The quest for the moment. Every musician, whether they know it or not is always expressing themselves in real time, trying to capture and savour each instance, simultaneously offering themselves to and absorbing the offerings of the moment.

Ideally, the experience of music can be a great escape from the constraints and responsibilities that time brings with it.

Inevitably, we must assimilate back into the real world where the calendar gets exed and the clock is always ticking. A time of duality is upon us.

August brings with it a moment for soaking up every little ray of sun before getting back to a regular September routine. A last hurrah and a chance to try out something new like take a uke class or join a choir.

August can also be a great time to plan for the back to school season and plant some seeds for personal growth over a new phase.

Over here at TIFEM, things are continuing to hop and heat up through the summer. We’re noticing a spike in enrolment for the fall which has us excited to grow ourselves and continue to serve the community with great music and friendly vibes.

Lesson times are filling up fast so give us a shout to find out more about how you can make the transition from summer into an extraordinary one.

From our Group Guitar (Saturdays at 5pm), to our Sunday Uke Day (Free Intro - Sundays at 12:30, Level 1 - 1-2pm, Ukulele Ensemble 2-3pm), to our drop-in Theory Group (Thursdays at 7pm), we are constantly presenting more and more interesting workshops and specialty classes.

A unique opportunity to try something new and meet new people, our special events for August will prove to be packed with opportunities to learn and grow.

Ron Proulx, head of Arpix Media will be in on August 18th at 4pm to present the second installment of his workshop on the topic of music supervision in film, television and video games. The first edition of the Arpixtalkx was very inspiring to all of the budding composers who came out and we’re looking forward to repeating the success of Ron’s first visit.

Saturday August 24th, we bring you the next TIFEM Open Mic event which is getting more and more fun and packed with each month that passes. Not only is the Open Mic a great way to try new stuff out, or cut your teeth performing, but it’s also a hub to meet other musicians and form special musical friendships.

Lea Kirstein, who leads our Adult String Ensemble (Wednesdays at 7pm) is presenting an Immersive String Weekend Workshop in addition to her highly charged weekly strings group.

The workshop, which will be held on August 24th and 25th from 3:30pm-6:30pm each day will include some ensemble playing and will focus on developing musical literacy, transcribing and reading some beginner level classical chamber music.

Day two will focus on the music of the Delta Blues and will include several informative improvisation exercises. Students will learn to create and compose fills and melodic solos among other useful techniques. 

The String Workshop is open to all string players-Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass.

From week to week, it’s lovely to hear the sounds of a large group of strings. Lea’s enthusiasm and knowledge always seem to bring a packed house and Lea’s Immersive String Weekend Workshop should prove to be no exception.

Workshop rate is $120.00 for the weekend.

Last but not least, let us introduce the newest group class to you...

Led by Asha Pieper, vocalist and pianist, and held every Tuesday evening at 6:45-7:45pm, the TIFEM Drop-In Choir is for everyone that loves to sing. Asha, who is a bright and talented vocalist and performer, describes the class as a, “Come-as-you-are vocal experience.”

Whether you are coming to the choir with years of singing behind you, or a curious novice, there is always something to learn, or a part that needs a voice.

The Choir does take requests - the repertoire is shaped by the students of the class and all styles are welcome.

Each class will include:

• Group warm ups and exploring harmony
• Vowel, rhythm and tonal exercises to work sibilance and blending techniques
• Sight singing and singing by ear (with or without music, for those who do not read musical notation)

The aim of the choir is of course to make beautiful sounds, but even more important is the community that is created when we sing together. Bring some friends and let’s make music!

Athletes and musicians have often been pitted against each other in the classic high school feud scenario of jocks vs. those in the band.

In reality, the processes of the musician and athlete do not differ as much as movies like American Pie or Revenge of the Nerds might suggest.

Both factions spend countless hours training, practicing and refining their skills, and execute a type of focused intensity that could slow down time and please a master of Zen.

We’d like to dedicate the August 2013 edition of Student Shout Outs to Robert Earnshaw, TIFEM student and international football player. Earnshaw currently plays for our very own Toronto FC and is a regular here at TIFEM. 

Notably Robert is the only player to have scored a hat trick in all three divisions of the English Football League, The Premier League, The League Cup, and the FA Cup.

Earnshaw was born in Zambia and moved to Malawi with his family at age five.

In 1990, Earnshaw and his family moved to South Wales. He joined the Cardiff City team as a Youth Training Prospect in 1997 and graduated to pro a year later.

Earnshaw was eligible to opt to play for either Zambia or Wales and eventually selected to play for the later in 2003.

During his first run with Cardiff, Earnshaw scored 105 goals in 205 games.

We're really stoked to have an inspiring guy like Robert around. Hopefully his dedication and work ethic will rub off on us and vice versa. Go Toronto FC!

A time of duality is upon us all. Forces are at once pulling us in two opposing directions. The tension of the transition between seasons and perspectives, mounts.

A poem, if you will:

Reclining on a late summer’s beach blanket
watching the lazy sailboats pass
slowly but steadily accelerating on the winds of the harvest

What to do, what to do? We want to enjoy every drop of summer as it passes, but we want to be prepared for the next season, the season of productivity.

Relish the taste of that ice cream cone, but be careful not to let the winds of fall blow your rocky road to the ground.

Embrace the duality and realize how many folks have dealt with similar struggles and expressed them through song.

01. Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve
02. Hot n’ Cold - Katy Perry
03. Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
04. Hello Goodbye - The Beatles
05. Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath
06. Us and Them - Pink Floyd
07. Night and Day - Cole Porter
08. Whenever I Breathe Out, You Breathe In - Modest Mouse
09. That’s All - Genesis
10. Thinkin’ of One Thing and Doin’ Another - Miles Davis

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.

Barenaked Ladies

Most people’s first experience with Barenaked Ladies was their legendary performance at the now defunct Speaker’s Corner. Speaker’s Corner, the pre-internet town crier was located just outside the MUCH headquarters, and was the chance to have your public say, and have it aired on national television.

Hop into the booth and throw your loonie into the slot. You have the floor, and a chance for your spot to wind up on the weekly Speaker’s Corner show.

Talk about anything-love, politics, philosophise as to why the Leafs are in the basement and what it’s going to take to get them winning.

If you have a band and a couple of incredibly catchy, humorously tinged songs with spot-on harmonies, like the then unknown Barenaked Ladies, well you cram five guys into a box barely fit for two and perform, “If I had $1,000,000”, and “Be My Yoko Ono”, and make the entire country listen up.

A rabid fan base and mass circulation of the Barenaked Ladies demo EP soon ensued, Barenaked hats took hold of kid’s heads in high schools from B.C. to Brier Island.

Since then the Barenaked Ladies have maintained their popularity and became a staple on the Canadian pop music scene, selling over 15 million records and numerous Juno awards. The Ladies have been nominated for Grammy’s and although they never took one home, they have established themselves south of the border.

A Barenaked Lady can even been spotted around here at TIFEM, Jim Creeggan, who is an enthusiastic supporter of music and music education in Toronto.

Many reasons to include the Barenaked Ladies in our Heroes column and we wish them all the best in the future.

We know it’s important to have an active and creative musical faculty in order to constantly generate new ideas and approaches to musical education.

In order to foster this idea we make it a practice to check out some shows put on by our own amazing educators.

Hope to see you at one of these great shows this month:

August 09
Irena Perkovic
REENIE @ Melody Bar (Gladstone Hotel) | Toronto, ON
Time: 9 - 11pm

Brandon DeGroote
Most People @ Artscape Gibraltar Point | Toronto, ON

August 10
Brandon DeGroote
Most People @ Artscape Gibraltar Point | Toronto, ON

August 11 2013
Erik Arnessen
The Great Lake Swimmers @ Kitchener Blues Festival | Kitchener, ON
Time: 6:00pm
Admission: $20.00

August 13
Thomas Alexander
Thomas Alexander Concert @ Musideum | Toronto, ON
Time: 8:00 PM 

Asha Pieper
With the Sheraton Cadwell Orchestra @ Barry Zukerman Amphitheatre | Toronto, ON
Time: 7-8pm 

August 14
Asha Pieper
With duo TAKEtwo @ Gate 403 | Toronto, ON
Time: 5-8pm

August 17
Nathan Dell-Vandenberg
Soul Motivators @ Celebration Square | Mississauga, ON
Time: 8:30pm

Erik Arnessen
The Great Lake Swimmers with The Sadies, Tia McGraff, Duane Rutter and NorFolk @ Silver Lake Roots Music Festival | Port Dover, ON
Time: 3:00pm
Admission: $25.00

August 18
Asha Pieper
With the Sheraton Cadwell Orchestra @ Scarborough Civic Centre | Toronto, ON
Time: 2-4pm 

August 19
Frank Evans
The Slocan Ramblers opening for Joy Kill Sorrow @ The Silver Dollar Room | Toronto, ON
Doors: 8pm
Cover: $8
19+

August 21
Asha Pieper
With the Sheraton Cadwell Orchestra @ Casa Loma | Toronto, ON
Time: 10-midnight

August 23
Asha Pieper
With duo TAKEtwo @ Davidson's Restaurant | Innisfil, ON
Time: 7-10pm

Lea Kirstein
Musical Symphony at the Harbour conducted by Ken Ksieh @ Harbourfront | Toronto, ON
Time: 8:45pm

August 24
Nathan Dell-Vandenberg
Soul Motivators @ The Rivoli | Toronto, ON
Time: 10pm 

Irena Perkovic
REENIE @ Flying Beaver Pubaret | Toronto, ON
Time: 7pm
Cover: PWYW 

August 31
Erik Arnessen
The Great Lake Swimmers with Elliott Brood @ Jackson – Triggs Amphitheatre | Niagara On The Lake, ON
Time: 7:00pm
Admission: $49.00  

September 26
Irena Perkovic
REENIE with Daniel Mendez Band @ Measure Bar (previously Annex Live) | Toronto, ON
Time: 9pm-12
Cover: $10 

September 30
Lea Kirstein
With Sneak Peek JAZZ STRING ORCHESTRA & Daniel Jamieson Big Band @ Al Green Theatre at Miles Nadal JCC | Toronto, ON
Tickets: $40