Lento e constante. Slow and steady.  So play the molecules at this tempo, as the city heats up and most of the matter out there expands, albeit in increments as tiny as the molecules themselves.

Winter jackets hang deep in creaky hallway closets, tired and taut bones and joints soften.  As the body becomes lighter, the sense of adventure and desire to carry said body around to places other than work and home increases.

So naturally, you’ll be looking for opportunities to take that mass of bones out for a good time.

This coming summer, TIFEM is offering many new programs for all ages, including a Summer Rock Camp for ages 6-13, a FREE weekly TIFEM Kids class on Tuesdays at 11am designed to introduce your toddler to the wonders of music, plus all of our ongoing Drop-In Classes. 

The Group Drop-In Classes at TIFEM have proven to be an ever growing success. Whether we’re talking about the Group Guitar Class, Group Theory, TIFEM Choir, TIFEM Kids, TIFEM Adult String Ensemble,  Ukulele Sundays or the TIFEM Youth Band, you can look forward to meeting new people, hooking up with musicians for collaboration, and of course, having fun making music against the gorgeous backdrop of spring and summer.

Furthermore, TIFEM is a hub for musicians, music enthusiasts and music students to take it all in, whether it’s through Private Lessons, Group Lessons or our many workshops and performances. Feel free to stop in and say hello-and let’s Enjoy summer.

This month, we offer a fantastic workshop and concert covering Irish and Scottish fiddle and accompaniment styles for guitar and cello.

Led by Lea Kirstein (fiddle), Rachel Capon (cello) and Reenie Perkovic (guitar), the workshop will be a crash course in learning and arranging some traditional pub-style tunes with an emphasis on style, rhythm and beginning ornamentation.

Workshop participants on violin and cello should already know note names and a few simple tunes on their respective instruments. Guitarists should be familiar with basic chord shapes as well as have the ability to switch chords in real time.

Lea’s workshops are becoming a hit here at TIFEM and it’s no surprise that her Celtic fiddle workshops have gained the attention of the Celtic community not only in Toronto but in B.C. as well.

The workshop will conclude with an authentic Ceilidh, or set of dance based tunes. The concert will be open to anyone who wishes to watch, listen and dance, and not only to workshop participants.

Workshop Info:

Date: Sat. May 31st
Capacity: 15 persons for workshop, 25 for concert.
Individual: $20-Includes workshop and concert.
Family Rate: $30 for whole family
Concert Only: Adults $10,  Children $5

Workshop Schedule: 2:45pm-5:00pm
2:45pm-3:45pm: Workshop
3:45pm-4pm: Break
4pm-5pm: Concert

To reserve a seat for the workshop, please contact us by phone, or in person at the Toronto Institute For the Enjoyment of Music.

Explore the music of classic artists like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and more.

Become an expert in the history of rock n’ roll while learning how to play in a band and develop a unified sound.

At the School of Rock you’ll learn how the parts of a song fit together, through songs that cover the progression of rock n’ roll, from the classics all the way to the modern music of today.

We will discover the endless possibilities of dynamics, texture, arranging and other elements of ensemble playing though musical games, listening and playing exercises.

The class is a way for young musicians to meet and play together. A key component of musical development is interacting with other musicians, and the TIFEM School of Rock Summer Camp is perfect for that next step out of the practice room.

The camp will close with a showcase concert of legendary songs from the history of rock n roll!

Contact us here at TIFEM for details.

Rhythm, and rhythmic interplay, are at the very core of our makeup. All of the cell functions designed to keep our bodies healthy, our breathing, our heartbeat-all the result of the co-ordination of choreographed, precise movement.

Synchronizing to rhythm, in a group setting can be healthy, healing even. Many music therapists include rhythm exercises in their treatments to help alleviate both mental and physical symptoms in patients, from stress and anxiety to autism.

Besides all of that health stuff, drumming with others is very satisfying and fun.

We had such a great time at our first Family Drum Circle workshop led by Derek Gray. It was exciting to see whole families and people of all ages come together and make music.

The great thing about drumming is that it’s accessible and anyone can learn to do it in minutes.

We will surely be seeing more TIFEM Drum Workshops in the near future so keep one eye on our website and facebook for details.

Some of us have managed to stay warm all winter and have been practicing away, getting ready for TIFEM’s Summer Music Fest.

This event is in celebration of our younger students, the brilliant young minds and ears of the future generation.

The Spring edition of the Festival was amazing, top notch performing by all, not to mention a cuteness-factor of Defcon 5.

The Summer Music festival will be no different. Held on Sat. June 28th and Sun. June 29th, Parents and friends will behold the sweet sound of a little hard (but fun) work.

Hold on…keep watching…wait for it…

Although there are numerous signs that spring is on deck, it sure is taking it’s sweet time.

Whereas previous Spring seasons have come out swinging like the Home Run King, this one is swinging multiple bats, all with doughnut rings. 

At TIFEM, we always get a kick at how art imitates life and vice versa.

Here’s a playlist of some music that evolves slowly, but surely.

01. Mogwai - My Father, My King
02. Steve Reich - Drumming
03. Pauline Oliveros - Bye Bye Butterfly
04. Pavement - Stop Breathing
05. John Cage - Seven2
06. Pink Floyd - Dogs
07. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
08. The Beatles - Hey Jude
09. Amen Dunes - Baba Yaga
10. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - We Drift Like Worried Fire

One of the great things about how TIFEM has grown and evolved is that we get to see young and talented musicians progress at staggering rates.

After meeting Dante for the first time and hearing him play, we were amazed at how he played with such a discipline and maturity beyond his years.

We knew that one day we’d be going out to hear Dante play somewhere, but we had no idea how soon he would make it happen, or how awesome he would be!

Dante has been with TIFEM for about five years. He has a vigorous appetite for rock n’ roll and brings every piece he plays to life. Dante digs in every time, and always plays with feeling - the guy really means it. You’d never think that such a huge sound would come out of such a soft spoken and chill young man.

But it does!

Dante recently wowed us and sped the future up about five years when he and TIFEM’s own Lucky Penny rocked the stage at Toronto’s The Beaconsfield.

Sporting a fresh cut and proving that one can have both substance and style, Dante and the band roared through some great original songs and covers, Dante played and looked like a pro up there. We were about to feel a bit sentimental but we were rocking out so hard there was just no time for tears.

We look forward to hearing Dante ripping it up at the TIFEM Summer Music Festival and to many more opportunities to listen to this brilliant guy move some air out of an amp.

1) How has studying at TIFEM helped you with some of your musical experiences?
TIFEM has help me discover my passion that lies within music and nurtured it.  TIFEM takes a different approach to teaching music than usual music places.  As it's name suggests its more into building a love for music rather than minding what level you are or how well you do on your exam.
TIFEM's overall  attitude and disposition really suites me.

2) What do you love best about studying at TIFEM?
That I get to learn really cool stuff, that's both important to my musical studies and fun.

3) What are some future goals in music that you would love to accomplish over the next few years?
I would love to learn how to read music better than I can now.  I think that it's a good skill to have and would benefit me to be able to just pick up a piece of music and play it.

From the 427 to the River Rouge, Lake Ontario on up to Steeles Ave, we bring you the city’s best, past present and future.

Jeff Plewman, better known as his stage name, Nash the Slash, was a Canadian musician and composer. Nash was a multi-instrumentalist, specializing in both the electric mandolin and the electric violin. In addition, Nash the Slash has performed on keyboards, glockenspiel, and harmonica.

In 1975 The Slash began a solo career and subsequently founded the prog rock band, FM, donning his trademark facial bandages pretty much from the get go.

Nash’s music ranges from instrumental compositions to rock and pop music with vocals. The Slash has composed music for silent films, and performed the music live during screenings of these films. Nash also accompanied the surrealist painter Robert Vanderhorst both in 1978 and 2004 as an audio-visual collaboration.

NTS was born on March 26, 1948 in Toronto, and although he did not achieve the height of international superstardom, he is no doubt in the hearts of Torontonians. Images of the musician are featured in Leslieville on a variety of city murals drawn by artist Jungle Ling.

Sadly, Nash the Slash recently passed away at his home in Toronto at the age of 66. He will be dearly missed.