclaim.ca/music/article/exclaim-presents-the-class-of-2025-concert-series   Enjoy! Featured Student! Miles (Piano) 1. How old were you when you first started music? I started piano lessons when I was 6.   2. Why did you choose the instrument you currently play? I like the sound and feel of piano and there are so many genres that you can play with it.   3. What do you like most about your music teacher? He has a good sense of humour and explains things in a fun way.   4. Do you have a favourite piece to play? I don’t really have a favourite piece to play but I enjoy playing Minecraft pieces (from the video game). And currently I like to do mash-ups of Minecraft songs with pieces like Fur Elise.   5. If you could play any other instrument, what would it be? Electric bass – because I like the heavy feel of the low beats. 6. What do you like to do in your spare time? I’m on a competitive hockey team; me and my friends made a band called the Electric Woodchucks (we play heavy rock music); I like to play Fortnite, and I like to read.   7. Who are some of your musical inspirations? C418 (composer for Minecraft); the composer Scott Joplin; GoGo Penguin (jazz band), and Black Sabbath!   8. What do you like most about CMC? They have good teachers and friendly staff. And they sometimes have cookies!   9. Anything else you want to add? Electric Woodchucks, check us out. First song coming out soon on Spotify!   If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Featured Teacher! Brenton Chan (Cello) 1. How old were you when you first started music? 9 years old.   2. Why did you want to make music your career? As cheesy as it may sound, the camaraderie and community fostered by music and the arts are what stoked the fire. I hope it continues to burn for many more years to come.   3. Which groups are you currently playing with, if any? Richard Clayderman’s Canadian Touring Ensemble, l’Orchestre symphonique régional de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue, and the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra.   4. What do you enjoy most about teaching? I enjoy seeing people grow into their own skin. If I am able to make a friend for life, the pleasure is all mine.   5. Some students have challenges with consistent practicing. What advice would you give them? This is always a tough one as everyone is different. It is like asking, “How long is a piece of string?”     My recommendation is to listen to as much music as possible, of all different genres. Then try to figure out how to play / to sing a new found gem or a favourite of yours. As long as you are moving, you are not stagnating. From there, you may be able to develop a new routine.   Another tip is to practice by committee. Find a friend or colleague and schedule some practice dates. It matters not if you are playing / singing different songs. You are attacking as a team now! If your juices run low, their energy may give you a second wind.   6. What do you like to do in your spare time? I enjoy tinkering on bicycles, planning new routes to ride with friends, chopping firewood, and dreaming about having more spare time.   7. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Italy never gets old, but Bermuda is currently front and centre.   8. Anything else you want to add? Always happy to talk about food! If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Facebook Instagram ©2024 Music Lessons Toronto, In-Person at our school or online Lessons Toronto, Music School Toronto, ON, Canada | 314 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto, ON M6R 2M7, CA All Posts Blog Posts CMC Notes Newsletters CMC Notes – December 2024 2024-12-01/ CMC Notes Newsletter – December 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming

CMC Notes Newsletter – December 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. CMC Winter Recitals 3. Parkdale Community Food Bank Donations 4. Give the Gift of Music! 5. Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! 6. Featured Student 7. Featured Teacher Important Upcoming Dates Sunday, December 1st: CMC winter recitals day 1 of 2   Sunday, December 8th: CMC winter recitals days 2 of 2   Saturday, December 14th: Last day of Musical Preludes classes before the winter break! Saturday, December 21st: Last day of private lessons before the winter break! December 22nd to January 5th: Winter Break – Happy Holidays! Monday, January 6th: First day back of private lessons after the winter break Tuesday, January 7th: First day back of Suzuki Cello Group class after the winter break Saturday, January 11th: First day back of Musical Preludes after the winter break   Click HERE for our private lesson 2024-2024 CMC School Year Calendar! Click HERE for our Musical Preludes Schedule! Click HERE for our Suzuki Cello Group Class Schedule! CMC Winter Recitals Our winter recital sign up is now closed! Students who signed up will have received an email with recital details. If you signed up and did not receive an email, please email the office at cmc@cmccanada.com   SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church: 12:30pm: cello recital (students of all cello teachers & our Suzuki cello group class) 2pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 3pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 4pm: voice/winds recital (students of all voice & wind teachers) 5pm: adult recital (all instruments & voice for students 18+) 6pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm) 7pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm)   SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 ONLINE via Zoom 10am: all instruments & voice for any teacher IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church: 1pm: piano recital (students of Alida & Josh) 2pm: piano recital (students of Cheng-Feng, Chris & Erik) 3pm: piano recital (students of Neal, Michele & Aimi) 4pm: piano recital (students of Luan & Mark) 5pm: piano recital (students of Hiro & James) 6pm: piano recital (students of Louise & Emmett) Parkdale Community Food Bank Donations   During the month of December, CMC collects food and essential items to donate to the Parkdale Community Food Bank.   “Since 2007, we have been ensuring access to barrier-free food for all. Embracing the belief that joy is fundamental to nourishment, our mission is to create a hunger-free community. Through barrier-free access to diverse food options, every person who walks through our doors has a place at our table. We believe that access to high quality, healthy food is a human right. We are able to feed over 10,000 families every month thanks to the generous support of our partners and friends in the Parkdale community.”   Please consider bringing items to CMC to donate (for our in-person students) or, if you can, donate directly to the Parkdale Community Food Bank by clicking below. Find out more! Give the Gift of Music! Give the gift of music this holiday season by sending your loved ones a CMC egift card!    A CMC egift card can go towards music books or music lessons and makes a great birthday or holiday gift!    Click below to purchase a CMC egift card! PURCHASE NOW! Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! Arie CMC teacher Arie is playing electracoustic improvised music with Harpist Grace Scheele at the Tranzac’s Southern Cross Lounge on December 11, 9:30PM, as part of their Residency there. See the poster for more information. Max CMC teacher Max played drums on the new Huxlii song “so this is it”. For more information: https://huxlii.lnk.to/sothisisit Alida CMC teacher Alida will be performing with The Nathaniel Dett Chorale on Saturday, December 14th at 8:00pm for their concert “An Indigo Christmas… The Work of Christmas.” Information found here:  For more information: http://nathanieldettchorale.org/the-work-of-christmas/ Enjoy! Featured Student! Albert (Piano) 1. How old were you when you first started music? 6 years old.   2. Why did you choose the instrument you currently play? Originally the instrument was chosen for me, but I soon came to enjoy it and never thought about switching. I choose the piano now because of the vast solo repertoire and it allows a huge range of expression.   3. What do you like most about your music teacher? I like the collaborative approach that Erik takes when determining how to approach and interpret a piece. It always feels like my ideas are valid and can be explored, even if it isn’t what we end up deciding to do. I like that Louise had so much knowledge about the history courses, and took a very pragmatic approach to helping me complete this portion of my studies.   4. Do you have a favourite piece to play? Right now, I think my favourite piece to play is Beethoven’ Second Sonata (Op. 2 No. 2). It has everything!   5. If you could play any other instrument, what would it be? Probably the clarinet, because it has a unique tone and it can be used across a variety of genres. 6. What do you like to do in your spare time? I like to play piano! But also, I like to ride my bike with my cycling club, read, and watch movies.   7. Who are some of your musical inspirations? For composition, I always gravitate towards French composers, especially Messiaen, Poulenc, Ravel, and Debussy. The outlier there would be Schubert, who I have a special place for. For performance, I am inspired by Glenn Gould – though I am not a fan of all his interpretations, his anachronistic approach and conviction in his musical opinions are inspiring. Also, he is connected with Toronto 🙂   8. What do you like most about CMC? The support. Every member of the staff, from teachers

CMC Notes Newsletter – November 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Winter Recitals: Information 3. Winter Recitals: Schedule 4. Winter Recitals: FAQs 5. RCM Exams 6. Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! 7. Featured Teacher 8. Give the Gift of Music! 9. ShopLocal2Win 10. Birthdays this Month Important Upcoming Dates November 1st: Winter recital sign-up starts today! Please refer to our email with subject heading ‘Winter Recital Sign-Up is now OPEN’ and click on the link in the body of the email to sign up!   November 5th: Deadline for RCM exam registration for Dec/Jan session   November 16th: Musical Preludes Parent / Caregiver Observation Day – parents/caregivers are invited to stay and observe your child’s MP class!   December 1st & 8th: CMC winter recitals – see below for more info!   Click HERE for our private lesson 2024-2024 CMC School Year Calendar! Click HERE for our Musical Preludes Schedule! Click HERE for our Suzuki Cello Group Class Schedule! Winter Recitals: Information! CMC hosts 2 days of winter recitals for our private lesson students. We encourage all our students to perform, but participation is optional! We want this to be a positive experience for our students with a supportive, low-pressure atmosphere. Our recitals are FREE, and are divided into short one hour sessions for your convenience.   Our recital sign up form will be emailed out on Friday, November 1st.   WHY PARTICIPATE: It’s an opportunity to perform for an audience in a supportive environment 🙂 Develop a musical goal to work toward and achieve! Show your friends and family what you have learned so far! PIANO ACCOMPANIMENTFor our ONLINE recital strings, voice and wind students, if piano accompaniment is required, you will need to use a track.   For our IN-PERSON recital strings, voice and wind students, CMC pays for a piano accompanist to be at our recitals, but if you would like rehearsal time beforehand (which we highly recommend), you are responsible to pay for a minimum increment of 15 minutes of rehearsal time. Unsure if you or your child will need piano accompaniment? Speak with their teacher who will be happy to discuss with you! Winter Recitals: Schedule! SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church, 240 Roncesvalles Avenue:   12:30pm: cello recital (students of all cello teachers & our Suzuki cello group class) 2pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 3pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers; choose from 2pm or 3pm) 4pm: voice/winds recital (students of all voice & wind teachers) 5pm: adult recital (all instruments & voice for students 18+) 6pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm) 7pm: guitar/ukulele/bass/drums recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass/drum teachers; choose from 6pm or 7pm)   SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 ONLINE via Zoom:   10am: all instruments & voice for any teacher   IN-PERSON at Roncesvalles United Church, 240 Roncesvalles Avenue:   1pm: piano recital (students of Alida & Josh) 2pm: piano recital (students of Cheng-Feng, Chris & Erik) 3pm: piano recital (students of Neal, Michele & Aimi) 4pm: piano recital (students of Luan & Mark) 5pm: piano recital (students of Hiro & James) 6pm: piano recital (students of Louise & Emmett)   NOTE: Students taking more than one lesson, or siblings, can sign up for the same time slot. All non-piano instruments must be on December 1st (for example, if one sibling takes piano and one takes guitar, please sign them both up for a guitar recital, since there will only be a piano set up on Dec. 8th, with no mics or amps…etc, and no guitar teacher to tune your instrument! Winter Recitals: FAQs Can my child sign up for one recital time slot even though they take 2 instruments? YES – we accommodate our students so that it’s convenient for you! Similarly, siblings can sign up for the same time slot. Please sign up for the non-piano time slot if applicable.   My child’s pieces are short since they’re a beginner- can they perform 2 pieces? NO – sorry! We limit it to one piece per student regardless of the length of the piece, to make it fair across the board. We simply don’t have time for all of our students to perform 2 pieces, so we need to enforce the 1 piece per instrument, otherwise our recitals will be endless. Thank you for your understanding.   My child takes / I take online lessons. Can they / I sign up to perform at the in-person recital? YES – for online students wanting to perform in-person, please simply sign up for your instrument / piano teacher’s time slot for our in-person recitals on December 1st.   My child takes / I take in-person lessons. Can they / I sign up to perform at the online recital? YES – sign up for our online recital on December 8th at 10am   Will there be a recital programme? YES – to be more environmentally friendly, we will have a digital programme with a QR code to scan to see the programme on your cell phone. We will have a limited number of printed programmes for those who need one. The PDF of the programme will be emailed the day prior.   How much does the recital cost? Our recitals are FREE.   Can my family and friends come to the recital? YES – since our winter recitals will now be held at Roncesvalles United church, we have plenty of space for family and friends to come and hear you, so there is no limit to the number of people you bring!   Any questions? Please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com. RCM Exams The deadline for RCM exam registration for Dec/Jan session is Tuesday, November 5.   The written theory examinations will take place on December 13 & 14, 2024.   The in-person practical examinations will take place January 13-25, 2025.   Interested in working towards a spring 2025 RCM exam?

CMC Notes Newsletter – October 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Winter Recitals: Information! 3. Winter Recitals: Schedule! 4. Make-Up Lesson Policy Change! 5. Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! 6. Featured Student 7. Featured Teacher 8. Birthdays this Month Important Upcoming Dates Saturday October 12th: Private lessons are still ON, but no Musical Preludes classes! Monday, October 14th: No lessons scheduled today – CMC is closed for Thanksgiving! Thursday, October 31st: Happy Hallowe’en! All lessons are still on as scheduled – come to your lesson dressed up in your best costume! Click HERE for our private lesson 2024-2024 CMC School Year Calendar! Click HERE for our Musical Preludes Schedule! Winter Recitals: Information! CMC hosts 2 days of winter recitals for our private lesson students. We encourage all our students to perform, but participation is optional! We want this to be a positive experience for our students with a supportive, low-pressure atmosphere.   Our recital sign up form will be emailed out on Friday, November 1st.   WHY PARTICIPATE: It’s an opportunity to perform for an audience in a supportive environment 🙂 Develop a musical goal to work toward and achieve! Show your friends and family what you have learned so far! PIANO ACCOMPANIMENTFor our ONLINE recital strings, voice and wind students, if piano accompaniment is required, you will need to use a track.   For our IN-PERSON recital strings, voice and wind students, CMC pays for a piano accompanist to be at our recitals, but if you would like rehearsal time beforehand (which we highly recommend), you are responsible to pay for a minimum increment of 15 minutes of rehearsal time.   Unsure if you or your child will need piano accompaniment? Speak with their teacher who will be happy to discuss with you! Winter Recitals: Schedule! SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1   IN-PERSON at Array Space: 10am: cello recital (students of all cello teachers) 12pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers) 1pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers) 2pm: voice/winds recital (students of all voice & wind teachers) 4pm: adult recital (all instruments & voice for students 18+) 5pm: guitar/ukulele/drum recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/drum teachers) 6pm: guitar/ukulele/bass recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass teachers)   SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8   ONLINE via Zoom: 10am: all instruments & voice for any teacher   IN-PERSON at Array Space: Piano recital time slots will be assigned to students of specific teachers in October. 1pm: piano recital 2pm: piano recital 3pm: piano recital 4pm: piano recital 5pm: piano recital 6pm: piano recital   NOTE: Students taking more than one lesson, or siblings, can sign up for the same time slot. All non-piano instruments must be on December 1st (for example, if one sibling takes piano and one takes guitar, please sign them both up for a guitar recital, since there will only be a piano set up on Dec. 8th, with no mics or amps…etc, and no guitar teacher to tune your instrument! Make-Up Lesson Policy Change Just a friendly reminder about our make-up lesson policy: make-up lessons will be valid until the end of the school year in June. Lessons cancelled with 24 hours notice after May 31st will not be guaranteed a make-up lesson.   Please see our Student Handbook below for our full make-up lesson policy. Student Handbook Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! Chris CMC teacher Chris has an upcoming special event on Tuesday, October 15th called “Letters To God: PS. I (don’t) Believe in You”. From Chris:   “Soundstreams commissioned me to write music based on letters the public have written to a ‘higher power’. It will feature myself on piano and synth, Tara Kannangara on trumpet and voice, and Ky Brooks on voice. And it’s FREE.”   You can reserve tickets and find more information at this link:https://soundstreams.ca/events/td-encounters-letters-to-god-p-s-i-dont-believe-in-you/   Alida CMC teacher Alida has an upcoming event with the chorus of Opera Atelier’s production of Acis and Galatea.   Performances are October 24, 26, and 27 at the Elgin Theatre.   Click HERE for more information.   Enjoy! Featured Student! Aida (Violin) 1. How old were you when you first started music lessons? 3 years old.   2. Why did you choose your instrument? I wanted to play something with strings  3. What do you like most about your teacher? That she is a very good teacher.  4. Do you have a favourite piece to play? See the pretty flowers.  5. If you could play any other instrument, what would it be? Piano. 6. What else do you do in your spare time? Draw, read books.  7. Who are some of your musical inspirations? ABBA, Katy Perry.  8. What do you like most about CMC? The rainbow carpet in Ms. Kenin’s room! If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Featured Teacher! Sonya Harper Nyby (Voice, Violin, Musical Preludes) 1. How old were you when you first started music? My elementary school had a great music program which included general music classes and the option to learn string or band instruments. I started learning to play violin in grade 3.   2. Why did you want to make music your career? I had a lot of really moving musical experiences growing up, especially in my high school orchestra. When I started my undergrad, I majored in biology, planning to go to med school eventually. I found I missed music too much, so I auditioned into the music education at my university and never looked back. Music is endlessly interesting because there is always something new to find in even the most familiar pieces. I find this especially true when I’m exploring the text of the pieces I sing.   3. Which groups are you currently playing with, if any? I sing with Oakville Choral, The Hedgerow Singers, and I have a weekly church job.   4. What do you enjoy most about teaching? I love helping people explore how they can achieve their

CMC Notes Newsletter – September 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Make-Up Lesson Policy Change 3. Musical Preludes 4. Suzuki Cello Group Class 5. Winter Recitals: Mark Your Calendars! 6. Private Lessons – Info! 7. Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! 8. Featured Teacher 9. Birthdays this Month Important Upcoming Dates Monday, September 2nd: No lessons scheduled – CMC is CLOSED for Labour Day!   Tuesday, September 3rd: First day of lessons!   Saturday, September 14th: Roncesvalles Polish Festival from 11am to 11pm. Please note that Roncesvalles will be closed to traffic that day, so please allow more time for travelling to CMC for your lessons. Come visit our table outside CMC!   Saturday, September 21st: First day of Musical Preludes classes!   Tuesday, September 24th: First day of Suzuki Cello Group class!   Click HERE for our private lesson 2024-2024 CMC School Year Calendar Make-Up Lesson Policy Change Just a friendly reminder that our make-up lesson policy has changed: make-up lessons will be valid until the end of the school year in June. Lessons cancelled with 24 hours notice after May 31st will not be guaranteed a make-up lesson.   This policy is in alignment with other music schools across Toronto. Please see our Student Handbook below for our full make-up lesson policy. Student Handbook Musical Preludes What is Musical Preludes?   Musical Preludes is a course designed to introduce your young child to the wonderful world of music, where they learn basic musical concepts and explore various instruments such as the violin, cello, clarinet, piano and more!   Musical Preludes classes are drop-off classes, with the teacher and students only. The course has a parent observation day where parents or caregivers come to class to observe what the children have been learning. We limit the number of students to a max of 8 children per class.   The ultimate goal is for our students to experience the joy of music.   CLASS SCHEDULE FOR 2024-2025:   Musical Preludes has 2 terms with 15 classes each: Sept to Jan, and Feb to May.MP Intro (3-4 year olds): Saturdays 10:00-10:45am   MP Junior (4-6 year olds): Saturdays 11:00-11:45am   COST: $420 per term ($800 total if you register for the 2 terms at the same time) Find out more! Suzuki Cello Group Class We are hoping to offer our year long Suzuki Cello Group Class once again this fall on Tuesdays from 6:15-7:00pm.   We need at least 4 students to run the class, so if you are planning on registering your child but haven’t yet, please do so as soon as possible! Find out more! Winter Recitals: Mark Your Calendars! More information will come later on our winter recitals, but below are the dates to mark in your calendars. Our recitals are optional but highly recommended; it’s an opportunity to perform for an audience in a supportive environment, and to develop a musical goal to work towards and achieve.   SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1   IN-PERSON at Array Space: 10am: cello recital (students of all cello teachers) 12pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers) 1pm: violin/viola recital (students of all violin & viola teachers) 2pm: voice/winds recital (students of all voice & wind teachers) 4pm: adult recital (all instruments & voice for students 18+) 5pm: guitar/ukulele/drum recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/drum teachers) 6pm: guitar/ukulele/bass recital (students of all guitar/ukulele/bass teachers)   SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8   ONLINE via Zoom 10am: all instruments & voice for any teacher   IN-PERSON at Array Space: Piano recital time slots will be assigned to students of specific teachers in October. 1pm: piano recital 2pm: piano recital 3pm: piano recital 4pm: piano recital 5pm: piano recital 6pm: piano recital   NOTE: Students taking more than one lesson, or siblings, can sign up for the same time slot. All non-piano instruments must be on December 1st (for example, if one sibling takes piano and one takes guitar, please sign them both up for a guitar recital, since there will only be a piano set up on Dec. 8th, with no mics or amps…etc, and no guitar teacher to tune your instrument! Private Lessons – Info! What happens if I need to miss a lesson? If you need to miss a lesson during the school year, simply cancel your lesson online by logging into your account (see below). A minimum of 24 hours notice, regardless of the reason for cancellation, is required for the lesson not to be forfeited. Lessons cancelled with 24 hours notice are never credited, but can be scheduled as make-up lessons. We do realize that 24 hours notice is sometimes not possible with illness, however, CMC has this policy in place out of consideration for our teachers. They are scheduled to come and teach at CMC or online, and are unable to make any alternative plans with less than 24 hours notice. This includes any technical or equipment failure for online lessons as well. Out of respect for the livelihood of our teachers, this policy stands. If you / your child can’t make your lesson with less than 24 hours notice, you do however have the option of having another family member take that lesson instead so it’s not forfeited. How do I cancel my lesson online? Please log into your WellnessLiving account to self-cancel your lesson – click HERE to view a video on how to do so NOTE: A minimum of 24 hours notice is required in order to receive a make-up lesson There is a maximum of 4 make-up lessons during the school year (one per 10 lessons for those who register after the first week of September) Make-up lessons are required to be completed prior to the end of the school year (end of June) Any lesson cancellations after the month of May are not guaranteed a make-up lesson Tuition is never prorated for missed lessons How is a make-up lesson arranged? You are responsible for scheduling your make-up lessons through the office. Please

CMC Notes Newsletter – August 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Musical Preludes 3. Suzuki Cello Group Class 4. Make-Up Lesson Policy Change 5. RCM Exams 6. Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! 7. Featured Teacher 8. Birthdays this Month Important Upcoming Dates Monday, September 2nd: No lessons scheduled – Labour Day!   Tuesday, September 3rd: First day of fall lessons – WELCOME BACK!   Tuesday, September 24th: First day of Suzuki Cello Group class!   Saturday, September 21st: First day of Musical Preludes classes (Intro for 3-4 year olds and Junior for 4-6 year olds)   Click below for our private lesson 2024-2025 CMC School Year Calendar: 2024-2025 CMC Calendar Musical Preludes What is Musical Preludes?   Musical Preludes is a course designed to introduce your young child to the wonderful world of music, where they learn basic musical concepts and explore various instruments such as the violin, cello, clarinet, piano and more!   Musical Preludes classes are drop-off classes, with the teacher and students only. The course has a parent observation day where parents or caregivers come to class to observe what the children have been learning. We limit the number of students to a max of 8 children per class.   The ultimate goal is for our students to experience the joy of music.   CLASS SCHEDULE FOR 2024-2025:   Musical Preludes has 2 terms with 15 classes each: Sept to Jan, and Feb to May.MP Intro (3-4 year olds): Saturdays 10:00-10:45am   MP Junior (4-6 year olds): Saturdays 11:00-11:45am   COST: $420 per term ($800 total if you register for the 2 terms at the same time) Find out more! Suzuki Cello Group Class We are hoping to offer our year long Suzuki Cello Group Class once again this fall on Tuesdays from 6:15-7:00pm.   We need at least 4 students to run the class, so if you are planning on registering your child but haven’t yet, please do so as soon as possible! Find out more! Make-Up Lesson Policy Change Just a friendly reminder that our make-up lesson policy has changed: make-up lessons will be valid until the end of the school year in June. Lessons cancelled with 24 hours notice after May 31st will not be guaranteed a make-up lesson.   This policy is in alignment with other music schools across Toronto. Please see our Student Handbook below for our full make-up lesson policy. Student Handbook RCM Exams DID YOU KNOW…   If you earn a Level 7 RCM Certificate (Level 7 practical exam in your instrument + Level 7 Theory) – it counts as a Grade 11 high school credit!   If you earn a Level 8 RCM Certificate (Level 8 practical exam in your instrument + Level 8 Theory) – it counts as a Grade 12 high school credit!   Curious to know more about the RCM exam process? Contact Lusiana at LL@cmccanada.com to arrange a time to chat with her about it! Learn more about RCM exams! Teachers Upcoming Gigs & Releases! Alex CMC teacher Alex has lots of upcoming events!   Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 7-10pm – Tak Arikushi Trio @ La Rev   Aug. 25, 10pm – Dan Pitt Trio @ the Tranzac   Enjoy! Featured Teacher! Erik Ross (Piano, Theory, Harmony) 1. How old were you when you first started music? 4 – and apparently I slicked back my hair after my first tune and jumped right off the middle of the stage.   2. Why did you want to make music your career? Nothing in the world made my mind and body explode more with emotion.   3. Which groups are you currently playing with, if any? I play in a couple contemporary rock groups Arkose and REK, but mostly I write difficult contemporary classical music with a mix of intensity and heart (or so I believe!).   4. What do you enjoy most about teaching? Seeing eyes open with a sense of wonder when mysteries are solved and levels are attained, and finding the best way to connect and develop from each student’s unique style of learning. 5. Some students have challenges with consistent practicing. What advice would you give them? Scheduling is good. Mix difficult tech with beautiful music practice. Most of all, set reasonable goals and knock out one thing at a time. Becoming grand at music takes thousands of hours, so it can become daunting. So, make it easy and day by day. Today, learn 8 bars and, say, a formula pattern. Just that. Then tomorrow, do something like that again. Days become weeks become years and you’ll be awesome. But just know it takes time, so don’t worry about it and avoid all frustration by doing one thing – today. Get those 8 bars and that f.p… In the end, a single goal a day will make you magnificent.   6. What do you like to do in your spare time? Play complicated board and card games with my daughter Cecily, watch concerts, watch hockey, and play Texas Hold’em with friends.   7. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? I still haven’t done Italy!   8. Anything else you want to add? I just want to say congratulations to all of my wonderful students who progressed in leaps and bounds this year!! If you are interested in being featured in our CMC Notes, please email us at cmc@cmccanada.com! Facebook Instagram ©2024 Music Lessons Toronto, In-Person at our school or online Lessons Toronto, Music School Toronto, ON, Canada | 314 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto, ON M6R 2M7, CA All Posts Blog Posts CMC Notes Newsletters CMC Notes – November 2024 2024-11-01/ CMC Notes Newsletter – November 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Winter Recitals: Information 3. Winter Recitals:… Read More CMC Notes – October 2024 2024-10-01/ CMC Notes Newsletter – October 2024 In this issue 1. Important Upcoming Dates 2. Winter Recitals: Information! 3. Winter Recitals:… Read More CMC Notes