Scarborough Bluffs Music
A Community Music Program
for kids in Grades 1-8

Upcoming Term - Winter 2016
Tuesday/ Wednesday January 12/13 to March 22/23/ 2016
10 weeks
(no class during March break, March14 - 18, 2016)
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Enroll in our (fun) and popular
Hand Drumming and Music and Movement courses! Taught by Derek Gray, one of our top instructors.

Want to sing?
Take our Vocal/Choral class. Lots of fun!


The Benefits of Music Education
By Laura Lewis Brown
+++++++++++++++ 

* Classes are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays *
Refer to our Class Schedule for term dates, and class days and times.

WE OFFER
        • Hand Drumming, Grades 4-8
        • Music and Movement, Grades 1-3
        • Piano and Guitar private lessons, Grades 1-8
        • Vocal and Piano Keyboard Lab group classes, Grades 1-8
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Your kids will love our Hand Drumming classes!
 Here's a video from our recent Samba Squad concert !

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 * Generously supported by The Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council. *

Scarborough Bluffs Music classes are held at:
Scarborough Bluffs United Church
3739 Kingston Rd. Scarborough Ontario
To see our Sponsors view our brochure


An arms-length body of the City of Toronto

See all of our Sponsors.

Mila Ionkova

Vocal teacher Mila Ionkova, Spinto Soprano, M.A., B.A. (Hons), is a highly accomplished musician having received her M.A. in Vocal Music Pedagogy, Certificate in Conducting, Teaching Certificate, and Diploma in Conducting Arts from the Academy of Music and Dance Arts, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria with more recent studies in education at York University, Toronto, Canada.

She has performed numerous operatic roles including most recently the title role in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera and as soprano soloist in Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.

Mila is an experienced teacher offering private lessons in voice, piano and theory.

Mila plays the oboe, piano, and is proficient in music theory, music aesthetics, voice, conducting, solfeggio, harmony, and polyphonic theory.

She is also fluent in English, Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek, and basic Russian, Serbian, Portuguese and Italian.

Article - The Beneftis of Music Education


The Benefits of Music Education
By Laura Lewis Brown

Six Stars of Tomorrow, concert Sat. Feb 28, 2015

SBM is hosting its annual concert of six Royal Conservatory students performing deluxe virtuosic pieces. It is a fundraiser concert,  for SBM, in its 4th year.

 Come to hear and enjoy...
           
Six Stars of Tomorrow
Saturday, February 28, 2015

Six  fabulously talented  students from 10-18 years of age from
the Royal Conservatory's Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists
 will perform on Sat Feb 28, 2015 at 

Scarborough Bluffs United Church
3739 Kingston Rd. (at Scarborough Golf Club Rd.)

Tickets  $15 Call (416) 267 8265
All proceeds will support Scarborough Bluffs Music.

Featuring our students


Here is one of our students! George Varahidis, featured in this video, is a student of Bluffs Music piano teacher, Brad Lovatt.


Annual SBM showcase - Sunday April 27, 2014, 12noon – 1.45pm

The annual SBM showcase is coming up!

When: Sunday April 27, 2014, 12noon – 1.45pm.

Where: Scarborough Bluffs United Church, in the sanctuary. Church members, parents, friends and members of the community are invited to attend.

Details
Parents and students are invited to attend and to take your seats by 11:55 am in order to begin on time. Teachers will call their students to the front at the appropriate time. (If you are coming later than 12noon, please try to be in place at least 15 minutes before your scheduled time as we may be earlier (or possibly later) than we expect.) Thank you for participating and helping present the results of our program for church members and parents. 
We are looking forward to an enjoyable event!

News from the Board of Directors

Notice - looking for volunteers

 Scarborough Bluffs Music is a not for profit organisation offering subsidised music lessons to local students Gr 1 -8. We are looking for volunteers to join the Board of Directors and assist with various activities, including fundraising. Please contact info@bluffsmusic for more information.

April Showcase - Sunday April 7, 2013

April showcase 
Sunday April 7, 2013 from 12noon to 1:30pm. 


 This event is free and open to the public. An opportunity for church members and parents to hear the children, and it's a great opportunity for our students to perform if they wish to! 
We look forward to an enjoyable afternoon.

SBM
send us an email

EVENT - Drum Circle at Afro-Caribbean Fest Sept.15, 2012

The Scarborough Afro-Caribbean Festival
Drum Circle

What: Drum Circle with Derek Gray
When: Sat Sept 15, 2012, 10am-12pm
Where: Scarborough Town Center Bandshell

Come join us on September 15, 2012 from 10 AM to 12 PM at Scarborough Town Center (150 Borough Drive, or Scarborough Town Center on the RT line) at the Band Shell in the Albert Campbell Square (see Google Map here). The Drum Circle will be led by Derek Gray, instructor at the Scarborough Bluffs Music School. Bring your drum, enthusiasm, and prepare to have a great time! A limited number of drums are available to beginners.
We look forward to seeing you there!




Derek Gray

Derek Gray - Hand Drumming


Course: Hand Drumming

At 22 years-old, Derek Gray has established himself as an up-and-coming drummer and percussionist on the Canadian music scene. In the spring of 2011, Derek completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Music Degree at Humber College where he studied with Mark Kelso. In addition, Derek played drums in the school’s flagship ensemble, the Humber Studio Jazz Ensemble, directed by Denny Christianson. As a member of this ensemble, Derek performed with legendary bassist Dave Holland in March 2011. In Toronto, Derek works extensively as a bandleader, composer, and sideman performing regularly with a variety of projects, including Tesseract, Gray Matter (a quintet that he co-leads with his brother, bass playerJustin Gray), and Monsoon (an Indo-Jazz ensemble).
In 2008, Derek founded the Hand Drumming in the Schools program in which he voluntarily travels to schools in the greater Toronto area and facilitates hand-drumming workshops for students of all ages. He also works as a drum circle facilitator with Soul Drums. In the summer of 2009, Derek travelled to Ghana to study traditional West African hand drumming, and over the course of two months, completed an Ethnomusicology course at University of Ghana. He also studied West African percussion with master drummers Kwasi Dunyo and Ledzi Agudzemegah in Dagbamete, a village in the Volta Region.
Over the past few years, Derek has received a number of awards, including Humber College's President's Medal for leadership, the Garfield Weston National Level Scholarship for leadership, the SABIAN Cymbals Award + Scholarship, the George McCrae Award for musical excellence, and the Principal’s Award for Student Leadership. In the spring of 2011, Derek was selected to participate in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency in Washington, DC. Working alongside talented young musicians/composers from around the world, this two-week long program culminated in performances on the Millenium Stage at the Kennedy Centre. Derek has studied privately with Steve Mancuso, Doug Sole, Dan Weiss, Jonathan Blake, Nate Smith and Larnell Lewis. He has had the opportunity to play in ensembles lead by Pat Labarbera, Brian Dickenson, Alex Dean, Ravi Naimpally, Waleed Abdulhamid, and Luis Mario Ochoa.

Peter Albis

Peter Albis, guitar teacher

Guitarist Peter Albis has been a professional musician for 30 years composing and performing in the classical, rock, jazz, latin and flamenco styles. He has extensive private teaching experience in individual and group instruction in theory and performance through the Continuing Education Programs of the Toronto District School Board and with private music schools. He is an affiliated teacher with The Royal Conservatory of Music. Peter has studied flamenco guitar with masters Julio Vallejo and Jose Chuscales, classical guitar with Dan Beckerman and John Perrone, and jazz guitar with Mike Roberts. He studied theory and harmony at The Royal Conservatory of Music. Peter works to create good communication with students and parents.

Course: Guitar

West African Drumming Class - Cole and Peter on the last day 2012

West African Drumming Class
Peter Naus and Cole Perkins on the last day, Apr 2012
Sounds great guys!

Pictures from David Chan's West African Hand Drumming class

Here is instructor David Chan with his West African Hand Drumming class
(click the pic for a larger image)



Hand Drumming Course Grades 4-8

The Hand Drumming Course will introduce students to West African, Brazilian, and Cuban musical traditions. Participants will experience a hands-on approach singing and playing drums, rattles and bells. 

 Students will acquire specific percussion techniques as well as working on fundamental musical skills, such as listening, keeping steady time, developing musical dialogue, and improvisation.
See Course Schedule for course dates and times.

Teacher: Derek Gray 
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Our current hand drumming course
Starts Tues Sept 29, 2015.   for Grades 4-8

Our instructors Derek Gray is a widely recognized drummer who also specializes in hand drumming traditions. Here's Derek Gray's website.

HOW TO REGISTER
Simply call us or send an email
Tel: 416-266-8352
Cost: $25 for each 10 week course
The cost is payable when registering.



* Generously supported by The Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council. *
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Group Drumming 
This introductory course uses Wakaa, a secular musical form of the Ga ethnic group (southern Ghana), to convey the essence of African group drumming. Students learn the proper techniques of various percussion instruments and are exposed to the core concepts of this music, including melodic rhythm, musical dialogue, and polyrhythm. Further emphasis is put on time keeping, listening, hearing, and creative improvisation!

Level II builds upon the fundamental concepts covered in Level I. Through exposure to Agbadza - Ewe (south-east Ghana) dance-drumming - students will further their comprehension of musical pulse, rhythmic interplay, polyrhythm, and improvisation.

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Linda Cara, vocal music


(coming soon)

Course: Vocal Music - Junior Level: Tuesday 5:30pm to 6:30pm 
Cost: $2 per hour [register for this class]
Cathy Lambert, piano


(check back for more about Cathy Lambert)



Course: Piano
When: Tuesday and Wednesday 4pm to 6pm
DANIEL BUJALSKI, rhythm skills

An experienced and well-trained percussionist with a Music diploma and an impending Bachelors of Music degree.  Well versed in the art and development of different musical styles with extensive knowledge of the history of Jazz. A highly versatile performer with the ability to play a wide variety of stylistic ensemble pieces with score or improvised. Experienced in playing Jazz, Latin Jazz, Afro, Rock and Pop styles. A strong grasp of music theory with the ability to compose, arrange, transpose and transcribe music. A highly detail oriented individual with the ability to take direction well. Prepared for success in a professional music career with over eight years of performance experience and the completion of  Canada's biggest and longest running jazz and commercial music program which received international acclaim for its curriculum, faculty, and alumni.

Grades 4-6 Drum Circle
When: Tuesday 5pm to 6pm





Cost: $2 per hour   [register for this class]
Evan Buckland, guitar

From a musical family, Evan began playing guitar in 1995, and has been studying privately with jazz guitarist and educator Gary Benson since 2000. Evan received the Departmental Music Award from W.A Porter Collegiate in 2002.  Evan completed the four year Humber College Jazz Studies program with honors in 2006. He has also completed the Royal Conservatory of Music requirements in Theory Rudiments and Basic Harmony (2009/2010). Evan continues to study, and to perform whenever possible.

Course: Guitar

Dianne Ball 


Course: 
Music, Movement and More!
Tues, 4-5pm
NEWS

Fall 2012
Register for your courses now! Please check our schedule as the time and dates have been updated for all courses. 
Bluffs rhythm skills teacher Derek Gray will offer 2 10 week courses in West African Hand Drumming for ages 8-12, Fall 2012. Learn more about about this exciting certificate course.
Here are a few pictures from David Chan's West African Hand Drumming class last Spring2012  (photos by Jane Fair). 





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Bluffs Music guitar teacher, Mark Sepic performed at the Scarborough Bluffs United Church Guild Festival of the Arts in August 2010 to help promote SBM. This picture (below) shows him in a grand setting! It was a very successful presentation. Thanks Mark!