|
Beach Music has been a well established part of the Beaches community since 1984. The warm and friendly atmosphere has proven to be an integral part of the studio's success. The teachers at the studio are all well educated, talented performers and composers. Lessons are tailor made to suit the wants and needs of the students, whether it's preparing for Royal Conservatory or university entrance exams or just learning the basics to have fun. The studio is managed and co-owned by April Cameron. Along with her brother and business partner, Scott Cameron, she has built Beach Music into a thriving centre of musical activity in the Beaches. See Scott's website at www.cameronstrings.ca See an article on Beach Music Studio
|
Christopher Peterson, A.R.C.T. guitar, bass, rudiments, harmony, music history Chris holds a degree in Composition from the Royal Conservatory of Music and has been a member of The Royal College of Examiners since 1996. He joined the faculty at Beach Music in 1986. Chris has been teaching guitar for over twenty-five years, covering many styles of music including jazz, classical, fingerstyle country blues, electric blues, rock and pop. As a theory instructor, Chris teaches a wide variety of subjects which include the rudiments of music, harmony, counterpoint, analysis, music history and composition. Chris has also been a performer for more than twenty-five years, playing in various classical, jazz, blues and rock ensembles. Recently he recorded a CD of original works with the acoustic ensemble Roscre. Currently he plays with the jazz, blues and rock group, the Swellheads. Donna O'Connor piano, voice, guitar, ukulele Donna O'Connor brings three decades of performance to Beach Music. She continues her successful career as lead vocalist and front person with the "Graham Howes Band" and numerous other ensembles, and has opened for such artists as Burton Cummings, Three Dog Night, James Brown, Patti Labelle and Dionne Warwick. Starting in church choirs at a young age, then moving on to musical theatre in her teens, Donna landed acting, singing and dancing roles in many productions ("Bye Bye Birdie" - Theatre Young Company, "West Side Story" - The Ottawa Music Theatre and "Anne of Green Gables" - Orpheus Society), while continuing her private studies in voice, piano, guitar and saxophone. Her live singing career began in 1978 when she fronted her own successful touring band "Hostage". During this time, Donna co-produced and arranged the single "Play it by Heart" which earned radio play in the United States. Settling down in Toronto in 1988, she began private voice lessons with the acclaimed vocal coach and therapist Gloria Ferrer and continued her busy performance schedule, adding keyboards onstage and singing lead and background on studio jingles and demo sessions with acclaimed songwriters such as Matthew Gerrard (Hannah Montana, High School Musical 1 and 2). In 1993 Donna was accepted as voice coach and therapist at The Centre for Human Performance and Health Promotion clinic, aiding injured vocalists with proper breath control and relaxation techniques. In 1994 Donna wrote, arranged and co-produced her own CD titled, "As I am". To date, she is continuing piano studies (RCM Certificate Program) with Donald Himes and attending The Royal Conservatory of Music Teacher Training Program in Early Childhood Education, a course which involves learning music through movement and song. Donna has recently received full Certification Level 1 to Level 3 in Somatic Voicework ™The LoVetri Method from the Shenandoah University, Washington D.C mp3 of Donna's song, "Blessed" Tony Mason piano, recorder Tony has a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Illinois and an ARCT in both organ and piano. He has also studied Orff with Lois Berkenshaw Fleming at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and jazz with Tony Caramia. He is an accompanist for several ballet schools in Toronto as well as a church organist and choir director. Tony is also an Associate of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and the official pianist of the Empire Club of Canada. Joe Poirier guitar, bass, violin, mandolin, drums For Joe, music was not just a hobby, but an important part of his culture. Growing up on the Island of Cape Breton, he started playing music at an early age. His musical father introduced him to the violin and bass before settling on the guitar. As a guitarist, he got to play alongside some of the best Celtic violinists Cape Breton has to offer. This includes J.P. Cormier, Jerry Holland, Brenda Stubbert and Kinnon Beaton. After high school, Joe studied Jazz at St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish Nova Scotia. After graduating with a BA in Music, he toured North America with several bands, opening for acts such as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Road Hammers, April Wine, Jason McCoy and Jack DeKeyser. In between tours he released an independent CD featuring his own compositions. Joe is currently working on his next CD release and in the process of publishing a book of original Celtic material with his father. Joe teaches a variety of guitar and bass styles: blues (including slide guitar), folk, rock and jazz, and as well as Celtic violin, Mandolin and drums. Joe plays drums in the Beach Music recital
Brian Passmore guitar, bass, piano, vocal for children Brian Passmore has a B.F.A. in music from York University where he studied jazz under Lorne Lofsky, Barry Elmes and Al Henderson. His four years at York were also spent developing his piano skills as well as his knowledge of world music where he studied rhythm in the South Indian classical tradition. A former student of Beach Music under the instruction of Chris Peterson, Brian has completed his Grade 4 in theory from the RCM. Specializing in jazz, improvisation, rock and song writing, Brian has been working as a guitar, bass and piano instructor since graduating. In addition to teaching, Brian is currently performing with the Natasha Pasternak band, in various jazz duos and as a solo singer/songwriter. 'Brian was introduced to vocal in university. Recently, to further his vocal ability he attended a course on contemporary commercial music at the University of Shenandoah in Virginia, where he was certified in level 1 of Somatic Voice. Check out his myspace page at: http://www.myspace.com/brianpassmore1982 Stéphanie Doyle, BFA, piano, vocal, ukulele Stéphanie Doyle was born in Sudbury, Ontario and is bilingual in French and English. While growing up in Sudbury she studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music, earning her Grade 8 teaching certification. She continued her education at Laurentian University and York University, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music. Stéphanie supplemented her education with vocal training at Huntington College with Dr Robert Hall and at Sheraton College with Louisa Corbett. While living in Toronto, Stephanie performed as both a soprano and alto in the choir of St-Mary-Magdeleine Church. In the bilingual Toronto community Stéphanie is known as Emerald Doyle (www.emeralddoyle.com), a singer/songwriter and performer of her own works. Her recording, Duality/Dualité, has opened avenues for interviews on television and radio (TFO, CHOC FM), as well as performances at numerous music events throughout Toronto. Stéphanie is entering her 4th year as one of the featured artists at the Relay for Life for the Canadian Cancer Society in Barrie Ontario. She's also been a featured artist for International Women's Day 2007, organized by Oasis Centre des Femmes, where she shared her song ‘Integrity' with the community. Throughout the year she continues to play French soirées at venues such as Nuit Blanche, Festivité Boréal, Rencontre en Chanson and Franco-Fête.a Ben Stein, guitar, vocals, piano Multi-instrumentalist and singer Benjamin Stein has been a Rob Hiemstra, guitar, Rob is a fulltime performing and teaching musician in the GTA. A self-taught guitarist and vocalist, he performs a wide variety of styles from the songbooks of classic rock, blues, R&B, funk, soul, jazz, country, and heavy metal. Coming from a musical family, Rob was trained in classical music, completing Grade 8 Royal Conservatory Piano Studies and Grade 2 Rudiments, as well as learning low brass instruments and recorders. Throughout high school he played drums, electric bass, guitar and trombone in concert and stage bands as well as rock bands outside of school. He studied as a keyboard major in the Humber College Jazz Program, and has since devoted his life to performing and teaching music. In recent years Rob has led his own cover band/solo act "Six Foot Five", worked as a member of Top 40 Dance Club Band "Celebrity 101" and is currently performing as a member of the highly versatile cover act "Graffiti Park". General Information
|
|||
|
