An Introduction to the Royal Conservatory of Music

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As you are enrolling yourself or your child in piano lessons, you may have heard of the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM). However, not everyone is familiar with the Conservatory’s program, curriculum, and its role in our studio. In this blog post, we will break down and explain what exactly the Conservatory’s curriculum is, how it works, and how it plays a role in our studio.   What is the Royal Conservatory of Music? Founded in 1886 and based in Toronto, the Royal Conservatory of Music is the oldest music […]

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Adults Picking up the Piano: Better Late than Never

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Maybe you have a piano sitting in the corner. Maybe you heard an old song on the radio that you really loved. Maybe you want to take a break from working at your desk all day. Maybe you just want to try something new.   Although it may seem that piano lessons must start at a young age, there are many adults seeking to begin piano lessons. For some, their children have since learned piano and grown out of it, leaving the piano in the corner of the living room. […]

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Upbeat teachers finish music degrees and stay ‘upbeat’ amidst covid-19

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Upbeat teachers Nikki Puchkov and Giselle Chan are recent graduates from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music. Nikki holds a Bachelor of Music Education with a minor in Historical Keyboard and History and Giselle holds a Bachelor of Music with a minor in French Language. Both teachers finished their degrees in April 2020.     When Upbeat teachers Nikki and Giselle first met during university orientation, little did they know that they would become not only good friends, but also coworkers in the future. Being in the same program, they shared many classes such as […]

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Why We Love Recitals

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The Studio is excited to be holding three student recitals this weekend.  As the students are polishing their pieces the last few times, it’s worth a look at the value of recitals and of live performance. The first recital I participated in was in my teacher’s small house.  All the students were crowded in to the area surrounding the piano with standing room only, and when it was our turn, we squeezed past the other students to get to the piano.  We shared our talents in the true spirit of […]

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18 Major Benefits of Playing the Piano

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There can be little doubt that children learn through creative expression. Strengthening and encouraging their natural creative ability at a young age is key to a child’s development. While school will teach children structure and academics, it all starts with imagination, and developing a musical skill at a young age channels a child’s imagination and lays a foundation that will benefit them throughout their lives. When we think of playing the piano, or taking piano lessons, perhaps what comes to mind is a concert pianist playing a fantastically complicated piece […]

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Why Do Music Students Quit?

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In the world of music, it is extremely common for children and teens to quit playing music. Whether they play the piano, trumpet or flute, practice requires a great deal of time. To do well, students often must sacrifice other activities in the process. In a two-part blog, we’d like to talk about why students quit playing music first. In our follow-up, we will discuss how parents, and students too, can better balance their lives and keep music as a part of it. In a previous blogs, we discussed why […]

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Tips Before Buying a Piano

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Deciding to buy a piano for your family can be a big step, but deciding on which piano to buy is even bigger. Setting a budget, finding a place in your home and seeking out the right piano are all decisions that require research and planning. Having a piano in your home means high quality practicing for your kids (and maybe you too) and can often be the centre piece for family gatherings and holidays. It is not only a musical instrument, but also a valued piece of furniture that […]

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Careers In The Music Industry

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Many musicians dream one day of performing live in front of thousands of people. Or recording their own album in which they sing or play an instrument. Often we as artists not only enjoy creating music, but we also love to give it to others. We want our music to be heard and enjoyed. To create a song or compilation of songs to be heard by a large audience, it takes much more than just a musician with her instrument. After years of practice and hours of instruction, an artist […]

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