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 XXI, No. 11 January 2017
WELCOMINGOURNEWSTUDENTSAshleyT.(saxophone)AbbyCheung(voiceandguitar)HannahWong(piano)AveryS.(guitar)IMASTUDENTSBIRTHDAYSINJANUARY DanielG.,MeaganJ.,AditK.,EdwardT.,KatherineL.,JessicaF.,AnyaP.,JadynY.,DavidL.,JamesA.,RoshnieR.,AnjaliM.,MathushanM.,EddyC.,MichaelW.,LucyZ.
HAPPYBIRTHDAY!IMPORTANTDAYSINJANUARY
January1:SchoolisclosedJanuary4:RCMAprilExamregistrationdeadline(pianoonly)January7:Christmas(orthodox)January15:MarkhamMusicFestivalregistrationdeadlineJanuary15:NorthYorkMusicFestivalregistrationdeadlineJanuary16-28:RCMpracticalexaminationsJanuary28:ChineseNewYearNEWS
WINTERTERMSTUDENTSEVALUATIONREPORTSTheWintertermStudentsevaluationreportsarenowfinalizedandarebeinggiventothestudents.Pleasefeelfreetodiscussdirectlywiththeteacheranypointsinthereportsthatmaybeofinterest.Ifyouhaveanyconcerns,pleasecontacttheMusicDirector,[email protected]
ROYALCONSERVATORYOFMUSICJanuaryexaminationsManyIMAstudentswillbetakingtheirexaminationsinthesecondhalfofJanuary.Undertheguidanceoftheirinspiringteachers,studentshaveworkedveryhardtopreparelonganddemandingprograms.Wewishthemsuccess!GETA$30CREDITONYOURNEXTMONTHTUITIONWehavebeenverypleasedwiththecontinuedsuccessofourstudents.Theyhaveimprovedagreatdealandwesharetheirexcitementwiththeirfamilies,friends,neighbors,andschoolmates.Weappreciateyourinteresttowardsourprogramsandservices.Wearealwaysveryhappytowelcomenewstudentsofallages,levels,andinstrumentstotheiMA.PleasetellyourfriendsaboutyourexperiencewiththeInternationalMusicAcademy.Doyouknowsomeonewhoisthinkingoftakingmusiclessonsorwhohaschildrenwhomaybeinterestedingettingtheirhandsonamusicalinstrumentorsinging?DoyouknowateenagerwhoneedsahighschoolOACcredit?Doyouknowanadultwhohaswantedforalongtimetolearnhowtoplayamusicalinstrumentbuthasneverhadthetimeorinclination?PleasetellthemabouttheIMA.Asanappreciationforyourreferral,wewillgiveyoua$30creditforeachnewstudentwhoregistersattheInternationalMusicAcademyasaresultofyourreferral.Aswevalueyourfriendsasmuchaswevalueyou,wewilloffertoeachreferredstudenta$30creditaswell.PERSONALIZEDIMAGIFTCARD
International Music Academy
1-4981 Highway 7
Markham ON L3R 1N1 Phone: 905.489.4620
3-50 Innovator Avenue Stouffville ON L4A 0Y2
Phone: 905.640.6363 www.internationalmusicacademy.ca [email protected]
TheIMAofferspersonalizedGiftCardsthatcouldbeusedasthoughtfulbirthday,holiday,bar/batMitzvah,graduationgiftorforanyotheroccasionsaswellastoencouragesomeonetostartlearninga
musicalinstrumentorsinging.Thecardcanbeusedforanyproductsorservices.Thegiftcardisavailableforanyamount.Ascardsarepersonalizedwiththenameofthepersonwhowillreceiveitaswellaswiththenameofthepersonwhopurchaseit,requestshavetobemade1dayinadvance.Cardscanbeorderedinperson,byphoneat905.489.4620orbye-mailatinfo@InternationalMusicAcademy.ca.Atthetimethecardisordered,anon-refundable$5depositisrequired.Thefullvalueofthecardispaiduponpick-up(andthedepositiscreditedtowardsthepurchaseprice).Paymentscanbemadebyanymajorcreditcard,chequeorcashaswellasthroughtheaccountsoftheIMAClients.
COMPOSERS’ANNIVERSARIESINJANUARY4,1710 PERGOLESI,GiovanniBattista4,1874 SUK,Josef6,1838 BRUCH,Max6,1872 SCRIABIN,Alexander7,1899 POULENC,Francis25,1913 LUTOSLAVSKI,Witold27,1756 MOZART,WolfgangAmadeus31,1797 SCHUBERT,FranzPeterWhereyoubornordoyouknowsomeonewhowasbornonthesamedayasthesefamouscomposers?Dropuse-mailatinfo@InternationalMusicAcademy.catoletusknow. FEATUREDTEACHEROFTHEMONTHSalomeLegemaate,B.Mus.Violinstudies
SalomeLegemaatewasbornandraisedinSwitzerlandandstartedstudyingtheviolinattheageof12attheMusicSchoolofSt.GallenintheclassofBeatrixSieberandHermannOstendarpand,inCanada,withYiumanChangandDanDavidArnovich.Ms.LegemaatehasperformedwiththeHueberliOrchestrainWattwilunderthebatonofPeterRothandhasperformedatthe
ConservatoryofMusicinZuerich.ShehasextensiveteachingexperienceforstudentsofallagesandisaregisteredteacherwiththeRoyalConservatoryofMusic.Mrs.Legemaatewashappytoanswerafewquestionsforourstudentsandparents:1.Whatdoyoulikemostaboutteaching?Ibelieve,forme,theenjoymentofteachingspringsforthfrommyloveoflearning.Iamfascinatedtofindouthowmystudentslearnandwhatmotivatesthem.Everystudentisdifferentandmyjobistofindtherightapproachinteachinghimorhertheviolin.IampassionateaboutwhatIdoandItrytoinstilthesamepassionineachstudent.Musicisapowerfultoolthatreachesfarbeyondlearningnotes.ItgivesmegreatpleasuretoextendwhatIhavelearnedovertheyearstostudentsthatarekeen,nomatterwhatage.Iwillalwaysencouragethemtothinkforthemselvesandhelpthemalongthewaytodiscovertheirpotentialandinnergift.ThesearesomeofthereasonsthatIliketeaching.2.Howdoyouinspirestudentstopracticemore?Idon’tbelievethatmorepracticeisnecessary.Bringingforthmorefruit,itcanalsobringmorediscouragementandfrustration.ThelattertwoIliketoavoidifpossible.Howtopracticehastobetaughtjustlikehowtostudy.InmostCasesitdoesnotcomenaturallyandsoitisimportanttoworkonagoodhabit,whichovertimestartstofeelnatural.Ithinkthataccountabilitycanbeahelpfulstartingpointinbuildingagoodhabit.ThisisthereasonIlikeaweeklylogthattellsmewhatthestudentpractisedandhowlong.DependingonthestudentIaskthemtopractiseforacertainamountoftimeandincreaseitgradually.Itislikegoingintotraining,wealwaysstartslowandbuildonittobecomestrongerandbetter.HowIinspiremystudentsinpractisingmore…Iwantthemtobeinspiredbytheirownworkandthesuccessitbrings.Myjobistoencourageandletthemseethebenefitsoffocusedpractise.3.Whatrolesdoesperformanceplayinstudent’sdevelopment?Theperformanceofastudentasastudentisveryimportanttomeasateacher.Iexpecteverystudenttogivetheirbesttotheirability.Mybelieveisthathomeworkassignmentsshouldbemanageableandbuilding.Iwanteachstudent,ineverylessontofeelasenseofaccomplishment.Itisimportantforus,student/teacher,tosetgoalsandreachthem.This,Ibelieve,willencouragestudentstodothesameineverydaylife.Howimportantisitformethatstudentsperform?Ithinkthattheyoungerstudentsarethemorenaturallyperformancecomes.Iencouragethemtostartplayingforparents,siblingsandrelatives.IfwehaveaduetIinviteparentstojoinalesson.Thiswayitispossibletoalsopointouttoparentstheprogresstheirsonordaughterismaking.4.Whoareyourfavouritecomposers?Thatisatoughquestionastherearetoomanytoname.GrowingupinSwitzerland,IwasintroducedtoJ.SBachatayoungage.Heiscertainlyoneofmyfavourites.AsIspentmanysummersinSalzburg,Austria,IwasintroducedtothehappyandlightmusicofMozart.SpendingtimeinhiscityofbirthandattendingchamberorchestrasperformingMozart’smusicmidstofoldbuildingsandstreetsofcobblestoneshasgivenmealoveforsomeofhiscompositions.Playinginthe
KindredSpiritsOrchestraforanumberofyearsunderthebatonofbrilliantKristianAlexanderhascertainlybroadenedthelibraryofwonderfulcomposersforme.IverymuchenjoythemusicofBrahms,Mendelssohn,Tchaikovsky,Sibeliusandthelistgoeson.5.Whatwasthelastpieceofmusic(sheetmusicorarecording)youpurchasedforyourself?ItwasaCDbyHolst“ThePlanets”andthesheetmusicofJeanBatiste,Accolay.
FEATUREDSTUDENTOFTHEMONTH Maria-AiméeTat
Whatinstrumentdoyouplay?-Iplaythepiano.Howlonghaveyoutakenlessons?-Ihavebeentakinglessonsforthreeyears.Whoareyourfavouritemusicalartists?-MyfavouritemusicalartistsareHavasiasaninterpreterandChopinasacomposer.
Whatareyourotherhobbies,besidesmusic?-Iloveskiingandreadinggoodbooks.Favoritefood?-Myfavaouritefoodispizza“quatrroformagi”madeinItalyWhatisthecoolestthingyou’velearntinyourlessonsinthepastthreemonths?-ThecoolestthingIlearntinthepastmonthsisplayingdifferentrhythmswithbothhandsDoyouhaveanyperformancecomingup?-Notrightnow,Ihopetohavethenextoneinthesummer2017J [email protected](oryourchild)togetherwiththeanswersofthequestionsabove.Thedeadlineforsubmissionsisthe15thofeverymonth.Wewillfeatureyouinoneofthenextissuesofthenewsletter.PETOFTHEMONTHSendaphotoofyourpettogetherwithfollowinginformationandwewillpublishitinoneofthenextissuesoftheIMAnewsletter.Whatisthenameofyourpet?Howoldishe/she?Whatkindofbreedourpetis(ifapplicable)?Howlonghaveyouhadhim/herfor?Anyspecialcircumstancesaroundgettingthepet(i.e.agift,fosterpet,etc.)?Thefunnieststoryaboutyoupet?Anyspecialskillsorabilities.
FEATUREDARTICLE
Germany'ssparklingjewelOliverCondyreportsfromtheopeningofHamburg'sspectacularnewElbphilharmonieinJanuary2017Thewaitisover.Afteryearsofspirallingcostsanddelays,Hamburg'smuch-anticipatedElbphilharmonieisfinallyopen.Theextraordinaryglass-cladbuildingatopanoldbrickwarehouse,loomsoverthecity'sharbourlikeacruiseshipwaitingtodock.Insidearetwoconcerthallsandtheirfoyers(a400-seatchambervenueandthemainevent,the2,100-seathall),afive-starhotel,apartments,spa,publicareasandacarpark.It'sdifficulttoworkoutfromtheoutsidehowtheysqueezeditallin.
There'snoescapingtheeye-wateringcosts,however.Initialestimatesalmostadecadeago(neveragoodideatopublicisesuchthings)putthefinalcostataround272meuros.Theactualfigureisnearer850meuros.Almostabillion.Butthecityexpectstorecoupthemoney–infact,reportsflyingaroundthatthecityisalreadyclosetomakingitback,thankstothesheernumbersoftouristsdescendingonHamburg,areunsubstantiated,butIwouldn'tbesurprisediftheyweretrue.Afterall,thecityitselfnowownstheElbphilharmonie(minustheapartments,whichstartataround1.5meuros);500,000peoplecametogawkontheopeningweekend,and450,000ticketshavealreadybeensoldforupcomingseasons.TheElbphilharmoniehascreatedquiteastir.Buttothebuildingitself.Evenitsentranceinstillsasenseofoccasion–an84-metreescalatorsweepsvisitorsuptotheeighthfloorinanelegantparaboliccurve,journey'sendhiddenfromsightuntilitsfinalfewmoments.
Abarandrestaurantgreetsthemonarrival,alongsideahugewindowrewardingarrivalswithoneofmanyfineviewsacrosstheharbour.Andit'sonlyuntiltheyreachthepublicsquare,alargespaceofbrickandglass,opentothechillyelements,thatanymentionismadeofaconcerthall.Thisis,runstheofficialline,abuildingforeveryone,notjusttheclassicalmusic-lovingfew…Butwhatoftheperformingvenues?Therecitalhallisanacousticgem,thankstoitsclassicshoe-boxshapeandwallsofrichlycoloured,undulatingcarvedwood.Itlookssensual,andsoundsit,aperformanceofBerg'sSevenEarlySongsfeaturingsopranoSandrinePiaurevealedinrichdetailbythepurityoftheacoustic.Themainconcerthall,however,isevenmoreastonishing.Cladin10,000individuallypittedpanelsmadefromacompositeofgypsumandrecycledpaper,itappearsasifcarvedfromasingleblockofcoral,itscreamy,chalkycolourshimmeringinthedimmedlights.Itslinesareorganicandnatural,balconiesflowingintooneanother,anditsseatsarecomfortableandpleasinglywide.Inshort,it'sadelight.ModelledonthedesignofBerlin'sPhilharmonieHall,theElbphilharmonieisdemocraticallydesigned,withnomemberoftheaudiencemorethan30metresfromthestage.Hiddenfromviewisthefour-manualKlaispipeorgan,embeddedwithinthewallsasifanafter-thought.Whichitwas–therewereoriginallynoplansforanorgan,butaprivatedonorsteppedin
almostcertainlyaftertheacousticdesignershaddonetheirbit.Organscanmakeahall(witnesstheWaltDisneyHall'sGlatter-GötzorganinLosAngeles).Ican'thelpthinkingthatthisoneisawastedopportunity.Theopeningconcert–amix,likeHamburgitself,ofoldandnew–showedoffthehall'sacoustics.Ameanderingsolooboefrombackofthehallhungintheair;modernmasterpieces,includingDutilleux’sMystèredel’InstantandBerndAloisZimmermann’sPhotoptosis/PréludefürGrossesOrchester,growledandwhispered,earlymusicbyPraetorius,Cacciniprovidingproofthatthehallcouldhandlesmallerforcesequallywell.Witheachpiecesegueingintothenext,andthereforenoapplause,thecontrastsofmusicalsorbets,startersandgreatbanquetsofsoundcouldbeappreciated.Forearlyandmodernmusic,thishallworkswell.
ForWagnerandBeethoven,whichdominatedthesecondhalf,thejury’sstillout.Theconductor,ThomasHengelbrock,gavesuchfragmentedreadingsoftheParsifalpreludeandthefinalmovementofBeethoven'sChoralSymphony(withSirBrynTerfelonfineform)thatitwasdifficulttoformanopinion.Wasaslightlackofrichnessinthestringsthefaultoftheorchestra?Timewilltell.Fornow,however,Hamburgiscelebrating,andrightlyso.TheElbphilharmonieisatriumph.TocommentonthisstoryoranythingelseyouhavereadintheNewsletter,headovertotheIMAFacebookpageormessageusonTwitter.
InternationalMusicAcademy
GIFTCERTIFICATEfornewstudentsonly
ONEFREELESSONCalltheIMAOfficeat
905.489.4620(Markham)or905.640.6363(Stouffville)
toscheduleyourfirstlesson.Oncescheduled,thelessoncannotberescheduled.Cannot be combined with any other offer. Norefunds,noexchanges.
Music is sooooooooo beuatiful!
Register for lessons by
January 28, 2017 and receive
$30 off New students only.
Cannot be combined with any other offer.
REFERANEWSTUDENTandGETONEFREELESSON!
WhenyoureferanewstudenttotheIMA,whoregistersforlesson,youwillgetonefreelessonforeverynewstudent.So,ifyourefertheIMAto2newstudents,wewillgiveyou2freelessons;for3newstudents–3freelessonsetc.FillinthecouponbelowandleaveitwiththeIMAOfficeadministrator.Yourname:______________________________Nameofthenewstudent:__________________Youcanprintorphotocopythiscouponasmanytimesasyouneed.
Cannot be combined with any other offer.
