Carole Ruth’s violin students had a lovely year-end recital in the Carriage House Loft this month, coinciding with the Festival of Hats. Congratulations to all of Carole’s students who performed, we are all so proud of you! Thank you for your time and efforts to learn your instruments for all of us to hear!
Well, here we are, at the end of another school year. What a
year it has been – we kept putting one foot in front of the other, and we
finished off with a tremendous bang! Congratulations to everyone, thank you so
much for helping to keep the school going and continuing to do what we do best;
make music and help shape community leaders!
Also, we say congratulations to those of us who are taking on new adventures in life and saying farewell to the Music School. Congratulations to our dear friends Caroline Mackay and Therese Parent on your retirements with private lessons, and the next chapter of life. We are so grateful you chose the Music School as a place to make a difference in the lives of so many people. We will miss you!
Good luck to our friend Alex MacArthur, as he takes the next year off from the music school and travels to Mexico teaching overseas! We hope you have a truly spectacular journey, and we look forward to hearing all of your stories when you come back.
We were able to celebrate this year with a faculty year-end wrap up, and it was a spectacular event! Our faculty works so hard all year long, and the end of the year is a great time to recognize them for their dedication and love for our students. The event coincided with the 40th Anniversary of the Music School operating out of the historic Smith House, so we created pillars with photos and newspaper clippings from the past 40 years. What a great way to end the school year!
Congratulations to the guitar students of Ken Scott and mentorship student Jadyn Dobernigg on their year-end recital! It was their first gathering in the loft for 2 years, and it was a smashing success. So much joy, great playing and musical fellowship. What an amazing bunch of students!
Students of Natalie Kober and Bev Martens are working on a really fantastic project and they can’t wait to share it with you! Here’s a snippet of what they have in store…
Do you want to capture your experiences and feelings on paper? Learn how to write your own songs based on your experiences?
Saturday, June 18th 1-3pm $30/person *limited spaces available
RSVP: 250-545-4977 or vcms@shaw.ca
Join legendary singer-songwriter Andrew Allen as he guides you through the process of creating an original song. Learn how to take your own words, music, melodies, poems or ideas and craft them into a song in any genre to share with the world.
Dr. Demian Kogutek came to the Vernon Community Music School this month to present a Masterclass on Music Therapy, as part of our Masterclass Series for the 2021-22 school year. He focused on Music Therapy and the benefits of it relating to improved motor skills and neurological functioning for developmentally disabled students as well as for those students who want to start a career in the Musical Therapy field. Dr. Kogutek is an accredited Musical Therapist and Supervisor experienced with a variety of populations. He is an accomplished classical guitarist, and extensively trained in percussion, voice, piano, bass guitar, theory and recording. His research and teaching area of interest is motor improvement in neurological rehabilitation through client’s active use of musical instruments.
Dr. Kogutek’s presentation touched on the Musician’s Brain. He discussed
how musicians have larger cerebellums than non-musicians, and an increased
concentration of gray matter. This is particularly true for musicians who began
their training early. He went on to say that there may also be a cluster of
genes that work together to create the component skills that one must have to
become a successful musician; good eye-hand coordination, muscle control, motor
control, tenacity and patience, memory for certain kinds of structures and
patterns, and a sense of rhythm and timing.
When discussing how music therapy helps people on the Autism Spectrum
Disorder his point was that for people with ASD, the hearing and language disorders
are predominately expressed as sensitive hearing which is exhibited by closing
the ears, anger, crying, irritation and throwing objects while hearing certain noises.
Sensory processing deficits typically manifest as hyper or hypo-reactivity to
sensory input such as sensory-seeking or sensory-avoiding behaviours.
Rhythmicity plays a vital role in development and timing is critical in motor
control and cognitive functions. Synchrony and imitation can be introduced to
induce and enhance social and behavioural skills in children with ASD. Rhythmic
entrainment methods connect an individual with their own body rhythm and also
connect them nonverbally with other individuals.
Music Therapy Masterclass 2022 Music Therapy Masterclass 2022 Music Therapy Masterclass 2022 Music Therapy Masterclass 2022
12 people came out to participate, and at the end there was a drum circle. During the drum circle it was discussed about how people who claim to not be musical at all can participate and still feel like they are contributing. It felt freeing to play any rhythm or note on the xylophone without any perimeters or having to work within a specific box.
Thank you so much, Dr. Kogutek, for taking the time to visit our Music School. Your information was invaluable, and we extend an open invitation for you to present at future Masterclasses.
Ms. Natalie Kober brought Musical Munchkins to the scene this Spring, as Covid restrictions eased. This class is an introductory primer for infants 0-23 months and their caregivers. These child centred classes provide a sensory rich experience for infants as they participate in musical stories and songs. During this class, connections are encouraged through shared experiences and activities based on rhythm, melody, movement and pitch.
Natalie is helping these parents in setting the groundwork for their child to lead a musically inspired life. Look at how much fun they are having! For more information about the next session that will run in September, please contact Natalie at kobernatalie@gmail.com.
It’s the final countdown to the end of the school year, meaning the Summer Newsletter is ready for viewing! What a tremendous year we had; despite all of the challenges we started with while navigating Covid, we kept putting one note behind the other and moved forward to make an incredible piece of music and story, celebrating all of our hard work and success. Congratulations, everyone!
It’s been a busy last couple of weeks here at the Music School! This past weekend two of our teachers, Ken Scott and Jennifer Fawcett, and their students performed at the Swan Lake Market & Garden for their Arts in the Garden event. Performers and artists come together in an effort to showcase the amazing talent in our valley as well as create an unique experience for those shopping at the market. Great work, everyone! Looking forward to more performances at the market throughout the summer!
Anya Massa, performing La Straniera by Daniela at the Scholarship Recital
After a two year hiatus, the Scholarship Recital was back in person. Congratulations to all of our hard-working students who participated in the recital this year, your efforts were outstanding!
Aimee Glasser, Level 7 Piano – Heartwood Homes Scholarship
Alex
Thiessen, Grade 10
Voice—Dr. Lora Fellenz and Dr. Mathias Fellenz Scholarship
Amy Milne, Level 6 Piano—David and June Rempel
Scholarship
Anya Massa, Level 8
Violin – Sandro Banducci Memorial Scholarship
Autumn Sunderland, Level 8 Violin—Caroline Galbraith Memorial Scholarship
Aya
Swerdelian, Level 6
Violin—MQN Architects Scholarship
Evy Erikson, Level 6
Violin—Patti Brenner Memorial Scholarship
Hadley Lanaway, Level 6 Piano – Discovery Optometry Scholarship
Joshua Mark, Level 9
Piano – Sharon McMurtry Memorial Scholarship
Matteo Thiessen, Level 8 Cello—James Frederick Roh Memorial Scholarship
Max Henschel, Level 6
Piano—Karen Rempel Scholarship
Ralph Rasquinha, Level 6 Piano—Dante Darkazanli Memorial Scholarship
Ulyana Doerksen, Level 8 Voice – Sandro Banducci Memorial Scholarship
VCMS Vocal Ensemble Alex Thiessen, Level 10 Voice—Elizabeth Scott Scholarship for Young Musicians Matteo Thiessen, Level 9 Voice— Elizabeth Scott Scholarship for Young Musicians Ulyana Doerksen, Level 8 Voice— Elizabeth Scott Scholarship for Young Musicians
Thank you to
all of you for being a part of our Music School, and for your dedication to
your respective programs. We appreciate you and all the effort that goes into
your studies, and we look forward to seeing you in the Fall!