CANADA MUSIC WEEK® - Coast to Coast

YUKON The Yukon was honoured this year with This year, Canada Music Week® fell a visit from the National Arts Centre between Nov 18 and 24. The week Orchestra, which played a selection by contains the feast day of St. Cecila who Canadian composer Alexina Louie, is the Patron Saint of Music. This is a entitled Take the Dog Sled. very important week in the celebration We were fortunate to have Alexina of our National Culture and Heritage! Louis give a master class to three of The Abbotsford Branch enjoyed a our senior piano students who each concert where twenty-one students played one of her compositions. It was performed works by Stephen Chatman, an enlightening evening for all, but was Anne Crosby, Christine Donkin and especially significant for those students Veronika Krausas to name a few. Paul who met and worked with the creator of Williamson, winner of the BC Piano their piano selections. Competition, wrapped up the evening’s concert playing Larysa Kuzmenko’s: In Memoriam to Victims of Chernobyl. The Coquitlam/Maple Ridge Branch hosted two recitals in honour of Canada Music Week®. The Mid-Island Branch put on a concert featuring fifteen duets, trios and ensembles. There were also solo piano and guitar performances. Of the seven guitar performances, five represented the performer`s own composition. The concert ended with a The YRMTA completed Canada Music fast moving, toe tapping fiddle rendition Week® with a recital November 18th, at of t he Hangman`s Reel. Riverdale Baptist Church. Twelve vocal The North Shore hosted Jordan Nobles and piano students shared their wide as their guest composer. His work selection of Canadian compositions, Museum Pieces: Six Solo pieces for along with a display of posters that chamber ensemble (named for 20th some had made about the composer of Century pieces of art), were played their work. by student performers. A unique submitted by Annie Avery contribution to the recital was the premiere of a suite written especially for this occasion by Diane Sanford – a North Shore teacher. The Medieval Suite consisted of eight short pieces which were performed by the composer’s own students. Oscar Peterson, Jean Coulthard and Linda Niamath were but a few of the composers featured at a recital held by

38 The Canadian Music Teacher - Winter 2012 BRITISH COLUMBIA - cont ALBERTA SASKATCHEWAN Prince George Branch. The performers This year we have two reporting There were two activities in were asked to present at least three facts branches, Fort McMurray and Saskatchewan to celebrate Canada about their Canadian Composer while Lethbridge, both of which have Music Week®. In the East Central area, the other students were encouraged to chosen to present their awards recitals individual teachers celebrated by hosting take notes as they were quizzed on these within the parameters of Canada their own Canadian Recitals. ® facts throughout the evening. Teachers Music Week . In each case students In Yorkton, the YRMTA hosted requested that their students make a were honored for excellence in both their annual Canadian Showcase. poster depicting what Canada Music Theory and Performance, with the Fort ® Adjudicating this year was Marilyn Week meant to them. Forty of the McMurray branch honoring students Marsh. Sixty-two students participated students responded and their art work with first class honors in their exams. in this non competitive festival, which was displayed during the recital. was held in St. Andrews United Church Arne Sahlèn was the featured composer in Yorkton. As a reward each student of the Trail/Castlegar Branch. He gave received a CMW pencil and sticker. a two part workshop on composition in submitted by Laureen Kells the morning and afternoon of Nov. 24. At the evening recital, along with twenty student performances of Canadian works, Mr. Sahlen performed Murray MANITOBA Adaskin’s work Eskimo Melodies, as well as some of his own compositions. In Alberta for many years the Student MRMTA has a NEW look. We Writing Competition and Canada are very pleased to present our new On the Sunshine Coast, twenty- ® Music Week were combined under MRMTA logo and a new website six students performed Canadian the same umbrella. Currently we have mrmta.org. compositions on piano, guitar, violin, split these roles, and are seeking to This Canada Music Week®, and indeed, and voice at a recital held in honour find a Convenor for Canada Music ® this past Canada Music Year, has been of Canada Music Week . Along with Week® who will encourage members particularly exciting for The Brandon favourites by Nancy Telfer, Linda to participate and celebrate Canadian & Westman Registered Music Teachers’ Niamath, and Boris Berlin; popular Music and Canadian Composers. With Association. composers Oscar Peterson, Joni the advent of a new position created, Mitchell, and Michael Buble were we are hopeful that more interest and Last year, in November 2011, Regina featured. Several students impressed participation in Canada Music Week® composer, David McIntyre, came to ® everyone by playing their own will ensue in the branches. Brandon for Canada Music Week , compositions, as well as one piece by to host a Student Recital, conduct Our larger branches avail themselves RMT Carolynn Cordsen. The concert Masterclasses for students working on of Contemporary Showcase, a finale consisted of two student guitarists his compositions, and Workshop with national organization focusing on and one pianist performing an original students on improvisation. As a result, the promotion of Canadian Music song. we were inspired to commission David in collaboration with the Canadian to write a collection of pieces that submitted by Sonia Hauser Music Centre. Although not ARMTA would appeal to our membership, and or CFMTA per se, this is a wonderful that would include students of various organization with a syllabus of levels and Canadian works which are used in instruments, festivals all over Canada. Member and feature branches choose to support this very different worthwhile committment to Canadian ensembles for composers and their compositions as presentation their homage to Canadian Music. at this years’ submitted by Karen MacDonald Canada Music Day Celebrations.

Hiver 2012 - le Professeure de Musique Canadian 39 CANADA MUSIC WEEK® - Coast to Coast - cont.

MANITOBA - cont. The Collection consists of three works: for a piece of Canada Music Week® On Sunday November 18th, students • Adrift - A duet for a melody Birthday Cake, and hot chocolate. and families gathered in Brantford to Performers, teachers and audience had a listen to our annual ORMTA Canada instrument (flute,violin, or other) ® with harp or piano. (Grade 1-2 great time visiting with David and with Music Week Recital. The recital level) one another – some even planning their included piano, voice and instrumental next pieces and performances! In all, compositions, and began with O • L’appel - A duet for voice and harp a year well worth the effort, and a day Canada, played by returning student or piano. (Grade 3-5 level) well worth the play! Rebecca Orsini. Rebecca was present • Main Street Stride - A piano quartet submitted Ann Germani to receive the George White Memorial (two pianos, eight hands). (Grade President - The Brandon & Western Scholarship for outstanding musical 7-8 level) Manitoba achievement, as selected by May The Premier Performance of David Hillier and her committee. Rebecca is McIntyre’s Commissioned Pieces was On Sunday, November 18 the Manitoba currently studying at the University of held on Saturday, November 24th at Registered Music Teachers hosted a . Rebecca also played Morel’s 10:30am in the Lorne Watson Recital recital held at Loewen Piano House. The Etude #2. Guests for the recital, Trois recital was a celebration of Canadian Femmes, performed David L McIntyre’s Hall at the School of Music, Brandon ® University, with the composer in Composers for Canada Music Week . Piano Trio #1. All present enjoyed attendance. It was a thrill for students, There were twenty-one performers the wonderful diversity indicative of teachers and audience to hear different including some of our own wonderful Canadian compositions. player and instrument combinations, composers. There was a wide variety submitted by Naomi Morrison and fun for everyone to witness the of music played by children as well as On Sunday November 18th - fifty-five spontaneity in which David and adults. This recital showcased the diverse parents and teachers gathered together students worked – trying out new styles of Canadian composers of all at the Resurrection Lutheran Church musical expressions and ideas, as well ages. We had a beautiful performance in Orleans to listen to twenty-five as experiencing the sheer joy of making by Julianne Dick who has had much students of Ottawa - ORMTA teachers music together! of her music published. We also had play music by Canadian composers in several young composers performing ® ® celebration of Canada Music Week . The Canada Music Week Recital, in their own pieces to a very welcoming the afternoon at 2:00 pm, featured and appreciative audience. The venue students playing pieces by Canadian was elegant with two grand pianos on Composers, hosted by David McIntyre, stage, one for the accompanists and the who introduced the performers, other for the piano performers. A large and commented on the music, the Canadian Flag was prominent at the composer, and the performances. refreshment table, which was completed Each session was proceeded with a with little Canadian Flags on the reception to which everyone was invited Although the concert consisted of dainties. Thank you to Loewen Piano mostly piano music there was also a House for welcoming us and thank you young vocalist who graced the audience so much to the teachers, composers, with a holiday song called “D’ou viens students and parents for making the tu bergere?”. The students ranged in age recital such a success. It was an event from 6 to 17 and the styles of music where we were all happy and proud to consisted of everything from classical to be part of Canadian music. jazz. All the teachers of the performers submitted by Laureen Reeds were in the audience Student Programming Coordinator

40 The Canadian Music Teacher - Winter 2012 ONTARIO - cont which is such a lovely thing to see. One and each student took home special gratifying to hear samples of the wide student even performed his own piece mementos: a calendar of Canadian range of distinguished Canadian which wowed the audience. The concert composers, CMW pencils/stickers and a creative musical writing that is our concluded with a piano/double bass maple leaf cookie. Congratulation again heritage as well as an ongoing tradition. jazz duet which was the perfect way to to everyone for all your hard work! submitted by Janice Beninger end a lovely concert. ORMTA Ottawa submitted by Jennifer Lanthier On Sunday, November 25th, 2012, President Sandy Menard handed out On Sunday 18th November 2012 the the Belleville Branch of the Ontario certificates to the students and Canada Hamilton-Halton Branch of ORMTA Registered Music Teachers’ Association, ® Music Week Convener Tania Granata held a special recital at St. Christopher’s hosted a music recital for its junior also treated all the students with Church in Burlington, called FOCUS musicians. Since the concert took place Ottawa’s ON COMPOSERS, featuring works during Canada Music Week®, famous of twenty-two diverse Canadian “Obama” Composers, performed by piano and cookies from vocal students. downtown bakery Moulin de Provence in the shape of a maple leaf. The performers and audience 604-319-1630 then enjoyed a reception following the [email protected] concert. All in all a perfect way to spend www.longbow.ca an afternoon!!” submitted by Tania Granata The Owen Sound Branch of the Your one-stop online ORMTA celebrated Canada Music To increase awareness of Canadian theory shopping! Books ® Week 2012 by holding a student recital Composers and their music and to from well-known authors rd on Friday, November 23 at the Owen celebrate composition as a living art covering: Sound Alliance Church. There were here and now, a souvenir program was produced for the event. For each • Rudiments composer being performed, there • History was a 100-word biography and a • Harmony picture in the program, along with the listed programmed pieces and the • Counterpoint performers’ names. The composers were • Analysis arranged more or less chronologically, • Pedagogy from Calixa Lavallée (born in • Keyboard theory 1842), Jean Coulthard, Oskar • sixteen students on the programme Graded piano books Morawetz, Oscar Peterson, Mary ranging in age from 4 to adult. Some Gardiner, Pierre Gallant and Patrick of the composers included in the Cardy, to name just a few, through Music history programme were Debra Wanless, David to two of our own student composers lessons via Duke, Jean Coulthard, Boris Berlin, who performed original works, Pavel correspondence Anne Crosby, Stephen Chatman and Chenarev and Mira Meikle. Also, the now available! Larysa Kuzmenko. We even had one well-known Oakville composer and student play his own composition. We member teacher of our branch, Linda concluded Fletcher, accompanied six student Publications that fit your needs this special singers performing her own

recital with compositions. a Canada Music We celebrated afterwards with maple- Week® cake, leaf cookies, coffee and juice. It was

Hiver 2012 - le Professeure de Musique Canadian 41 ONTARIO - cont. the repertoire was largely Canadian and served as an introduction to our wonderful Canadian composers and their compositions. Forty young students at the grade 4 level and under, presented piano solos, duets, and vocal selections to a packed audience of family and friends. The performances were enthusiastic and comical at times - especially from the five year-olds - and were overwhelmingly well-received by the audience. For many, this recital offered the first chance to perform in front of a crowd. At the conclusion, everyone enjoyed a well-deserved Music without treat of sweets and beverages supplied by the teachers. submitted by Pat Ross The North Bay branch hosted our annual Honour Recital on Saturday, November 17, 2012. To open this event, an official proclamation from Mayor Al McDonald was read borders ® th announcing Canada Music Week as November 18-24 .

CONSERVATORY CANADA™ has pushed the frontiers At this event, students of ORMTA teachers were celebrated for their success in Conservatory exams in 2012. of innovation and is employing a unique technology that Anyone who achieved 70 per cent or more was invited to enables us to reach out to music students play or sing at this recital. The student with the highest all over Canada. mark (of at least 80 per cent) in each grade was presented with a certificate and a Canada Music Week® pencil. For Not only can we connect with students grades six and higher and for the student with the top in remote communities, but we are advanced theory mark, a small scholarship accompanied willing to connect with them ANYWHERE, ANYTIME! the certificate.

™ Half of the pieces played or sung at this event this year At CONSERVATORY CANADA we will enable students were written by Canadian Composers, and students have to take exams whenever they are ready with our new been working all this fall to prepare for our Canadian Flex Exams. To find out more, contact our office. Contemporary Showcase which is held in February. With Frances Balodis in our membership, we have the privilege of personal involvement with a Canadian composer who also helps us contact others when we want to connect our students with the composers whose music they are playing. We encourage students to write to these Canadian composers. What a thrill for a student to receive a personal letter from a living, breathing, published composer, especially if sample music is enclosed! In February, 2012, Frances taught a series of three composition workshops for interested students, parents and teachers. Several students went on to enter their composition in the Kiwanis Festival composition class. So We make learning music fun. you see, the North Bay branch celebrates Canadian music all year round! 1-800-461-5367 | www.conservatorycanada.ca submitted by Susan Nicholson 42 [email protected] The Canadian Music Teacher - Winter 2012

2012 FINAL e-exam + flex exam half page.indd 2 11/09/2012 9:55:50 AM CANADA MUSIC WEEK® - Coast to Coast - cont.

Quebec On November 18, Pickering Branch English – French – held a Canada Music Week® Concert The CMW was great as expected in Le semaine de musique canadienne which included sixty-four participants. this year. On the 18th of fut un bel évenement comme prévu, As we wanted to include as many November, at Cégep de St-Laurent’s cette année encore. Nous sommes participants as possible, we did not hall, the room is full and the audience is le 18 Novenmbre 2012 et le public include only Canadian Music. There eager to hear 72 young musicians aged présent à la salle de concert du Cégep was certainly a variety which included between 5 and 17 years old, perform de St-Laurent est attentif et a bien hâte singers and pianists. Along with the in 3 recitals throuthout the day. The d’entendre les 72 jeunes musiciens agés music program we encouraged the Canadian music repertoire is immensely de 5 à 17 ans qui performeront tous au participants to draw a picture of their rich and prosperous. Piano, flute, and long de la journée, dans 3 concerts. Le music and what it meant to them. voices works are played and heard with répertoire de musique canadienne est delight. New discoveries are being immensément riche et prospère. Des made. About 30 young musicians are pièces de piano, piano et flûte traversière chosen for the gala concert taking place ainsi que des voix ravissent les auditeurs. the following Saturday. La découverte de nouvelles oeuvres As expected, the Gala is simply beautiful enchante les coeurs, et une trentaine de and great, featuring different canadian choisis perfomeront au concert gala le composer’s music work, and Francis Samedi suivant. Battah, once again, performed his new Comme prévu le Gala est simplement Our statement around the art winning composition called “Le déclin”. génial. Au programme, plusieurs pièces was MUSIC IS ART - Allows a The “soirée” was one to remember. It de compositeur(es) canadiens pour tous human being to take all these boring was a true celebration and students were les goûts. Par ailleurs Francis Battah joue but difficult techniques and use them awarded prizes and certificates. The sa nouvelle composition “ Le déclin. to create emotion. That is the one thing “coup de coeur’ from Judge Marybelle Il a remporté un prix en composition science cannot duplicate humanism, Frappier went to 2 skillful pianists pour une 2ième année consécutive. feeling and emotion, I am including who’s name are now starting to be quite En bref, c’est une vraie célébration de some of the drawings. One of the known. Antoine Rivard-Landry and notre héritage musical et les étudiants children had the privilege to be chosen Francis Battah. reçoivent des prix et bourses. Le “coup to have his Christmas card printed and de coeur” de la Juge Marybelle Frappier is now sold this year as a fund raiser for The unconditional implication of our young musicians supported by their revient à 2 pianistes talentueux dont the Sick Children’s Hospital. We also nous n’avons pas fini d’entendre parler. presented participation certificates for dedicated teachers in their exploration of our Canadian music heritage is Il s’agit d’Antoine Rivard Landry et de each child. We also sold CD’s for our Francis Battah. scholarship fund which we featured greatly alive. Year after year it reamains a Boris Zarankin and Giles Tomkins. unique and appreciated celebration that L’implication inconditionnelle de nos Pickering raised $7,000.00 to achieve many music lovers in our province are jeunes musiciens ainsi que de leur this. As we are a small branch of only attending. Next year’s event will reveal professeurs qui les supportent dans a few active teachers this was a lot of once more new talents, new performers cette exploration continuelle de la money to raise and this was over a and composers. This event is not to be musique canadienne est trés actuelle et period of approx. three years. We raised missed. vivante. D’année en année, l’évènement $400.00 at our current concert. est toujours aussi unique et apprécié. submitted by Marion Roberts Le public ne se lasse pas. À ne pas manquer! submitted by Nathanielle Lanthier

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New Brunswick adjudicating the twenty-two vocalists with selections by Donna Rhodenizer, Several teachers and students through The Halifax Chapter Violet Archer, David Dahlgren and was pleased to the province of New Brunswick were Clifford Crawley to name a few. hold a special celebration for Canada enthusiastic to participate in different Music Week®. On Saturday, November Canada Music Week® events held in Pianists had the pleasure of being 17th, the eve of Canada Music week, various locations. We are happy to adjudicated by our provincial president twenty-six students and their families report very successful events. Barbara Long. They all came out of gathered at Calvin Presbyterian Church their classes having learned something Carleton-Victoria Counties - In for a recital which included a special to technically improve their pieces Carleton County, Sharon Dyer and talk from Dinuk Wijeratne. and with posters with pictures Barbara Long each hosted a Canada and biographies of their Canadian Music Week® celebration in their Composers that Barbara had made for studios. Students performed a piece each of them. Some of the represented by a Canadian composer as well as an composers were Martha Hill Duncan, original composition they had written Anne Crosby, Sarah Konescni, Beverly this fall. Following the performances Porter and Jean Coulthard. We would students learned about and listened to like to thank all of the Canadian performances by Oscar Peterson [BL] composers who enrich the musical and Diana Krall [SD] on YouTube. education of our students. Dinuk spoke on “Creativity and Why Of course no celebration would be Submitted by: Rita Raymond- Millett, It Matters.” He described how, in complete without some party food! Saint John/KV Contemporary Showcase composing, it is usually necessary to In Barbara’s studio, students prepared coordinator. go through three stages: imitation, essays or posters that on their Canadian assimilation, and innovation. In composer to display. Fredericton - On Saturday, November Dinuk’s own first composing attempts 24, the Fredericton Music Teachers’ In Victoria County - Irma Mulherin as a teenager, he attempted to imitate ® Association held a recital to celebrate Mozart. Although he now sees that celebrated Canada Music Week with ® Canada Music Week . The program students by preparing and recording his compositions during this time left included performances of a variety our National Anthem O Canada with much to be desired, this imitation was of Canadian music by piano, guitar, singers and pianists. These recordings a necessary step to discovering his own violin, and voice students as well as were then sent to the local schools compositional style. a small vocal ensemble. There were for use in the morning singing of the some young students who performed Dinuk also explained how sometimes Anthem. Most students also prepared for the very first time through to some it can be interesting to try to imitate a repertoire selection composed by a senior students. The wide variety the sound of another instrument on Canadian and were required to research of music presented made for an the piano, and gave an example of the composer giving either a short enjoyable afternoon to celebrate the how he came up with a way to make report or project which will be on work of Canadian composers. Thank sounds on the piano that are similar to display in the studio. you to Christine Freeman for again the sounds of tabla drums. He played Saint John - The Saint John Music enthusiastically organizing this event. two recordings: first, March from Teachers’ Association celebrated The Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky, submitted by Irma Mulherin Canada Music Week® with their 4th followed by March from the Duke NB Canada Music Week Chair Contemporary Showcase on Friday Ellington Nutcracker Suite. These November 23rd, 2012. Forty students examples showed how one composer participated, each playing/singing two had imitated another composer, yet selections. Thanks to Janet Kidd(our made a very unique piece of music. own local Canadian composer) for

44 The Canadian Music Teacher - Winter 2012 Dinuk involved the students, asking The Dartmouth Chapter celebrated musical lives, upcoming performances, them questions about their own Canada Music Week® also on November and the Canadian piece they performed. composing and improvising attempts. 17th with six recitals involving nearly The response from the community Dinuk mentioned later how he was 150 students where many Canadian has been positive, and we are very very pleased to hear so many original compositions were featured. appreciative of the opportunity to compositions performed. submitted by Diana Torbert highlight Canadian music. During the recital, seven piano students Thank you to Stephanie Cole who performed original compositions, and organizes our recitals and arranged the other piano students played other PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND CBC performances, and to all of the Canadian pieces. The recital concluded teachers and students who participated. Canada Music Week® was celebrated with a medley played by violins in submitted Sue Irvine memory of Ralene Rankin. in Prince Edward Island this year with a recital, and daily performances on Cookies and juice were served, and CBC Radio One. Our recital was on students were all warmly congratulated November 17 at Steel Recital Hall, on their performances by their fans. UPEI. Twenty-five students from As organizer of the event, I would like seven studios performed Canadian Thank you to all the co-odinators, to thank Dinuk Wijeratne, the students, repertoire, including solos for piano, for getting the information to me their families, and the seven teachers for flute and violin, and a violin trio. We so quickly - not an easy task. making this event a success! were pleased to have Emma Huestis Dina submitted by Elizabeth Shearouse. perform the CFMTA/FCAPM Call The Valley Chapter celebrated Canada for Compositions selection Land of the Music Week with two student recitals Silver Birch by Jamie Hillman. All of the on Sunday, November 25th. These took students who performed in the recital place in Denton Auditorium at Acadia were delighted to receive CFMTA/ ® University, and nearly sixty students FCAPM Canada Music Week seals and participated. Each performer was given pencils. a Canada Music Week® pencil after Six students who performed at the playing. We enjoyed repertoire which recital also gave live performances included favourites by Nova Scotian on CBC Island Morning the week of composers Anne Crosby and Rebekah November 19-23. Host Matt Rainnie Maxner. interviewed the students about their

Hiver 2012 - le Professeure de Musique Canadian 45