iMA Newsletter Voted top 100 educators in the world by the International Biographical Centre Winner of the Consumers’ Choice Award for best music school in the GTA. Winner of the Royal Conservatory of Music Gold Medal for Teaching Excellence. Winner of the York Region Character Community Award. Markham Board of Trade Business Excellence Award finalist. Year XX, No. 12 December 2016
WELCOMINGOURNEWSTUDENTSDevinRadway(violin)PoojithaSreeKorimilli(piano)NataliePang(violin)SamiIskandar(voice)OmMistry(piano)JacobGaochen(piano)KianaLandry(voice)CarlCook(piano)AvaEdwards(violin)ClaudetteZabsonre(altosaxophone)KarenThomas(piano)LoganBoutros(piano)HoldenBoutros(piano)
IMASTUDENTSBIRTHDAYSINDECEMBER PriyankaR,DanielY,SebastianS,ReneeW,CalebY,TrevorT,DanteM,RidaA,ShaniaW,DhirenP,EvangelineL,AngelaZ,JatynneR,ShreyaR,LabrosS,DerekP,AaronD,AaryanK,JohnN,CharlotteL,EllaS,CelinaM,PoojithaK,EthanJavierW,JakeX.CatherineJ.,AshvikaM.,AdityaA.
HAPPYBIRTHDAY!IMPORTANTDAYSINDECEMBER
Dec1 CanadianMusicCompetitionregistrationsdeadlineDec1 PeelMusicFestivalRegistrationsdeadlineDec9-10RCMtheoryexaminationsDec10-11IMAWinterFestivalDec15 RCMAprilsessionapplicationsdeadline(pianoonly)Dec16 IMAMid-YearProgressreportsDec17 KindredSpiritsOrchestra:GRANDROMANTICS. FlatoMarkhamTheatreDec24-Jan8 Winterbreak(schoolisopen)Dec24-Jan1 Hanukkah(schoolisopen)Dec25 Christmasday.Schoolisclosed.Dec26 Boxingday.Schoolisopen.
NEWSGETA$30CREDITONYOURNEXTMONTHTUITIONWehavebeenverypleasedwiththecontinuedsuccessofourstudents.Theyhaveimprovedagreatdealandwesharetheirexcitementwiththeirfamilies,friends,neighbors,andschoolmates.Weappreciateyourinteresttowardsourprogramsandservices.Wearealwaysveryhappytowelcomenewstudentsofallages,levels,andinstrumentstotheiMA.PleasetellyourfriendsaboutyourexperiencewiththeInternationalMusicAcademy.Doyouknowsomeonewhoisthinkingoftakingmusiclessonsorwhohaschildrenwhomaybeinterestedingettingtheirhandsonamusicalinstrumentorsinging?DoyouknowateenagerwhoneedsahighschoolOACcredit?Doyouknowanadultwhohaswantedforalongtimetolearnhowtoplayamusicalinstrumentbuthasneverhadthetimeorinclination?PleasetellthemabouttheIMA.Asanappreciationforyourreferral,wewillgiveyoua$30creditforeachnewstudentwhoregistersattheInternationalMusicAcademyasaresultofyourreferral.Aswevalueyourfriendsasmuchaswevalueyou,wewilloffertoeachreferredstudenta$30creditaswell.PERSONALIZEDIMAGIFTCARD
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COMPOSERS’ANNIVERSARIESINDECEMBER
14,1719
MOZART,Leopold(fatherofWolfgang)
14,1778 HUMMEL,JohannNepomuk14,1900 COPLAND,Aaron18,1786 WEBER,CarlMariaFriedrichErnst,Freiherrvon18,1860 PADEREWSKI,IgnacyJan22,1710 BACH,WilhelmFriedemann22,1913 BRITTEN,LordBenjaminWhereyoubornordoyouknowsomeonewhowasbornonthesamedayasthesefamouscomposers?Dropuse-mailatinfo@InternationalMusicAcademy.catoletusknow. FEATUREDTEACHEROFTHEMONTHSaraChen,B.F.A.Voicestudiesandinterpretation,SuzukiPiano
Ms.SaraChenhasearnedherBachelordegreeinvocalperformanceandpedagogyfromXingHaiConservatoryofMusic.Asanaccomplishedmusicalartistandover15yearsofteachingexperience,Ms.Chenisabletoperformandteachavarietyofsongsandgenresincludingoperaandartsongs,musicaltheatre,folkandpop
songs.Sheunderstandthetechnicalelementsaswellasthecreativityneededtobesuccessfulinvocalmusic.Sheteachesstudentsofallagesandlevels,andenjoyseeingthemprogressachievingtheirownsuccess,dreamsandgoals.Ms.ChenalsoteachesSuzukipianoaswell.SheisaregisteredteacherwiththeRoyalConservatoryofMusic(RCME61054).Ms.Chenwashappytoanswerafewquestionsforourstudentsandparents:1.Whatdoyoulikemostaboutteaching?Teachingisapleasurebutalsoachallenge.Itrequiresfindingthefinebalancebetweennurturingloveformusic,encouragingconsistentpracticing,buildingupstrongandpropermusictechnique,fosteringanunderstandingofphilosophyoflearningmusic.Wheneverythingisproperlybalanced,thelearning/teachingexperienceisveryrewarding.2.Howdoyouinspirestudentstopracticemore?Itisimportanttoalwaysshowmyloveandpassionformusic.Encouragingstudents’progressandhelpingthemreachtheir
goalsandmaketheirdreamscometrueinspiresstudentsthemost.3.Whatrolesdoesperformanceplayinstudent’sdevelopment?Publicperformancesbuildupstudents’confidenceandself-esteem.Overcomingthestagefrightandgainingperformanceexperienceareintegralpartsofthelearningprocess.4.Whoareyourfavouritecomposers?Somanytolist….
FEATUREDSTUDENTOFTHEMONTH KyraSophieOszlai
Whatinstrumentdoyouplay?-Iplaythepiano.Ibrieflyplayedtheviolin,also,butwantedtoconcentratemoreonthepiano,asIhadmoresuccesswiththisinstrumentandItrulyenjoyplayingit.Howlonghaveyoutakenlessons?-IstartedinSeptember2013atIMAwithMs.AntoniadeWolfe.Ihaven'tplayedthepianobefore.
Antoniaisabrilliantteacherandallowedmetoprogressinawayandatatempomyparentscouldnotevenimagine.IamnowatRCMGrade5,andIlovethatmypiecesgrowincomplexityandbeauty.LastyearIwonattheMarkhamMusicFestivalandalsoattheNorthYorkMusicFestival.TheawardsceremonyattheNorthYorkMusicFestivalwasmyabsolutefavourite. Whoareyourfavouritemusicalartists?-Thisishardtosay,asIlovemostcomposersIamplayingapiecefrom.IfIneededtonarrowdown,herearemyclassicalfavourites:W.A.Mozart,J.S.Bach,G.F.Handel,J.Haydn,L.v.Beethoven,R.Schumann,C.CzernyandA.Vivaldi.FromthejazzstyleIlovetoplaypiecesbyChristopherNortonandMikeSchoenmehl.Fromthemodernartists,IlikethesongsofKatyPerry,asIdancetomanyofthem.Whatareyourotherhobbies,besidesmusic?-Idancecompetitively.Mytrueloveisballet,butIalsoenjoyalottap,jazz,acroandmusicaltheatre.Inaddition,Ilovetheartsandliketodoallkindsofcreativethings:drawing,painting,RainbowLoom,jewelrydesign,writingstories.IhaveapassiontoreadEnglishandFrenchbooks,andIlovetodesignspacesandvillagesinMinecraft.Ialsolovetospendtimewithmyfriends,SamanthaandZaara,andwithmylittlebrother,Darren,andmyfamily.Favoritefood?-Myfavouritefoodisclamchowderandasasnacklychees,andforbreakfast,myfavouritefoodiscrepeswithchocolatefilling.
Whatisthecoolestthingyou’velearntinyourlessonsinthepastthreemonths?-IlovemyRCMGrade5syllabus.MyfavouritepiecesareElissaMilne:'NoWorries'andLudwigvanBeethoven:'SonatinainFMajor'.TolearnthesepieceswithAntoniaisatruepleasure.Sheisnotonlyafunteacher,butIalsofeelencouraged,andherguidancetorefinethestyleandtechniqueishelpingmeprogressintherightdirection.Doyouhaveanyperformancecomingup?-IjusthadaChristmasconcertattheendofNovemberinaChurchinMarkham,andmyIMAWinterFestivalconcertiscominguponDecember10.Performinginfrontofpublicstillmakesmeabitnervous,butIfeeltherightpreparationallowsmetobringlotsofcolouranddepthintothepiecesIplay,sothattheaudienceenjoysthemjustasmuchasIdo.AttheendoftheperformancesorexamsIfeelaccomplishedandrewarded.Itisagreatopportunityformetogrow.Inaddition,IwillbedancingwithCanada'sBalletJorgenintheNutcrackerintheMarkhamFlatoTheatreonDecember30inthe2:00pmshow.ThisismysecondyearwiththemandIamveryproudtobepartoftheirproduction.E-mailtoinfo@InternationalMusicAcademy.caaphotoofyourself(oryourchild)togetherwiththeanswersofthequestionsabove.Thedeadlineforsubmissionsisthe15thofeverymonth.Wewillfeatureyouinoneofthenextissuesofthenewsletter.PETOFTHEMONTHSendaphotoofyourpettogetherwithfollowinginformationandwewillpublishitinoneofthenextissuesoftheIMAnewsletter.Whatisthenameofyourpet?Howoldishe/she?Whatkindofbreedourpetis(ifapplicable)?Howlonghaveyouhadhim/herfor?Anyspecialcircumstancesaroundgettingthepet(i.e.agift,fosterpet,etc.)?Thefunnieststoryaboutyoupet?Anyspecialskillsorabilities.
FEATUREDARTICLEMatthewAucoin,a26-year-oldwunderkindcomposer-conductor,hadjustpreviewedexcerptsfromEvidence,awork-in-progressofhiscommissionedbytheLosAngelesChamberOrchestra,orLACO.NowhewasdiscussinghisapproachtocomposingwitharaptaudienceattheSteinwayPianoGalleryinBeverlyHills.“Itendtowriteshortscores,likeplottingpointsonagraph,andthenIfillinthesketch,fleshitout,andorchestrateit,”AucointellsmembersofLACO’sSoundInvestmentprogram.That’sagroupof104investorswhoeachpay$300aseasontofundanewworkand,inexchange,gettofollowitsdevelopment,engagingwiththecomposerfrominceptiontopremiereandenjoyingarareinsider’sviewofthecreativeprocess.RauleeMarcus,apassionatecommissionerofnewclassicalworks,withoneofhersignedscores.Photo:ThomasMichaelAllemanSoundInvestmentandotherprogramsdevotedtocontemporaryclassicalmusichaveturnedLosAngelesintooneofthemostvibrantcitiesformusicalcreativity,andthat,inturn,owesmuchtotheincreasingrolethatindividualaficionadosareplayingbybankrollingnewcommissions.“Thereisreallyashiftinthe
fundingpicturehappeningthere,”saysNormanRyan,vicepresidentofcomposersandrepertoireatpublisherSchottMusic.
“Youhavethisverystrongcomponentofaveryaggressive,proactive,andenthusiasticgroupofmusicloversreachingouttocomposersinallsortsofways,includinghavingtheabilitytowriteacheck.It’ssomethingthatIdon’tseeanywhereelse.”Fouryearsago,onawhim,JustusSchlichtingcommissionedanewworkfromcomposerJamesMatheson,afterlisteningtohisworkataLosAngelesPhilharmonicrehearsal.“Ididn’tknowwhatIwasdoing,”herecalls.Schlichting,whoalsoplaysthetrombone,hadrecentlysoldhiscompany,S&SDatalink,andwasrenewinghismusicalpassionwithamasterclassattheMusicAcademyoftheWest.“Iwasanaveragemusicconsumerfor40years,”hesays,“butseeingallofthisgreatmusicandnocomposerinsight,itstruckmethatsomethingneededtoberectified.”Sincethatfirststring-quartetcommission,whichdebutedin2014,Schlichtingandhiswife,Elizabeth,havebecomeapotentfundingforce.Theyhavecommittedto135commissions,costing$1,250to$50,000eachandrangingfromviolinsolostooperas,withawho’swhoofmodernandemergingcomposers.Drawntotheentrepreneurialandexperimental,theSchlichtingssingle-handedlyunderwrotelastyear’swildlyinventiveHopscotch,YuvalSharon’srollingoperastagedinsideafleetof24limousines.“WhenIbegandoingthis,”saysSchlichting,“Iwasthinkingabout
thetimeswhenclassicalmusicdependeduponthelargessofthosewithmeanstokeeptheartalive.AndIwasinapositiontopaythatforward.”ThefertiledynamicunderwayinL.A.offersathrowbacktoanearliereraofpatronage,suchasthatof18thcenturyVienna,butwithsomethingofanewandsynergistictwist.Unlikemostcities,wherecontemporaryclassicalmusicisrelegatedtotheossifiedmargins,inLosAngelesthemajormusicinstitutionsarecatalysts,notonlyestablishinganappetitefornewmusicbutalsocultivatingpatronstosupportit.JeffKahane,LACO’smusicdirector,notes,“Thereisawillingnessheretorecognizehowcriticalitistothehealthofanorchestratobeinthebusinessoffosteringnewworks.”
GustavoDudamelleadingtheLosAngelesPhilharmonic.Photo:HiroyukiIto/GettyImagesConsidertheLongBeachOpera,nowinits37thyear,whichhasearnedinternationalacclaimforitsunorthodoxprogramming:Nearlyallofitsofferingseachseasonaredevotedtonewandrarelyperformedworks.OneoftheL.A.Philharmonic’slongest-runningandmostpopularprogramsisitsGreenUmbrellanew-musicseries.ThePhilharmonicannouncedanastonishing21newworksforthe2016-17season,tobeperformedattheFrankGehry–designedWaltDisneyConcertHall,upfromninenewworkscommissionedduringthe2009-10season.ChadSmith,thePhilharmonic’schiefoperatingofficer,says,“Evenablue-chipinstitutioncankeepacertainsenseofexperimentation.”Nosurprise,then,thatcomposersareflockingtotheCityofAngels.AndrewNorman,thefetedPulitzerPrizefinalistwhoseworksareperformedglobally,isoneofthem.“InL.A.,thereisthissenseofwide-openpossibility,”hesays,notingthatunlikemostestablishedmusicalcenters,itisOKtotakerisksinL.A.,eventofail.“Relativelyspeaking,it’smuchmorepossibleheretocomeupwithsomewild,crazyideaandthenfindpeoplewillingtosupportit.”Aucoin,recentlynamedL.A.Opera’snewartist-in-residence,concurs:“Alotofplaceshavewealthypatronsofthearts.Theysupportyoungartists,buttheyaremorelikelytobeahotshotviolinist.InL.A.,donorsgravitatetowardthefunkyandthenew.”Withinthesmallbutinfluentialcommissioningset,RauleeMarcus,founderandpresidentoffinancial-servicesfirmPinnacleManagement,isoneofthemostactive.ThebathroomofMarcus’downtownloftiscoveredinframedandsignedfrontispiecesand
scoresofhermanycommissions.Marcus’loveofmusicwasnurturedbylisteningtotheradioinhergrandmother’sKentuckykitchen,andshesocializeswithcomposers,holdssoiréesinherloft,andintroducesnewpotentialfunderstocomposers.AfterhearingaperformanceofAndrewMcIntosh’s“EtudeIV,”duringaGreenUmbrellaconcert,shesenthimane-mail,stating,“YouareatodayBartók.Iwouldlovetoknowyoubetter.”Shehassincecommissionedseveralofhisworks.“There’salotofengagementwiththeactualcomposersifyou’reinvolvedinnewmusic,”shesays.“IwouldhavelovedtohavemetBeethoven.Igettomeettoday’sBeethovens.”HannahLash,anaward-winningcomposerandharpist,andmemberoftheYaleSchoolofMusicfaculty,isamazedbytheintensityofL.A.’spatrons.“Fromacomposer’sstandpoint,anycommissionisagoodthing,”shesays.“Butthereissomethingsospecialaboutacommissioncomingfromanindividual.Youhavesomeoneinvestedinyou.”
TheimpassionedMarcusfrequentlyfundsworkstogetherwithStephenBlock,aretiredgeneralcounselatInternationalFlavorsandFragrances.Theyspendanywherefrom$10,000to$30,000acommission,andoftenbringinLeslieLassiter,amanagingdirectoratJPMorganPrivateBank,orothers,whentheyneedmorefundstogetacommissionofftheground.Blocksayshehasgivenupmostotherphilanthropicactivities,andlastyearspentabout
$50,000bankrollingmusic.“Forme,thedrivingfactorisreallytheopportunitytohelpcomposersandhelpsupportandnurturenewmusic.Bydoingthiswecanmakesureasmanynewcomposers[aspossible]getheard,andhopefullysomeoftheirmusicbecomespartoftherepertoire.”Interested?InadditiontoLACO’sSoundInvestment,therearenumerousworthwhilefestivalsofferingcommissioningopportunities,suchaswildUp,aneventdedicatedtocreatingnewmusicandperformances,andJacaranda,anongoingseriespresentingexperimentalworks.Bothprovideeasyaccesstocomposersandmusicians.ThenonprofitMusicBridgealsocultivatesartisticcollaborationsandcommissions.Ofcourse,reachingoutdirectlytoacomposercanalsoleadtoacommissioningrelationship.ThegranderL.A.Philharmonicrequiresanannualdonationof$15,000foradonorlevelthatletsyousee“thelist,”theworks-in-progresslookingtogetbankrolled.Demandissohotthatanewbreedofbenefactoriselbowingothersasidetogetalegup.“ItalktomyPhilhandlerandsay,‘Youbettergetthatlisttomebeforethecommissionsaregone,’”saysanactivemember.“There’sdefinitelyacompetitionforthebestcomposersandcommissions.”Benefactorsdon’townthemusic,andwhilemanyhopetheircommissionseventuallybecomepartofthecanon,thereisalwaysthechancethatthepiecewillslideintoobscurity.Therewardsarerootedinalustforestablishingalastingmusicalfootprint.SueBienkowski,presidentoftheboardoftheLongBeachOperaandasponsorofunderfundedcomposers,saysshegets“satisfactionfromhelpingthosewhodon’thavetheresourcesordevelopmentdonors.”JustusSchlichtingwouldagree.Twoyearsago,heandhiswifehelpedviolinistJennyKohfinanceherStradivarius.Butinsteadofpayingthembackwithcash,sheaskediftheywouldacceptnewpiecesasrepayment,worksthatothercomposerswoulddonatetoherintheSchlichtings’honor.Intheend,34composers,includingPhilipGlassandEsa-PekkaSalonen,didjustthat.“Ilookatsomethinglikethisandsaytomyself,‘DoIwanttobeapartofthatworld?’”saysSchlichting.“Youbet.”Translation:Youcan’tputadollarfigureonthetotalreturnsearnedfrompassion.TocommentonthisstoryoranythingelseyouhavereadintheNewsletter,headovertotheIMAFacebookpageormessageusonTwitter.
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