3820 bloor street west, etobiocoke, ontario m9b 1k fax

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1 3820 bloor street west, etobiocoke, ontario m9b 1k fax

2 toronto faculty of music serving the community since 1979 The Toronto Faculty of Music is proud to be serving the Etobicoke community since 1979 and we feel that our word of mouth referrals have attributed to the continued success of the school. The TFOM philosophy is to provide students with the skills they need to ENJOY music for a lifetime. We offer private lessons in Piano, Guitar, Bass, Voice, Drums, Violin, Viola, Cello, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn. There are also classes in Theory and Preschool Studies and the greatest Summer Music Theatre Camp in the district with the incomparable Diane James. what makes this school special a friendly and caring administrative staff is available to assist you during teaching hours a free trial lesson to come in at meet with a teacher and make your decision to choose TFOM without pressure every attempt will be made to accommodate family scheduling qualified teachers strive to relate their teaching to each individual student s learning style free instrument is provided for a four-week trial period make-up lessons are offered within the school year at a mutually convenient time free extra help for examinations, recitals and competitions is available lessons are available to students from 3 years to adult performance opportunity in December and June preparation for the Royal Conservatory Examinations is available to classical students preparation for Kiwanis, Peel and Davenport Festivals opportunity to perform for our community outreach program touching the lives of the seniors opportunity to perform with the noted Etobicoke Jazz Band and Toronto All-Star Big Band

3 calendar First day of classes Tuesday September 6, 2016 Lasy day of school year Saturday June 24, 2017 Preschool classes Saturday September 17, 2016 Graduation Christmas Break Saturday June 24, There will be 36 classes. December 24, 2016 to January 6, 2017 inclusive Lessons resume SATURDAY JANUARY 7, 2017 CLOSED Mid Winter Break March 13-17, 2017 There will be a MARCH BREAK MUSIC THEATRE CAMP FROM MARCH 13-17, 2017! This year the show is ANNIE, THE MUSICAL. Book Early! Cost is $ for 9:00 am-3:30 pm. Summer School July 4 - August 25, 2017 Summer lessons will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays Music Theatre Camp will be held July 3-14 and July 17-28, 2017 Summer Camps will be LITTLE MERMAID THE MUSICAL and MARY POPPINS THE MUSICAL Cost is $500 for 9:00 am - 3:30pm TFOM also observes the Following Holidays Labour Day September 5, 2016 Thanksgiving Day October 10, 2016 Family Day February 20, 2017 Victoria Day May 22, 2017 Canada Day July 1, 2017 Civic Holiday August 4, 2017 FESTIVALS & RECITALS The Christmas Concert Friday December 16, 2016 at 7:00 pm Kiwanis Feb March 1, 2017, deadline is Oct 15, 2016 Peel April 2017, deadline is Nov 12, 2016 Davenport May 2017, deadline is Dec 1, 2016 Recitals Saturday June 24, Monday June 26, Tuesday June 27, Wednesday June 28, 2017 (subject to change) RCM EXAMINATIONS Winter 2016 Registration Deadline November 3, 2016 Examinations December 9 & 10, 2016 April 2017 Registration Deadline January 4, 2017 Spring 2017 Practical Examinations January 16-28, 2017 Theory Examinations Not Available Practical Piano Examinations April 3-8, 2017 Registration Deadline March 7, 2017 Theory Examinations May 12 & 13, 2017 Summer 2017 Practical Examinations June 5-24, 2017 Registration Deadline June 6, 2017 Theory Examinations August 11 & 12, 2017 Practical Examinations August 14 26, 2017 Attendance Regular and punctual attendance is required to ensure the student s musical progress. Please be sure to schedule appointments and other activities at times that do not conflict with the regular lesson. All missed lessons will be charged. Lessons cancelled for reason of illness (24 hours notice) will be made up when time permits. Lessons must be made up in the current year and will be cancelled after that time. Make-up lessons are NOT available during the Summer School Program in lieu of regular lessons. Please be sure to call if you will be away. Do not rely on your teacher to pass on the message!

4 saturday mornings preschool music program Every child is musical; every child can play an instrument and sing. The secret is to introduce music into your child s life from the very beginning. Preschool music at the Toronto Faculty of Music includes the Orff, Kodaly and Dalcroze pedagogical methods. Here are some of the benefits and features of the Toronto Faculty of Music preschool music program: Comfort level with music The class is structured with the same beginning and ending, to foster a sense of security and encourage the child s participation. A warm and friendly atmosphere makes everyone feel welcome. Emotional development A wide variety of songs express emotions (happy, sad etc.) The children discover how a song makes them feel. Social development This course is a good stepping-stone to a daycare or preschool experience. Social development is fostered through singing games, partner games and sharing of instruments. Beat competency This essential ingredient to music making is taught through gross motor movement primarily, as well as instrumental playing and body percussion. Rhythmic awareness A sense of rhythm and how it relates to beat is fostered through name games, singing, instrumental playing and body percussion Vocal development Singing is developed naturally through speech, echo singing, and songs in a limited range, gradually expanding to include pentatonic, major and minor scales. Spatial/gross motor development Children develop the ability to walk, skip, gallop, or take giant steps in time with music. In addition, we incorporate dance, and the use of fun props such beanbags, scarves and parachute. Small motor development Eye/hand co-ordination is developed through use of percussion instruments. Control over a mallet and the ability to hit the correct key expands as the children progress to two mallets and various hand patterns. Cultural awareness This is fostered by the use of themes, celebrations, and songs from many countries, in different languages Listening skills: awareness of sound/tone colour Listening is a vital first step to music making, and is incorporated through use of sound tapes, and live introductions to flute, horn, etc., through demos, listening and playing Development of creativity/imagination Diane uses stories set to music. Children are encouraged to improvise sound effects and choose their own instruments Dramatic improvisation/movement is key. Development of music literacy Children prepare for music reading through use of graphic notation cards, dynamics cards, and an introduction to lines and spaces, notes and rhythms. Kodaly hand signs and syllables are used. Knowledge of harmony/texture As the children progress, 2 part rhythm songs prepare the ear for harmony and more advanced music making. Exploration of form (AB, ABA, rondo, responsorial) This is built into musical movement experiences and vocal question and answer songs.

5 rates & fees Welcome to the Toronto Faculty of Music! This is our 38th season in Etobicoke. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to approach the teachers and staff and with our experience, we will guide you through what promises to be a great year in musical achievement. The fees for Season are as follows 1/2 hour Private lesson $1, per year 5 payments of $ hour Private lesson $2, per year 5 payments of $ Consecutive Family Member $1, (Private) 5 payments of $ based on 39 lessons in the school year. (September 6, 2016 to June 24, 2017) Pre-school Music: 12 months-24 months Saturday 9:30-10:00 am Toddler Music 2-3 years Saturday 10:00-11:00 am Preschool Ensemble 4-5 years Saturday 11:00-12:00 Keyboard & Recorder $ full year based on 36 classes (September 17, 2016 to June 24, 2017) Preliminary, Gr 1 & 2 Theory $ per course One Hour Classes of 3 or more students. Gr 3 History & Harmony $ per course One Hour Classes of 3 or more students Gr 4 & 5 History & Harmony $ per course One Hour Classes of 3 or more students RCM Examination, Books & Materials extra. Registration Fee A non-refundable fee of $50.00 is payable once only when you register Payment Options Tuition in 5 pre-authorized payments - Visa, Mastercard or American Express 5 cheques - First payment with registration & 4 post-dated cheques for October 21, December 21, 2016, February 21 and April 21, 2017 Preschool tuition is payable in full or 2 payments dated September 17, 2016 and December 21, 2016

6 5 ways to get the most out of music lessons These guidelines will help you to have a successful and rewarding experience learning an instrument. 1. HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG - STARTING AT THE RIGHT AGE Adults can start any instrument at any time. Their success is based on how willing an adult is to commit to practicing. We teach many beginner students in their 60 s and 70 s. For children, starting at the right age is a key element to the success of their lessons. Some people will tell you the sooner the better but this attitude can actually backfire and be a negative. If a child is put into lessons too soon they may feel overwhelmed and frustrated and want to stop lessons. The last thing you want to do is turn a child off music just because they had one unpleasant experience which could have been prevented. Sometimes if the child waits a year to start lessons their progress can be much faster. Children who are older than the suggested earliest starting age usually do very well. 3-4 Years Old If a pre-schooler has a keen desire and wants to start music, a group preschool music class will give them a good foundation in music basics which will be helpful in later private lessons. At this age, private lessons generally do not work as the child has not yet experienced the formal learning environment of kindergarten or school and learns more effectively through the game oriented preschool environment. Piano/Keyboard At our school 5 years old is the youngest age that we start children in private piano lessons. At this age they have begun to develop longer attention spans and can retain material with ease. Guitar - Acoustic, Electric and Bass 8 years old is the earliest we recommend for guitar lessons. Guitar playing requires a fair amount of pressure on the fingertips from pressing on the strings. Children under 8 generally have small hands and may find playing uncomfortable. Bass guitar students generally are 10 years old and older. Voice Lessons 7 years old is recommended as the youngest age for private vocal lessons. Due to the physical nature of voice lessons (proper breathing techniques, development of the vocal chords and lung capacity), the younger body is generally not yet ready for the rigors of vocal technique. For children younger than 10, we have a children s choir (ages 6-9) and a preschool singing program (ages 3-5) that teaches them how to use their voices properly, in a fun, relaxed environment. Drums The average age of our youngest drum student is 8. This varies greatly depending on the size of the child. They have to be able to reach both the pedals and the cymbals. Flute, Clarinet & Saxophone Due to lung capacity (and in the case of the saxophone the size of the instrument), we recommend that most woodwind beginners are 9 and older. Violin We accept violin students from the age of 5. Some teachers will start children as young as 3, but experience has shown us the most productive learning occurs when the beginner is 5 or older. Trumpet The trumpet requires physical exertion and lung power. 9 years and older is a good time to start the trumpet.

7 2. INSIST ON PRIVATE LESSONS WHEN LEARNING A SPECIFIC INSTRUMENT Group classes work well for preschool music programs, and theory lessons. However, when actually learning how to play an instrument, private lessons are far superior since in private lessons it is hard to miss anything, and each student can learn at their own pace. This means the teacher does not have to teach a class at a middle of the road level, but has the time and focus to work on the individual student s strengths and weaknesses. For that lesson period, the student is the primary focus of the teacher. The teachers also enjoy this as they do not have to divide their attention between 5-10 students at a time and can help the student be the best they can be. 3. TAKE LESSONS IN A PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ENVIRONMENT Learning music is not just a matter of having a qualified teacher, but also having an environment that is focused on music education. In a professional school environment a student cannot be distracted by television, pets, ringing phones, siblings or anything else. With only 1/2 to one hour of lesson time per week, a professional school environment can produce better results since the only focus at that time is learning music. Students in a school environment are also motivated by hearing peers who are at different levels and by being exposed to a variety of musical instruments. In a music school, the lessons are not just a hobby or sideline for the teacher but a responsibility which is taken very seriously. 4. MAKE PRACTICING EASIER As with anything, improving in music takes practice. One of the main problems with music lessons is the drudgery of practicing and the fight between parents and students to practice every day. Here are some ways to make practicing easier: Time Set the same time every day to practice so it becomes part of a routine or habit. This works particularly well for children. Generally the earlier in the day the practicing can occur, the less reminding is required by parents to get the child to practice. Repetition We use this method quite often when setting practice schedules for beginners. For a young child 20 or 30 minutes seems like an eternity. Instead of setting a time frame, we use repetition. For example, practice this piece 4 times every day, and this scale 5 times a day. The child then does not pay attention to the amount of time they are practicing their instrument, but knows if they are on repetition number 3 they are almost finished. Rewards This works very well for both children and adult students. Some adults reward themselves with a cappuccino after a successful week of practicing. Parents can encourage children to practice by granting them occasional rewards for successful practicing. In our school we reward young children for a successful week of practicing with stars and stickers on their work. Praise tends to be the most coveted award - there just is no substitute for a pat on the back for a job well done. Sometimes we all have a week with little practicing, in that case there is always next week. 5. USE RECOGNIZED TEACHING MATERIALS There are some excellent materials developed by professional music educators that are made for students in a variety of situations. For example in piano, there are books for very young beginners, and books for adult students that have never played before. There are books that can start you at a level you are comfortable with. These materials have been researched and are continually upgraded and improved to make learning easier. These materials ensure that no important part of learning the instrument can inadvertently be left out. If you ever have to move to a different part of the country, qualified teachers and institutions will recognize the materials and be able to smoothly continue from where the previous teacher left off. Most Importantly... HAVE FUN!! Music should be something that you enjoy for a lifetime. So, try not to put unrealistic expectations on yourself or your children to learn too quickly. Everyone learns at a different pace and the key is to be able to enjoy the journey.