IMA in Media

Visiting the International Music Academy (On The Road, Stouffville municipal government publication)
Music and mathematics (On The Road, Stouffville municipal government publication, Mandarin edition)
International Music Academy opens Stouffville location (Stouffville Tribune)
International Music Academy opens new location in Stouffville (York Region News)

IMA Success Stories

IMA STUDENTS HAVE WON AWARDS AT THE PRESTIGIOUS 2020 INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL AND COMPETITION

The International Music Festival and Competition is an annual event that provides musicians of all ages with opportunities to perform, to conduct and to write music while receiving professional guidance by leading experts in the classical music industry.

GOLD MEDALLIONS
Aaron Dutta
Allyssa Talledo
Angélique Erry
Chantal Luo
Clarisse Lin
Daniel Yu
Emma Kang
Hanyu Zhang
Jaden Thomas
Jason Chen
Kelly Chen
Nicole Huang
Ryan Lam

SILVER MEDALLIONS
Aaron Dutta
Allyssa Talledo
Catherine James
Hanyu Zhang
Jaden Thomas
Kelly Chen
Lucy Zhao
Nicole Huang

BRONZE MEDALLIONS
Aaron Dutta
Giancarlo Montanaro
Hermes Chan
Jashvir Rathore
Jason Chen
Kevin Guo
Kyle Guo
Louis Chan
Reena Tamaran
Renjing Li

Congratulations to all students for their amazing achievement!

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (January 2020 session)

The Royal Conservatory of Music January session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Savannah Dunberry	Level 8 Theory	92	Ms. Marina Grigorian
Felix Yu	Level 1 Piano	91	Ms. Winnie Hsieh
Elle Zhou	Level 1 Piano	87	Ms. Winnie Hsieh
Jonathan Wong	Level 1 Piano	86	Ms. Marina Grigorian
Priyanka Ragunathan	Level 8 Theory	86	Ms. Antonia deWolfe
Hayden Chin	Level 2 Piano	85	Ms.Winnie Hsieh
Catherine James	Level 1 Piano	84	Ms. Antonia deWolfe
Chantal Luo	Level 7 Piano	83	Ms. Antonia deWolfe
Elijah Gao	Level 1 Piano	82	Ms. Galyna Anno
Jackson Zhu	Level 3 Piano	82	Ms. Elena Eremeeva
Avni Prabhu	Level 1 Piano	80	Ms. Marina Grigorian
Aashika Eswarapatham	Level 3 Piano	80	Ms. Elena Eremeeva
Bethany Tse	Level 3 Piano	80	Ms. Antonia deWolfe
Thea Duggal	Level 3 Guitar	80	Mr. Ramon Taranco
Esther Lam	Level 4 Violin	80	Mr. Arpad Josephson

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (August 2019 session)

The Royal Conservatory of Music August session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Ryan Lam	Preparatory A Piano	93	Ms. Dianne Hughes
Andrei Talledo	Preparatory B Piano	91	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Jonathan Wang	Level 5 Flute	91	Ms. Leonid Sprikut
Nicole Huang	Level 1 Piano	89	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Janessa Puyo	Level 2 Piano	85	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Clarisse Lin	Level 5 Theory	84	Ms. Dianne Hughes
Angelique Erry	Level 4 Voice	84	Mr. Paul Williamson
Connor Lau	Preparatory Violin	84	Mr. Arpad Josephson
Angelina Kostantin	Level 2 Piano	83	Ms. Galyna Anno
Clarisse Lin	Level 8 Piano	83	Ms. Dianne Hughes
Allyssa Talledo	Level 1 Piano	81	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Edwin Dong	Level 5 Piano	81	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Theesik Aravinthan	Level 5 Piano	81	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Reena Tamaran	Level 1 Piano	80	Ms. Winnie Hsieh
Arianna Jean Lagunzad	Level 2 Piano	80	Ms. Karina Shnayder
ADaniel Yu	Level 4 Piano	80	Ms. Karina Shnayder
Brandon Yin	Level 1 Piano	80	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Jason Chen	Level 8 Theory	80	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (June 2019 session)

The Royal Conservatory of Music June session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Thivya Jeyapalan	Level 8 Theory	92	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Isabelle Dasgupta	Level 1 Piano	90	Ms. Galyna Ammo
Emily Jong	Level 8 Theory	89	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Priyanka Ragunathan	Level 7 Theory	88	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Louis Chan	Prep B Piano	86	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Thea Duggal	Level 1 Guitar	85	Mr. Ramon Taranco
Hermes Chan	Prep B Piano	84	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Jessica Wang	Level 6 Voice	81	Mr. Paul Williamson
Linda Liu	Level 4 Oboe	80	Mr. John Mills

IMA STUDENTS HAVE WON AWARDS AT THE PRESTIGIOUS 2019 INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL AND COMPETITION

GOLD MEDALLIONS
Aaron Chen
Carter Kawabata
Hayden Chin
Peter Morcos
Reese Bi
Rex Hakimi
Thea Duggal

SILVER MEDALLIONS
Aaron Dutta
Alex Reyes
Allyssa Talledo
Catherine James
Chris Wei
Derek Price
Huy Luong
Kelly Chen
Kyle Guo
Reese Bi

BRONZE MEDALLIONS
Renjing Li
Aaron Dutta
Alec Dong
Edwin Dong
Jason Chen
Kevin Guo
Kyle Guo
Kyra Sophie Oszlai
Nicole Huang
Reena Tamaran
Reese Bi
Renjing Li
Theesik Aravinthan

Congratulations to all students for their amazing achievement!

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (April 2019 session)

The Royal Conservatory of Music April session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students achieving considerably higher than the Provincial average marks, with distinction.

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Aaron Dutta	Level 3 Piano	88	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Jerry Wong	Level 3 Piano	84	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Ethan Wong	Level 1 Piano	82	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Bethany Tse	Level 2 Piano	81	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Reese Bi	Level 5 Piano	81	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Henry Zheng	Level 2 Piano	81	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Jonathan Wong	Prep B Piano	80	Ms. Marina Grigoryan

WINNERS OF THE 2019 KIWANIS FESTIVAL OF THE GREATER TORONTO AREA

This year there were over 1,000 young musicians performing at the GTA Kiwanis Music Festival. Competitive as ever, the Festival was a great opportunity for our students to receive feedback on their studies from internationally renowned artists

Three of the International Music Academy (Markham) students have received the highest recognition and has been awarded First Place in the following categories:

Aaron Chen 1st place (Clarinet Grade 9)
Patrick Hu 1st place (Clarinet Grade 8)
Jeffrey Su - 1st place (Clarinet Grade 6)
Jonathan Wang 3rd place (Flute Grade 3)
Jalen Yang 3rd place (Clarinet Grade 8)

Jaffrey, Patrick and Aaron have also been selected to compete at the Ontario Provincial Finals in June. Congratulations to them all and many thanks to their teacher Mr. Leonid Sprikut for his continued dedication.

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (January 2019 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Kevin Guo	Level 10 Theory	95	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Jonathan Wong	Level 8 Theory	93	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Daria Pryymak	Preparatory A Piano	90	Ms. Dianne Hughes
Angela Liang	Level 1 Vioce	88	Ms. Sara Chen
Jason Chen	Level 8 Piano	88	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Clarisse Lin	Level 7 Piano	84	Ms. Dianne Hughes
Avni Prabhu	Preparatory B Piano	83	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Clara Kim	Level 8 Piano	83	Ms. Dianne Hughes
Thivya Jeyapalan	Level 8 Piano	80	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (August 2018 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Renee White	Level 8 Theory	98	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Jonathan Yu Sing Wong	Preparatory A Piano	88	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Bethany Tse	Level 1 Piano	88	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Rida Aftab	Level 5 Piano	87	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Esther Lam	Level 2 Violin	87	Mr. Arpad Josephson
Reena Tamanan	Preparatory B Piano	86	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Janessa Puyo	Level 1 Piano	86	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Carter Kawabata	Level 7 Piano	85	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Jenny Wang	Level 2 Piano	84	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Eva Montanaro	Preparatory Violin	84	Mr. Arpad Josephson
Daniel Yu	Level 3 Piano	83	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Alec Dong	Level 8 Piano	81	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Isabelle Dasgupta	Preparatory B Piano	80	Ms. Galyna Anno
Anujan Kandasamy	Level 5 Piano	80	Ms. Lili Imastounian

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (June 2018 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Emily Jong	Level 7 Theory	94	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Arianna Lagunzad	Preparatory B Piano	93	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Thivya Jeyapalan	Level 7 Theory	92	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Jonathan Wong	Level 7 Theory	92	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Avni Prabhu	Preparatory A Piano	89	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Priyanka Ragunathan	Level 5 Theory	88	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Savannah Dunberry	Level 7 Theory	88	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Shaelin Baldsing	Level 2 Piano	86	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Jason Chen	Level 7 Piano	85	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Jeffrey Su	Level 4 Clarinet	84	Mr. Leonid Sprikut
Nitin Raj	Level 2 Piano	83	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Jerry Wong	Level 2 Piano	83	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Jatynne Raj	Level 4 Piano	83	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Rohin Furchner	Preparatory B Piano	80	Ms. Marina Grigoryan

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (April 2018 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Aryan Ihsan	Level 2 Piano	94	Ms. M. Grigoryan
Ava Ford	Prep B Piano	93	Ms. M. Grigoryan
Reena Tamanan	Prep A Piano	92	Ms. M. Grigoryan
Christina Tarla	Prep B Piano	92	Ms. M. Grigoryan

WINNERS OF THE 2018 KIWANIS FESTIVAL OF THE GREATER TORONTO AREA

Three of the International Music Academy (Markham) students have received the highest recognition and has been awarded First Place in the following categories:

Aaron Cheng – Clarinet (RCM Grade 8)
Patrick Hu – Clarinet (RCM Grade 7)
Jeffrey Su – Clarinet (RCM Grade 4)

Patrick and Aaron have also been selected to compete at the Ontario Provincial Finals in June. Congratulations to them all and many thanks to their teacher Mr. Leonid Sprikut for his continued dedication

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (January 2018 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Alex Reyes	Level 8 Theory	100	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Jonathan Wong	Level 6 Theory	94	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Theesik Aravinthan	Level 2 Piano	88	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
April J Wei	Level 9 Piano	85	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Jenny Wang	Level 1 Piano	83	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Nancy Peter	Level 8 Theory	83	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Thivya Jeyapalan	Level 7 Piano	82	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Renee White	Level 7 Theory	82	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Carter Kawabata	Level 8 Theory	82	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Edwin Dong	Level 3 Piano	80	Ms. Suzanne Marfise

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (August 2017 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Christina Tarla	Preparatory A Piano	95	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Nancy Peter	Level 6 Theory	92	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Adela Hua	History Level 10	91	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Daniel Yu	Level 1 Piano	91	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Alec Dong	Level 8 Theory	90	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Ava Ford	Preparatory A Piano	90	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Rohin Furchner	Preparatory A Piano	90	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Shaelin Baldsing	Level 1 Piano	88	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Kyra Sophie Oazlai	Level 5 Theory	86	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Jatynne Raj	Level 3 Piano	83	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Nitin Raj	Level 1 Piano	81	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Holden Boutros	Level 3 Piano	80	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Logan Boutros	Level 3 Piano	80	Ms. Marina Grigoryan

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (June 2017 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Deejesh Subramanian	Theory 8	94	Mr. Arpad Josephson
Savannah Dunberry	Theory 6	91	Ms. Marina Gregorian
Aryan Ihsan	Level 1 Piano	91	Ms. Marina Gregorian
Jashvir Rathore	Level 1 Clarinet	91	Mr. John Mills
Bernice Chung	Level 5 Theory	88	Mr. Arpad Josephson
Alexandra Lavric	Prep A Piano	88	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Rex Hakimi	Prep A Piano	88	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Henry Zheng	Prep B Piano	87	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Carter Kawabata	Level 6 Piano	86	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Theesik Aravinthan	Level 1 Piano	84	Mrs. Suzanne Marfise
Alexandra Lavric	Level 1 Voice	81	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Navid Pahlwan	Level 4 Piano	80	Mrs. Suzanne Marfise
Chloe Ip	Level 8 Piano	80	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe
Emily Jong	Level 6 Theory	80	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Garrett Kawabata	Level 9 Piano	80	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Rex Hakimi	Level 1 Voice	80	Ms. Marina Grigoryan

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (January 2017 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Alec Dong	Theory Level 6	94	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Deejesh Subramanian	Theory Level 6	90	Mr. Arpad Josephson
Emma Grace Ortiz	Level 3 Violin	90	Ms. Salome Legemaate
Alex Reyes	Level 10 Piano	84	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Anya Pooran	Level 1 Violin	84	Ms. Salome Legemaate

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (August 2016 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Emma Grace Ortiz	Grade 1 Violin	90	Ms. Salome Legemaate
Aryan Ihsan	Prep B Piano	86	Ms. M. Grigoryan
Jatynne Raj	Grade 2 Piano	86	Ms. M. Grigoryan
Shaelin Baldsing	Prep B Piano	85	Ms. M. Grigoryan
Dailiang Chen	Grade 2 Piano	83	Ms. M. Grigoryan
Nitin Raj	Prep B Piano	82	Ms. M. Grigoryan
James Au	Prep B Piano	82	Ms. M. Grigoryan
Jonathan Wong	Grade 1 Guitar	81	Mr. Ramon Taranco
Celina M Mekhail	Grade 5 Voice	80	Mr. Justin Walsh

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (June 2016 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Alec Dong	Theory Basic	97	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Olivia Maveal	Theory Basic	97	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Rhea Pai	Theory Basic	97	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Savannah Dunberry	Theory Basic	95	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Linda Gu	Theory Basic	95	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Bernice Wu	Theory Advanced	92	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Aaron Chen	Grade 6 Clarinet	89	Mr. Leonid Sprikut
Evelyne Jurca	Theory Intermediate	87	Ms. Antonia De Wolfe
Jackie Xu	Grade 8 Clarinet	80	Mr. Leonid Sprikut

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (April 2016 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Darius Bonakdar	Grade 3 Piano	87	Ms. Katherine Cao
Carter Kawabata	Grade 5 Piano	85	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Teresa (Yuxuan) Peng	Grade 9 Piano	83	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Mutian Liu	Grade 7 Piano	82	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe

THE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC ACADEMY HAS WON THE 2016 CONSUMER CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST PRIVATE MUSIC SCHOOL IN YORK REGION.

Consumer Choice Award was established in 1987 and is considered to be the most distinguished award for business excellence in Canada.

This is the second time the International Music Academy has won the Consumer Choice Award for best private music school, within the past 5 years.

In his congratulatory letter to the International Music Academy Faculty and Staff, Mr. Marcl Sbrollini, President of the Consumer Choice Award wrote:

“… the consumers and the business in your community have selected you as the top-ranked organization in your industry. You are now part of a very select group of business owners and entrepreneurs recognized for their business excellence in the GTA.”

Official Announcement of the Award was made on February 4, 2016 in Le Parc Centre in Richmond Hill.

Warmest thanks to our students, their parents and all clients for their confidence in the International Music Academy. Congratulations to all teachers and staff for their dedication and work at the highest international standards.

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (January 2016 session)

Student	Subject	Mark	Teacher
Emily Jong	Harmony I	97	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Joy Wu	Theory III	95	Ms. Katherine Cao
Michael Lee	Theory III	88	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Labros Spandonidis	Grade 4 Piano	84	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Celina Mekhail	Grade 3 Voice	81	Mr. Justin Welsh

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (August 2015 session)

Student	Subject, Grade	Mark	Teacher
Jatynne Raj	Grade 1 Piano	86	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Mishani Tan	Preparatory Violin	81	Mr. Arpad Josephson
Adela Hua	Basic Harmony	80	Ms. Suzanne Marfise

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (June 2015 session)

Student	Subject, Grade	Mark	Teacher
Kyra Sophie Oszlai	Grade 2 Piano	93	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Kyra Sophie Oszlai	Grade 1 Guitar	86	Mr. Ramon Taranco
Adela Hua	Grade 5 Trumpet	83	Mr. Leonid Sprikut

WINNERS OF THE 2015 KIWANIS FESTIVAL OF THE GREATER TORONTO AREA

Three of the International Music Academy (Markham) students have received the highest recognition and has been awarded First Place in the following categories:

Richard Zhang – 1st Award (RCM clarinet, Grade 7)
Jackie Xu - 1st Award (RCM clarinet, Grade 6)
Katherine Lee – 1st Award (RCM clarinet, Grade 3)
Garrett Kawabata – Silver Award (RCM piano, Grade 8)
Garrett Kawabata – Silver Award (RCM piano, Grade 7)
Karter Kawabata – Bronze Award (RCM piano, Grade 4)

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (January 2015 session)

Student	Subject, Grade	Mark	Teacher
Anjali Mistry	Music Theory II	93	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Michael Lee	Music Theory II	92	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
David Yap	Grade 2 Violin	92	Ms. Marina Grigoryan
Alena Parkinson	Grade 6 Piano	84	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Kyra Sophie Oszlai	Grade 1 Piano	83	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe
Kyle Omari Miller	Grade 1 Piano	80	Ms. Antonia de Wolfe

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (January 2015 session)

Student	Subject, Grade	Mark
Edward Tang	Theory Advanced	93
Labros Spandonidis	Grade 1 Piano	91
Rida Aftab	Grade 1 Piano	87
Kayvon Najibzadeh	Grade 1 Piano	83
Matthew Finn	Grade 2 Piano	81
Jackie Xu	Grade 4 Clarinet	80
Tiger Zhao	Grade 8 Saxophone	80

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (June 2014 session)

Student	Subject, Grade	Mark
Brenda Liu	Theory Basic	93
Rishi Bhuwan	Grade 3 Trumpet	86
Garrett Kawabata	Grade 4 Violin	80
Noah Mathew	Grade 2 Piano	80

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (January 2014 session)

Student	Subject, Grade	Mark
Tiger Zhao	Theory Advanced	93
Garrett Kawabata	Theory Intermediate	91
Carter Kawabata	Grade 3 Piano	87
Matthew Finn	Grade 1 Piano	83
Garrett Kawabata	Grade 6 Piano	82
David Yap	Grade 1 Violin	80
Ethan Jong	Grade 2 Piano	80

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (August 2013 session)

Student	Subject, Grade	Mark
Edward Tang	Theory Intermediate	99
Rishi Bhuwan	Grade 1 Trumpet	90
Sharon Cheung	Grade 2 Flute	87
Tiger Zhao	Grade 6 Saxophone	86
Olivia Xu	Grade 4 Violin	86
Chloe Cheung	Grade 2 Flute	85
Noah Mathew	Grade 1 Piano	80
Rachel Tang	Grade 7 Piano	80

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (June 2013 session)

Student	Subject, Grade	Mark
Anjali Mistry	Theory Basic	99
Odosa Obasuyi	Grade 1 piano	89
Michael Lee	Theory Basic	88
Zahra Mustansir	Grade 1 piano	84
Niral Mistry	Grade 2 Clarinet	83
Michael Cheng	Grade 2 Flute	81
Janis Cheng	Grade 2 Flute	81
Vincent Poon	Grade 4 Violin	80

ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC EXAMINATION (April 2013 session)

Student	Subject, Grade	Mark
Chloe Tam	Grade 3 Piano	85
Adit Krishnan	Grade 3 Piano	82
Jessica Facchini	Grade 2 Piano	82
Alexander Nielsen	Grade 2 piano	80
Mariah A Brown	Grade 5 Piano	80

THE DJOGO BROTHERS HAVE WON THREE FIRST AWARDS AT THE 2013 NORTH YORK MUSIC COMPETITION

Gligor Djogo (clarinet) has won a first place in the category of ARCT Performance at the North York Music Competition for playing Mozart’s Concerto for clarinet and orchestra. His younger brother, Novak Djogo (flute), has won a first award and Radomir Djogo (trumpet) has won a first award as well. All three boys are students of Mr. Leonid Sprikut. Congratulations on their excellent performances and all the best in their future music-related endeavours.

Nicole Lazarovsky and Deven Chakravorty have won prestigious awards at the 2012 North York Music Festival.

May 2012. North York Music Festival was created in 2010 and has quickly gained popularity due to its professional adjudicators and non-competitive environment. Nicole Lazarovsky (voice) and Deven Chakravorty (voice) have won second award at the 2012 North York Music Festival.

The International Music Academy students were invited by the Toronto Maple Leafs to sing the Canadian national anthem at the opening of the hockey game of the Toronto Marlies vs the American Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL).

April 2012. Eighteen IMA students took part in this prestigious event, held on April 7, 2012 at Ricoh Coliseum 9,500-seat stadium. To our pleasure, the Marlies have won the game, 45 seconds into overtime with 3-2. To watch a short documentary in HD, click on the image below.

iMA students have won great awards at the 2012 Markham Euromusic piano competition

April 2012.The Markham Music Festival is also known as the Euromusic Piano Competition. It has been created in 1994 and is sponsored by TD Canada Trust. The competition is for young pianists only and is based on the Royal Conservatory of Music curriculum. It is also one of the most serious piano competitions in the GTA. Congratulations on excellent performances to:

Gwyneth Poon (Second Award in RCM Grade 7 class)
Parthee Bala (Second Award in RCM Grade 3 class)

Warmest thanks to their teachers for inspiring our young pianists and guiding them to the highest achievements as well as to their families for their continuous support.

iMA students have achieved spectacular success at 2012 Kiwanis Music Festival.

March 2012. Six students from the International Music Academy have competed with hundreds of participants from the Greater Toronto Area at the 2012 Kiwanis Music Festival. All have won prestigious awards in various categories. Congratulations on their outstanding performances to:

Marcel Short (Gold Award in RCM Grade 2 clarinet class)
Radomir Djogo (Gold Award in RCM Grade 2 trumpet class)
Novak Djogo (Gold Award in RCM Grade 6 flute class)
Garrett Kawabata (Gold Award in RCM Grade 4 piano class)
Carter Kawabata (Gold Award in RCM Grade 2 piano class)
Matthew Wong (Gold Award in RCM Grade 7 violin class)
Gligor Djogo (Silver Award in RCM Grade 9 clarinet class)
Mihai Lungu (Silver Award in RCM Grade 2 trumpet class)

Warmest thanks to their teachers for inspiring our young musicians and guiding them to the highest achievements as well as to their families for their continuous support.

Marina Wai, a student at the International Music Academy, has been awarded the 2011 Gold Medal for the highest mark (96) in Grade 4 piano examination in Ontario.

February 2012. An international leader in the fields of music education and performance training, The Royal Conservatory is celebrating its 125th Anniversary this year with the introduction of the combined Convocation and Gold Medal Awards Ceremony. Gold Medals are awarded each academic year, September 1 to August 31, by province or region, to candidates who have obtained the highest marks for practical examinations in each discipline, Grades 1 through ARCT. In order to be eligible for these awards, recipients must have obtained a minimum mark of 80% on their practical examination and have completed the theory requirements for their grade.

On behalf of The Royal Conservatory, we cordially invite you to the 2011 Ontario and Quebec Convocation and Gold Medal Awards Ceremony in Toronto to celebrate excellence in music with the community of Gold Medal Teachers and Medalists this year. The 2011 Ontario and Quebec Convocation and Gold Medal Ceremony wil take place on February 12, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at Koerner Hall, The Royal Conservatory, The TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning at 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1W2.

Nine IMA students have received a mark over 80 at the Royal Conservatory of Music January 2012 examination session.

Matthew Wong (grade 7 violin)
Edward Tang (grade 4 piano)
Mary Christidis (grade 3 harmony)
Katryna Durfy Weir (grade 2 rudiments)
Madura Muraleetharan (grade 2 voice)
Samantha Fung (grade 1violin)
Niral Mistry (grade 1 piano)
Timothe Noche (grade 1 violin)
Olivia Xu (grade 1 violin)

14 students from York Region have won the Kindred Spirits Orchestra 2011 Broadway Kids Live! auditions.

The Kindred Spirits Orchestra under the Honorary Patronage of Mayor Frank Scarpitti of Markham is pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 Broadway Kids Live! Auditions. Broadway Kids Live! is a new programme created by the Kindred Spirits Orchestra that is designed to provide children with opportunities to acquire important skills in singing, acting, dancing, working with conductor, and performing in front of a large audience. From 115 applications received, 55 children from York Region were invited to audition live in Markham and another 23, in Toronto. During the live auditions, a panel of judges led by Maestro Kristian Alexander, Music Director of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, looked for a particular blend of vocal, acting, and dancing skills, as related to a pre-determined list of characters that will later be included in the show. A final cast of 14 children was selected to perform live on stage of Markham Theatre for the Performing Arts on May 6, 2012:

- Aneesah Bari (Stouffville)
- Ayla Neumann (New Market)
- Candace Santos (Mississauga)
- Celeste McGill (Maple)
- Deven Chakravorty (Markham)
- Faith Rauen (Unionville)
- Glenn Edward Montera (Toronto)
- Isabelle Duchene (New Market)
- Leya Herschel (Markham)
- Lia Luz (Scarborough)
- Luka Mihajlovi (Markham)
- May He Tessoro (Unionville)
- Nicole Lazarovski (Markham)
- Samantha Waller (Richmond Hill)

iMA students have won the highest awards in the GTA at the 2011 Kiwanis Music Festival

16 students from the International Music Academy have competed with thousands of participants from the GreateToronto Area at the 2011 Kiwanis Music Festival. All have won prestigious awards in various categoriesCongratulations on their outstanding performances to:

- Stella Schneckenburger (Piano solo RCM Grade 3) - Gold Award and Best in Class
- Garrett Kawabata (Piano solo Sonatinas) - Gold Award and 1st place
- Celia Tang (Clarinet solo RCM Grade 10) - Gold Award and 1st place
- Sharon Wong (Piano solo RCM Grade 7) - Gold Award and 2nd place
- Ryan Xu (Piano solo RCM Grade 1) - Gold Award and 2nd place
- Carter Kawabata (Piano solo RCM Grade 2) - Gold Award and 3rd place
- Marina Wai (Piano solo RCM Grade 6) - Gold Award and 3rd place
- Michael Xu (Piano solo RCM Grade 4) - Gold Award
- Gwyneth Poon (Piano solo RCM Grade 5) - Gold Award
- Daniel Joanes (Piano solo RCM Grade 2) - Gold Award
- Julie-Anne Boucher (Violin solo RCM Grade 7) - Gold Award
- Hansel Lui (Violin solo RCM Grade 3) - Silver Award
- Daniel Joanes (Piano solo RCM Grade 2) - Silver Award
- Garrett Kawabata (Piano solo RCM Grade 3) - Silver Award
- Johnson Zheng (Piano solo RCM Grade 2) - Silver Award
- Martin Tuzin (Piano solo RCM Grade 6) - Silver Award
- Katherine Lee (Piano solo RCM Grade 4) - Silver Award
- Jobert Sevilleno (Voice solo) - Bronze Award and 2nd place

2010 Richmond Hill Music Festival has brought more awards to iMA students.

Three voice students from the clas of Ms. Helena Holl have won a Silver Award at the 2010 Richmond Hill Music Festival. Congratulations to:

- Leya Herschel (Italian Art Song)
- Nicole Lazarovsky (Broadway Musical)
- Jobert Sevilleno (Open class)

International Music Academy has sponsored the educaiton of 4 children in Peru

Through a collaboration with AYNI, the International Music Academy has assisted 4 children in Peru with the purchase of books and educational materials required for one year of studies. Watch a video about this exciting partnership in gallery.

Great success at the 2010 North York Music Festival

The North York Music Festival (formerly NYCO Music Festival) has brought another wave of great success to our students, especially those who competed in the vocal classes. Congratulations to:

Stephanie Commarasana – GOLD Award (saxophone)
Leya Herschel – GOLD Award (voice)
Philip Huynh – GOLD Award (voice)
Charina Alducente – SILVER Award (voice)
Nicole Lazarovski – SILVER Award (voice) and BRONZE Award (voice)
Nicole Jaskot – SILVER Award (voice)
Garett Kawabata – SILVER Award (piano)
Aneesah Bari – BRONZE Award (voice)

Special thanks to their teachers Ms. Helena Holl (voice), Ms. Mao Ke (voice), Ms. Priscila Coelho (voice, piano), Mr. Leonid Sprikut (woodwinds), and Ms. Lili Imastounian (piano).

More awards from the 2010 Markham Euromusic piano competition

The Markham Music Festival is well known as the Euromusic Piano Competition. It has been created in 1994 and is sponsored by TD Canada Trust. The competition is for young pianists only and is based on the Royal Conservatory of Music curriculum. It is also one of the most serious piano competitions in the GTA. Congratulations on excellent performances to:

Gwyneth Poon (First Award in RCM Grade 3 Sonatina class)
Sindu Karunaharan (Second Award in RCM Grade 3 contemporary piece class)
Katherine Lee (Third Award in RCM Grade 3 contemporary piece class)

Warmest thanks to their teachers for inspiring our young pianists and guiding them to highest achievements. Best regards to the families for their continuous support.

iMA students have won 11 GOLD awards at the 2010 Kiwanis Music Festival

Congratulations to the following students:

Gligor Djogo (GOLD Award), clarinet RCM Grade 8
Cameron Lee (GOLD Award), violin RCM Grade 8
Matthew Wong (GOLD Award), violin RCM Grade 6
Maggie Chie (GOLD Award), saxophone RCM Grade 6
Amanda Mac (GOLD Award), piano RCM Grade 5
Novak Djogo (GOLD Award), flute RCM Grade 4
Ameen Meshkat (GOLD Award), saxophone RCM Grade 4
Tiger Zhao (GOLD Award), saxophone RCM Grade 1
Jeffrey Li (GOLD Award), Guitar RCM Grade 1
Michael Xu (GOLD Award), piano RCM Introductory Grade
Michelle Yu (GOLD Award), voice Musical theatre
Andrea Wong (SILVER Award), violin RCM Grade 6
Martin Tuzim (SILVER Award), piano RCM Grade 5
Jamal Virani (SILVER Award), voice Musical theatre
Cathy Shen (BRONZE Award), voice Grand Opera

iMA students have won awards at the 2009 Richmond Hill Music Festival

Congratulations on successful performances to:

Lucy Yi (double bass) - 1st place (class DB5)
Nicole Jaskot (voice) - 2nd place (class VO3)
Michelle Yu (voice) - 3rd place (class VO5)

iMA has won the 2008 Consumers' Choice Award for best music school in the GTA

The International Music Academy has won the 2008 Consumers' Choice Award for best music school in the GTA. We have won in all categories of "consumers satisfaction", "quality of education", "programmes and services", "learning and teaching environment", "management", "music festivals and competitions", and overall "business excellence". The official award ceremony was recorded on June 2, 2008 by CTV for future release.

The Consumers' Choice Award is considered the seal of excellence. For recipients the award not only constitutes the crowning achievement of their efforts, but more importantly it also represents the most valuable reward of all, the knowledge that they have earned the trust and loyalty of consumers.

The International Music Academy Faculty, Staff, and Management would like to thank all students and their families for their continuous support and for voting us the best music school in the Great Toronto Area.

iMA student has won Second Award on the Ontario Provincial Music Competition

Xianxin Du was selected to represent the GTA at the Ontario Provincial Competition (in the category of brass instruments). He competed with other candidates from all major cities in Ontario and has won the Second Award. This has been very fruitful year for Xianxin. He has also won a SILVER medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music and a Second Award from the Kiwanis Music Competition. Congratulations on your great achievements!

iMA students have won great awards at the prestigious Kiwanis Music Competition.

The International Music Academy Faculty and Staff congratulate the following students on their outstanding performance:

Ryan Ip (violin) – First Award (RCM 9 Violin sonata)
Ryan Ip (violin) – First Award (RCM 9 Violin concerto)
Renée Ly (piano) – First Award (RCM 4, List A)
Diane Tam (violin) – First Award (RCM 3, List C)

Xianxin Du (trumpet) – Second Award (RCM 9, List B)
Ryan Ip (violin) – Second Award (Bach solo sonata)
Clemence Tam (violin) – Second Award (RCM 4, List A)
Renée Ly (piano) - Second Award (RCM 4, List B)
Diane Tam (violin) – Second Award (RCM 3, List A)
Ranjith Ranganathan (guitar) – Second Award (RCM 1, List A)
Anna Wong (violin) – Second Award (RCM 2, List A)
Daniella Pisciola (piano) – Second Award (RCM i, List A)
John Mamatis (piano) – Second Award (RCM 1, List B)

Clemence Tam (violin) – Third Award (RCM 4, List C)
Aaron Wong (piano) – Third Award (RCM 4, List B)
Matthew Wong (violin) – Third Award (RCM 4, List A)
Maria Pin (violin) – Third Award (RCM 4, Violin Studies)
Stanley Yeung (trumpet) – Third Award (RCM 4, List B)
Amanda Mac (piano) – Third Award (RCM 2, List B)
Serena Sgandurra (piano) – Third Award (RCM 1, List A)
Ganesh Santhananthan (saxophone) – Third Award (RCM 2)

Congratulations go also to the following students for their excellent performance. They all have put a lot of time and energy and have achieved great results: Cameron Lee (violin), Hayson Ko (violin), Stanley Yeung (piano), Sunny Yeung (piano), Chelsea Dumasal (piano), Ellie Mamatis (piano).

We would also like to thank the teachers Mr. Leonid Sprikut, Mrs. Svetlana Koroleva, Mrs. Irina Pechkina, Mrs. Olga Polikarpova, and Mr. Rizgar Al-Timary for their professionalism and dedication.

The Kiwanis Music Competition is the oldest in Canada and is a member of the Kiwanis International that was founded in 1915 with the goal to "change the world one child and one community at a time".

7 GOLD, 9 SILVER, and 6 BRONZE medals for iMA students

Arts Richmond Hill was founded in 1979 as a community based Arts Council whose mandate is the advancement of arts and culture through promotion, awareness, and education. Every year hundreds of students participate in a Music competition based on the Royal Conservatory of Music curricula and examination requirements. During the last weekend of November 2007 iMA students competed in several classes for piano, violin, trumpet, flute, and voice. The winners of this year Richmond Hill Music Competition are:

Aaron Wong, GOLD medal (piano, P13)
Alexander Volkov, GOLD medal (violin, VN25)
Alexander Volkov, GOLD medal (violin, VN27)
Hayson Ko, GOLD medal (violin, VN19)
Serena Sgandurra, GOLD medal (piano, P4)
Stanley Yeung, GOLD medal (trumpet, TU3)
Xianxin Du, GOLD medal (trumpet, TU5)

Aaron Wong, SILVER medal (piano, P11)
Alexander Volkov, SILVER medal (violin, VN24)
Alexander Volkov, SILVER medal (violin, VN26)
Anna Djalilvand, SILVER medal (violin, VN9)
Anna Djalilvand, SILVER medal (violin, VN11)
Deanna Rudiak, SILVER medal (violin, P18)
Diane Tam, SILVER medal (violin, VN9)
Hayson Ko, SILVER medal (piano, VN18)
Serena Sgandurra, SILVER medal (piano, P3)

Anna Djalilvand, BRONZE medal (violin, VN10)
Anna Wong, BRONZE medal (violin, VN6)
Diane Tam, BRONZE medal (violin, VN10)
Diane Tam, BRONZE medal (violin, VN11)
Hayson Ko, BRONZE medal (violin, VN20)
Jonathan Matta, BRONZE medal (piano, P2)

iMA students have received the highest award of the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Every academic year the Royal Conservatory of Music awards SILVER medals to students who have achieved the highest marks on their combined practical and theory examinations. Only one student per grade (1 through 10) would receive the SILVER medal award in the province of Ontario. The GOLD award is given only to accomplished students at the Artist Diploma (ARCT) level.

We are proud to announce that this year the Royal Conservatory of Music has awarded SILVER Medals to two iMA students:

Alexander Volkov, a 12 years old violinist who has achieved 94% on his Grade 7 violin and 99% on his Theory 2 examinations; and
Xianxin Du, a 18 years old trumpeter who has achieved 92% on his Grade 8 trumpet and 99% on his Theory 2 examinations.

The International Music Academy is thrilled that Alexander and Xianxin are both the only students from the province of Ontario who have been awarded the RCM SILVER Medal this year.Congratulations and warmest thanks to their families and to the devoted IMA teachers for this great achievement. The Award Ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 25, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. at The Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front Street in Toronto.

The 2007 Euromusic Competition has brought great success to the iMA

The iMA Faculty and Staff would like to congratulate the following students for their spectacular success at the Euromusic Piano Competition:

Aaron Wong, winner of two BRONZE Awards in groups of 12 and of 9 competitors;
Sarika Chakravorty, winner of the BRONZE Award in a group of 16 competitors;
Suzette Marie Cameron and Rochelle White for their outstanding performance.

Xianxin Du has won the Kiwanis Music Foundation 2007 Scholarship

iMA student Xianxin Du has won the prestigious Kiwanis Music Foundation 2007 Scholarship. He has competed at the Kiwanis Music Competition and is the only trumpeter in the GTA who has been given this award. In a personal letter to Xianxin, Ms. Pan Allen, General Manager of the Kiwanis Music Festival, wrote:

“Congratulations on your outstanding performance at the 2007 Kiwanis Music Festival of Greater Toronto! In recognition of your talent and hard work, our team of adjudication has chosen to award you with the Kiwanis Club of Toronto Foundation Award. The Kiwanis Music Festival of Greater Toronto hopes that you use this award toward the further development of your talent.”

The iMA Faculty and Staff are very happy of Xianxin’s success. He is currently preparing for his RCM Grade 8 examination in June. You can hear him playing at one of the iMA students’ recitals in May and at the iMA Annual Concert on June 24th.

The International Music Academy has sponsored world famous conductor Benjamin Zander

World famous conductor and Music Director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Maestro Benjamin Zander, came to Toronto on January 19th, 2007.

In the morning, Mr. Zander gave a speech on “The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Live” at the Toronto Hilton Convention Centre. Later in the afternoon Maestro Zander conducted a special concert at John Bassett Theatre in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and presented his highly acclaimed concept of the orchestra as a metaphor for leadership. After the concert Maestro Zander signed copies of his world bestseller “The Art of Possibility”, presented by Harvard University Press.

Benjamin Zander’s work as a conductor and motivational speaker has been awarded the highest attention on five continents. His leadership view is unconventional and its impact is without boundaries. His teaching transforms entire lives through “The Art of Possibility” in ways that are nothing short of magical with results that are nothing short of exemplary. According to Fortune 500, “Ben Zander is the hottest property on the management guru circuit”. According to Boston Globe, “Zander is one of the finest conductors in the world”.

Both the speech and the concert were presented to a very interesting multifaceted audience: executives from leading Canadian companies; conductors and music directors converging in Toronto from five continents for the Conductors Guild International Conference; high school and university students and professors; seniors.

The event was presented by Classical 96.3 FM and sponsored by the International Music Academy.

iMA students have won first awards at the 2006 Richmond Hill Music Competition

Congratulations to our students for their excellent performance!

Cameron Lee (violin, first award)
Stephen Yu (violin, first award)

The iMA teachers and staff extend their warmest wishes to our students' families. Thank you for your continuous support!

Monthly Newsletter

To print a copy of the current month newsletter and take advantage of exciting offers, coupons and current promotions, click here [PDF].

Year MMXX, No. 10 (October 2020)

WELCOMING OUR NEW STUDENTS

JJ Jordan (piano)
Madison Jordan (piano)
Steven Leung (piano)
Angelina Chiang (piano)

IMA STUDENTS BIRTHDAYS IN OCTOBER

Danny Tsang, Moheng Wong, Harry He, Johnny Karagiorgos, Janice Chung, Elijah Gao, Mikaela Denise Ng, Sarah Mascarenhas-Beharry, Nicolas Dasgupta, Rohin Furchner, Ringo Bi, Austin Fong, Alice Li, Victoria Muvesan, Karen Oneil, Samantha Cascone, Olivia Crawford, Goldwin Tian, Remington DiRosa, Connor Lau, Sophia Valdez, Kevin Lam, Aksharah Sanjeevaan, Candice Chau

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

IMPORTANT DAYS IN OCTOBER

October 1. International Music Day.
October 12. Thanksgiving. IMA is open.
October 16. RCM Winter examination registrations deadline.
October 17. Kindred Spirits Orchestra. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. St. Maurice and St. Verena Cultural Centre at 3300 HWY 7 in Markham. KSOrchestra.ca

RCM EXAMINATIONS RESULTS (August session)

The Royal Conservatory of Music August session examination results have been announced. Congratulations to the IMA students who took the opportunity to present their programs online, for a first time.

The feedback from more than half of the students was mildly encouraging with the majority of them pointing out some difficulties for presenting their examination programs by using remote technology, which led to receiving marks a little lower than usual. Although they have appreciated the opportunity, most of the students look forward to having the RCM resuming their in-person examination sessions, hopefully in January 2021.

Connor Lau	Level 1 Violin	94	Mr. Arpad Josephson
Emily Breton	Level 1 Piano	91	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Kelly Chen	Level 8 Piano	85	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe
Nathaniel Fernandes	Prep A Piano	85	Ms. Dianne Hughes
Aaron Dutta	Level 5 Piano	84	Ms. Lili Imastounian
Deekshana Subramanian	Level 7 Piano	82	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe
Bryan Zhen	Level 5 Viola	81	Mr. Arpad Josephson
Patrick Hu	Level 8 Clarinet	81	Dr. Leonid Sprikut
Kaitlyn Fung	Level 5 Piano	80	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Lucy Zhao	Level 8 Flute	80	Dr. Leonid Sprikut
Aditya Agadi	Level 1 Piano	78	Ms. Dianne Hughes
Isabelle Dasgupta	Level 2 Piano	78	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe
Jonathan Wang	Level 8 Flute	78	Dr. Leonid Sprikut
Reena Tamanan	Level 2 Piano	76	Ms. Takouhi Kehyaian
Brayden Fung	Level 4 Piano	74	Ms. Mariko Avanesian
Giancarlo Montanaro	Level 2 Piano	73	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe
Christina Shen	Level 7 Piano	72	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe
Theesik Aravinthan	Level 6 Piano	72	Ms. Suzanne Marfise
Steven Li	Level 6 Piano	66	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe
Renee White	Level 8 Piano	64	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe
Emily Li	Level 3 Piano	62	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe
James Li	Level 7 Piano	58	Ms. Antonia DeWolfe

GET 3 FREE LESSONS WITH THE PURCHASE OF A PIANO

If you are ready to purchase a high quality pre-own piano through one of the IMA commercial partners, 3 of your lessons at the IMA will be free. Call our Office or e-mail Office@InternationalMusicAcademy.ca for more information. Pre-own piano is a great investment that comes at an attractive price, with a free tuning and delivery.

GET A $30 CREDIT ON YOUR NEXT MONTH TUITION

We have been very pleased with the continuous success of our students. They have improved a great deal and we share their excitement with their families, friends, neighbors, and schoolmates. We appreciate your interest towards our programs and services. We are always very happy to welcome new students of all ages, levels, and instruments to the iMA. Please tell your friends about your experience with the International Music Academy.

Do you know someone who is thinking of taking music lessons or who has children who may be interested in getting their hands on a musical instrument or singing? Do you know a teenager who needs a high school OAC credit? Do you know an adult who has wanted for a long time to learn how to play a musical instrument but has never had the time or inclination? Please tell them about the IMA.

As an appreciation for your referral, we will give you a $30 credit for each new student who registers at the International Music Academy as a result of your referral. As we value your friends as much as we value you, we will offer to each referred student a $30 credit as well.

FOLLOW US ON

Stay in touch and follow the IMA latest news on Facebook. Visit Facebook and become a friend of the International Music Academy.

PERSONALIZED IMA GIFT CARD

The IMA offers personalized Gift Cards that could be used as thoughtful birthday, holiday, bar/bat Mitzvah, graduation gift or for any other occasions as well as to encourage someone to start learning a musical instrument or singing. The card can be used for any products or services.

The gift card is available for any amount. As cards are personalized with the name of the person who will receive it as well as with the name of the person who purchase it, requests have to be made 1 day in advance. Cards can be ordered in person, by phone at 905.489.4620 or by e-mail at info@InternationalMusicAcademy.ca. At the time the card is ordered, a non-refundable $5 deposit is required. The full value of the card is paid upon pick-up (and the deposit is credited towards the purchase price). Payments can be made by any major credit card, cheque or cash as well as through the accounts of the IMA Clients.

COMPOSERS’ ANNIVERSARIES IN OCTOBER

1/10/1865 Paul Dukas born 
2/10/1920 Max Bruch died 
3/10/1931 Carl Nielsen died 
9/10/1813 Verdi born  
9/10/1835 Saint-Saëns born 
11/10/1896 Bruckner died 
12/10/1872 Vaughan Williams born 
14/10/1990 Bernstein died 
17/10/1849 Chopin died 
18/10/1893 Gounod died 
20/10/1874 Charles Ives born 
22/10/1811 Liszt born 
24/10/1725 A Scarlatti died 
25/10/1825 J Strauss Jr born 
25/10/1838 Bizet born  
26/10/1685 D Scarlatti born 
27/10/1782 Paganini born

Where you born or do you know someone who was born on the same day as these famous composers? Drop us e-mail at info@InternationalMusicAcademy.ca to let us know.

FEATURED TEACHER OF THE MONTH

Mr. Ross Au

M.Mus., B.Mus.

Guitar Studies and improvisation

Ross Au holds a master’s degree from the University of Toronto in the field of music performance. He specializes in classical guitar and is armed with the pedagogical tools necessary to prepare students for university auditions and Royal Conservatory examinations. Ross has won several competitions across the GTA, composed film music for animation studios, received multiple scholarships, and was appointed concertmaster in the University of Toronto Guitar Ensemble for two consecutive years. He has studied under renowned Canadian guitarists, Jeffrey McFadden and David Occhipinti. Along with his expertise in classical music, Ross is also fluent in many styles of the electric guitar and has performed on mandolin and banjo for the opera productions of Don Giovanni and Les Larmes du Couteau, respectively. In each of his students, Ross instills core values such as expressiveness, technical mastery, musical literacy, self-learning, and above all else – the enjoyment of making music.

Mr. Au was happy to answer a few questions for our students and parents:

1. What do you like most about teaching? Seeing my students develop their own musical intuition and personality on the guitar! Exposure to complete beginners also serves as a reminder to remain constantly curious about guitar, music and life in general. When one person teaches, two people learn (at least in a one-on-one lesson).

2. How do you inspire students to practice more? Encouraging students to compare themselves to nobody aside from the person that they were yesterday, is really helpful. It's all about setting goals and achieving small victories which eventually add up to become an accomplishment greater than the sum of it's parts.

3. What roles does performance play in student’s development? Performance is critical. Knowing you have to get out of your comfort zone puts a healthy amount of pressure and motivation to help a student achieve the goal of playing something really well. Even just playing for a few friends/family members can be a great experience.

4. Who are your favourite composers? That's a tough question to answer! My taste in music is quite varied, but to name a few artists/bands/composers: Plini, Bill Evans, Giulio Regondi, American Football, Jakub Zytecki, Claude Debussy, Guthrie Govan, Avishai Cohen, Stephen Taranto, Ted Greene, J.S. Bach, Explosions in the Sky, Nobou Uematsu, Allan Holdsworth, Eric Johnson, Steve Reich.

5. What was the last piece of music (sheet music or a recording) you purchased for yourself? “Pure”, an album by Tomo Fujita (Funk maestro/Berklee College guitar professor/all around nice guy).

FEATURED STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

Connor Lau

James and Emily Li

• What instrument do you play? I play the violin.
• How long have you taken lessons? I have taken violin lessons for about 3.5 years now.
• Who are your favourite musical artists? I like the music of John Williams.
• What are your other hobbies, besides music? My other hobbies are basketball, skiing, biking, camping, travelling, and fishing.
• Favourite food? I like burgers & fries, tofu, steak and mashed potatoes, sweet and sour pork, to name just a few.
• What is the coolest thing you’ve learnt in your lessons in the past three months? I’ve got 96 on my recent violin exam, last month – it was the coolest thing happening in a while.
• Do you have any performance coming up? Sadly no, but as things start opening up, I hope soon there will be.

E-mail to info@InternationalMusicAcademy.ca a photo of yourself (or your child) together with the answers of the questions above. The deadline for submissions is the 15th of every month. We will feature you in one of the next issues of the newsletter.

FEATURED ARTICLE

BENEFITS OF LEARNING AND PLAYING MUSIC FOR ADULTS
By Sharon Bryant

Cognitive Benefits/Facts:

Have you ever felt chills down your spine while listening to music? According to a study by Nusbaum and Silvia (2010), over 90% of us have. How powerful the effects of music, though, depends on your personality. People who are high in one of the five personality dimensions called ‘openness to experience’, are likely to feel the most chills while listening to music (Nusbaum and Silvia, "Shivers and Timbres Personality and the Experience of Chills From Music," Social Psychology & Personality Science, 2010).
A Stanford study shows that music engages areas of the brain which are involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating events in our memory (Baker, Mitzi. "Music moves brain to pay attention, Stanford study finds." Stanford Medicine. Accessed February 24, 2015).
Much like expert technical skills, mastery in arts and humanities is closely correlated to a greater understanding of language components (Trei, Lisa. "Musical training helps language processing, studies show." Stanford News. Accessed February 24, 2015).
Musicians are found to have superior working memory compared to non-musicians (Berti, et al., 2006; Pallesen et al., "Cognitive Control in Auditory Working Memory Is Enhanced in Musicians," PLOS One, June 15, 2010).
Musical experience strengthens many of the same aspects of brain function that are impaired in individuals with language and learning difficulties, such as the neural timing precision which allows differentiation between speech syllables (Kraus, N. and B. Chandrasekaran, Music training for the development of auditory skills. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2010.11: p. 599-605.)
Both music and language are complex communication systems, in which basic components are combined into high-order structures in accordance with rules. Whether music was an evolutionary precursor to language or merely a byproduct of cognitive faculties that developed to support language, music is pervavise across human cultures and throughout history (Nina Kraus, Jessica Slater, "Music and language: relations and disconnections," The Human Auditory System: Fundamental Organization and Clinical Disorders, Vol. 29, 3rd Series, 2015).
Cross-sectional comparisons of musicians to non-musicians have established a variety of musician enhancements in auditory skills and their neural substrates, extending from enhanced perception and neural encoding of speech, most notably in suboptimal listening conditions, to more proficient auditory working memory and auditory attention (Nina Kraus, Dana L. Strait, "Emergence of biological markers of musicianship with school-based music instruction," Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2015).
Adults who receive formal music instruction as children have more robust brainstem responses to sound than peers who never participate in music lessons and that the magnitude of the response correlates with how recently training ceased. These results suggest that neural changes accompanying musical training during childhood are retained in adulthood (Skoe, E. & Kraus, N. 2012. A Little Goes a Long Way: How the Adult Brain Is Shaped by Musical Training in Childhood, Journal of Neuroscience, 32, 34, 11510. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1949-12.2012).
Music therapy utilizing improvisation on hand drums helped veterans modulate their "often misdirected, exaggerated, and unrecognized emotions," with the goal being generalization of these skills to everyday life. Drumming provided an opportunity for the men to express and control their feelings and helped build a sense of connectedness and group mission (Burt, J. W. (1995). Distant Thunder: Drumming with Vietnam Veterans. Music Therapy Perspectives, 13, 110-112; quoted in, "Music Therapy and the Military," by Ronna Kaplan, Huffington Post, March 4, 2013).
Researchers found that those who played an instrument for two years showed a stronger "neurophysiological distinction" between certain sounds than children who didn't get the instrumental training. For instance, the music-makers more easily could tell the difference between the words "bill" and "pill," a key skill in learning to read (Skoe, E. & Kraus, N. (2012). A Little Goes a Long Way: How the Adult Brain Is Shaped by Musical Training in Childhood, Journal of Neuroscience, 32, 34, 11510. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1949-12.2012).
Researchers from Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center looked at how different types of music and silence were processed in the brains of 21 people with epilepsy. Whether listening to classical music or jazz, all of the participants had much higher levels of brain wave activity when listening to music, the study found. Brain wave activity in the epilepsy patients tended to synchronize more with the music, especially in the temporal lobe, the researchers said (Robert Preidt, HealthDay, August 10, 2015).

Social Benefits/Facts:

Seven in ten Americans (71%) say that the learnings and habits from music education equip people to be better team players in their careers (July 2014 Harris Poll).
People high in openness to experience are more likely to play a musical instrument, and more likely to rate music as important to them (Nusbaum and Silvia, "Shivers and Timbres Personality and the Experience of Chills From Music," Social Psychology & Personality Science, 2010).
A review of 23 studies covering almost 1,500 patients found that listening to music reduced heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety in heart disease patients (Bradt & Dileo, "Music for stress and anxiety reduction in coronary heart disease patients," PubMed.Gov, 2009).
In research by Ferguson and Sheldon (2013), participants who listened to upbeat classical compositions by Aaron Copland, while actively trying to feel happier, felt their moods lift more than those who passively listened to the music. This suggests that engaging with music, rather than allowing it to wash over us, gives the experience extra emotional power (Ferguson and Sheldon, "Trying to be happier really can work: Two experimental studies," The Journal of Positive Psychology: Dedicated to furthering research and promoting good practice, 2013).
A study by Logeswaran et al. (2009) found that a quick blast of happy music made participants perceive other’s faces as happier. The same was true for a snippet of sad music. The biggest effect was seen when people looked at faces with a neutral expression. In other words: people projected the mood of the music they were listening to onto other people’s faces ( Logeswaran et al., "Crossmodal transfer of emotion by music," Neuroscience Letters, 2009).
Four out of five Americans (80%) believe their music education has contributed to their level of personal fulfillment (July 2014 Harris Poll).
Two-thirds (67%) of Americans say music education provides people with a disciplined approach to solving problems (July 2014 Harris Poll).
Two-thirds (66%) of Americans say that music education prepares someone to manage the tasks of their job more successfully (July 2014 Harris Poll).
Graduates from music programs report that creativity, teamwork, communication, and critical thinking are skills necessary in their work, regardless of whether they are working in music or other fileds (Craft, A. 2001. An Analysis of Research and Literature on Creativity and Education. Report Prepared for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Coventry, England. Strategic National Arts Alumni Project, SNAAP. 2010. Forks in the Road: The Many Paths of Arts Alumni: Strategic National Arts Alumni Project 2010 Findings. Bloomington, IN).
Both the Greek and Roman armies used brass and percussion instruments — including the ancestors of the modern cornet and tuba — to convey information on the march, in the field and in camp. Greek armies on campaign employed musicians to accompany poetic recitations of odes and paeans designed to remind soldier and citizen alike of the valor of past heroes. After the collapse of Rome in the West, its tradition of martial music was preserved and refined by the Eastern empire in Byzantium (HistoryNet Staff, "The Music of War," History.net, June 6, 2012).
The formal discipline of music therapy has a rich, long history in providing services for our American heroes. It began after World Wars I and II, when community musicians performed in veterans' hospitals and medical professionals noticed patients' positive and emotional responses to music. In 1944, when it became evident that these hospital musicians required special training, the first music therapy degree program was founded. Currently, approximately 50 qualified music therapists work in VA hospitals throughout the U.S., according to Al Bumanis, director of communications at the American Music Therapy Association ("Music Therapy and the Military," by Ronna Kaplan, Huffington Post, March 4, 2013).
Since 2005, the VA has more than doubled the number of music therapists at its clinics (Abbie Fenress Swanson, "Music helps vets control symptoms of PTSD," Time, March 8, 2010).
When the first American soldiers manual — compiled by Maj. Gen. Wilhelm von Steuben — was issued to the Continental Army in 1778, it contained a list of beats and signals modeled on those used in European armies. More quickly than in Europe, however, the bugle replaced the fife and drum ensemble in the American ranks. In 1867 bugle calls for the U.S. armed forces, mostly patterned after French models, were codified and standardized into a form that largely survives today (HistoryNet Staff, "The Music of War," History.net, June 6, 2012).
While burgeoning technology eclipsed the need for music to accompany movement on the battlefield by the mid-20th century, it remained an effective means by which states could manipulate the morale, energies and attitudes of armies and indeed entire populations (HistoryNet Staff, "The Music of War," History.net, June 6, 2012).

Health Benefits/Facts:

A study of healthy male college students found that, while riding stationary bicycles, the participants worked harder while listening to fast music. Extra bonus: They also enjoyed the music more (Scott Christ, "20 surprising, science-backed health benefits of music," USA Today, December 17, 2013).
One study found that playing soft music (and dimming the lights) during a meal can help people slow down while eating and ultimately consume less food in one sitting (Scott Christ, "20 surprising, science-backed health benefits of music," USA Today, December 17, 2013).
Listening to classical music has been shown to effectively treat insomnia in college students (Scott Christ, "20 surprising, science-backed health benefits of music," USA Today, December 17, 2013).
Scientists have found that the emotions patients experience while listening to music have a healthy effect on blood vessel function. Music both made study participants feel happier and resulted in increased blood flow in their blood vessels (Scott Christ, "20 surprising, science-backed health benefits of music," USA Today, December 17, 2013).
One study found that listening to music after a workout can help the body recover faster. While slow music produced a greater relaxation effect post-exercise, it seems that any kind of music can help the physical recovery process (Scott Christ, "20 surprising, science-backed health benefits of music," USA Today, December 17, 2013).
Studies show that music can trigger the brain to release chemicals that distract the body from pain. When music reaches the brain’s auditory cortex, there’s communication between the cortex and the brain’s areas that control emotion, memory, and motor control (Abbie Fenress Swanson, "Music helps vets control symptoms of PTSD," Time, March 8, 2010).

Educational Benefits/Facts:

The College Entrance Examination Board found that students involved in public school music programs scored 107 points higher on the SAT's than students with no participation (Profiles of SAT and Achievement Test Takers, The College Board, compiled by the Music Educators National Conference, 2002).
Nearly half of parents and teachers support integrating music into the professional development of all educators (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
Soldiers of the 1700s were required to function almost as automatons, to obey, smoothly and in formation, whatever commands were given by their superiors. With clouds of gunsmoke added to the din of combat, oral commands or personal example were not always reliable means of giving direction to an army. An order that was not heard — or worse, not understood — could be as dangerous as the enemy. Musically transmitted signals, however, could be heard above the crash of gunfire. The voice of the trumpet and the cadence of the drums were clear and unambiguous, making them vital to command and control (HistoryNet Staff, "The Music of War," History.net, June 6, 2012).
The formal discipline of music therapy has a rich, long history in providing services for our American heroes. It began after World Wars I and II, when community musicians performed in veterans' hospitals and medical professionals noticed patients' positive and emotional responses to music. In 1944, when it became evident that these hospital musicians required special training, the first music therapy degree program was founded. Currently, approximately 50 qualified music therapists work in VA hospitals throughout the U.S., according to Al Bumanis, director of communications at the American Music Therapy Association ("Music Therapy and the Military," by Ronna Kaplan, Huffington Post, March 4, 2013).

Quotes/Testimonials:

"Look carefully and you’ll find musicians at the top of almost any industry. Woody Allen performs weekly with a jazz band. The television broadcaster Paula Zahn (cello) and the NBC chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd (French horn) attended college on music scholarships; NBC’s Andrea Mitchell trained to become a professional violinist. Both Microsoft’s Mr. Allen and the venture capitalist Roger McNamee have rock bands. Larry Page, a co-founder of Google, played saxophone in high school. Steven Spielberg is a clarinetist and son of a pianist. The former World Bank president James D. Wolfensohn has played cello at Carnegie Hall." - Joanne Lipman, "Is Music the Key to Success?" The New York Times, October 13, 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/opinion/sunday/is-music-the-key-to-success.html?_r=0

"Music may not make you a genius, or rich, or even a better person. But it helps train you to think differently, to process different points of view — and most important, to take pleasure in listening."- Joanne Lipman, "Is Music the Key to Success?" The New York Times, October 13, 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/opinion/sunday/is-music-the-key-to-success.html?_r=0

"Music learning supports all learning. Not that Mozart makes you smarter, but it's a very integrating, stimulating pastime or activity."- Kenneth Guilmartin, cofounder of Music Together, quoted in "The Benefits of Music Education," PBS.org, Laura Lewis Brown

“Music has impacted me… helping my ability to do math and to read, and to think critically.”- Fatima Gomez, BGCS/Latino Arts Strings Program Alumnus

“Music became my voice and it became the bridge to a larger culture.”- Dinorah Marquez, Program Director, Latino Arts Strings Program

“Music is a tool for social justice.” - Dinorah Marquez, Program Director, Latino Arts Strings Program

“We don’t see these kinds of biological changes in people who are just listening to music, who are not playing an instrument. I like to give the analogy that you’re not going to become physically fit just by watching sports.”- Nina Kraus, director of Northwestern’s Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, quoted in Melissa Locker, "This Is How Music Can Change Your Brain," Time, December 16, 2014

"You have to understand what it means for a combat veteran to be agitated in the waiting room. Their pupils are dilated. They are angry or waiting for something to happen. But when we have live music that day, they come to me far more relaxed. It's like an amazing miracle, and I don't say that lightly."- Dr. Hani Khouzam, quoted in, "Live music at Fresno's VA Hospital makes a big difference," by Diana Marcum, Los Angeles Times, January 16, 2013

"When you play a musical instrument you have to learn about tone and about scores and your ability to store audio information becomes better. So not only does this make it easier to pick up other languages and have a better verbal memory in your own language, we have also seen that musicians are able to pick out exactly what others are feeling just on the tone of their voices. Empathy, disappointment, that kind of thing."- Quoted in ,"Playing a Musical Instrument Makes you Brainier," by Richard Alleyne, The Telegraph, 10/27/2009

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."- Aldous Huxley

"I would say that music is the easiest means in which to express, but since words are my talent, I must try to express clumsily in words what the pure music would have done better."- William Faulkner

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent."- Victor Hugo

"The state of mankind improves through music; music not only trains but educates individuals and makes them fit for a life of community. Music is spiritual and mental food, an edifying and educational power. In comparison with sports (the motion of bodies), music (the motion of sounds) belongs to a higher sphere. In extreme cases, one encounters the tenet that music actually elevates man into a higher realm, transforming him into a new form of the human species." - Albrecht Riethmüller, "Music Beyond Ethics," Archiv für Musikwissenschaft, p. 170, Volume 65, Issue 3, 2008

"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy."- Ludwig van Beethoven quoted in "Music Is a Potent Source of Meaning," Tom Jacobs, August 20, 2015

"Music is awesome. It’s human. It’s universal. It’s big business precisely because it is something that everybody wants."- Peter Greene, "Stop 'defending' music education," The Huffington Post

"Music is freakin’ magical. In 40-some years I have never gotten over it — you take some seemingly random marks on a page, you blow air through a carefully constructed tube, and what comes out the other side is a sound that can convey things that words cannot. And you just blow air through a tube. Or pull on a string. Or whack something. And while we can do a million random things with a million random objects, somehow, when we just blow some air through a tube, we create sounds that can move other human beings, can reach right into our brains and our hearts. That is freakin’ magical."- Peter Greene, "Stop 'defending' music education," The Huffington Post, June 11, 2015

“We need people who think with the creative side of their brains—people who have played in a band, who have painted…it enhances symbiotic thinking capabilities, not always thinking in the same paradigm, learning how to kick-start a new idea, or how to get a job done better, less expensively.”- Annette Byrd, GlaxoSmithKline

"Music has positive affects on people's emotions and creativity. When we sing together, we synchronize our breathing and feel more connected. Music is also an effective, almost magical medium for learning and retaining information, [because] it activates three different centers of the brain at the same time: language, hearing, and rhythmic motor control. By inducing emotions, it also creates a heightened condition of awareness and mental acuity. Words paired with music are far easier to retain. As an example, most of us can remember the words and meanings of songs we haven't heard for years. Isn't it interesting how you still remember your ABCs?"- Don McMannis quoted in, "Use Music to developm kids' skill and character," Edutopia, March 19, 2009

More Benefits and Facts:

Music therapy was recently found to reduce psychological stress in a study of 236 pregnant women (College of Nursing at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan)
Playing music reduces stress and has been shown to reverse the body's response to stress at the DNA-level (Dr. Barry Bittman).
Playing music "significantly" lowered the heart rates and calmed and regulated the blood pressures and respiration rates of patients who had undergone surgery (Bryan Memorial Hospital in Lincoln, Neb., and St. Mary's Hospital in Mequon, Wis.)
Blood samples from participants of an hour-long drumming session revealed a reversal of the hormonal stress response and an increase in natural killer cell activity (Bittman, Berk, Felten, Westengard, Simonton, Pappas, Ninehouser, 2001, Alternative Therapies, vol. 7, no. 1).
Anger Management Music therapy can help people identify the emotions that underlie anger and increase the patient's awareness of these feelings and situations that can trigger them. If a situation or emotion is presented in a song the healthy options for expressing that feeling can be discussed and conflict resolution and problem solving can be practiced in a positive manner.
Drumming is also used by music therapists to help patients appropriately vent anger and other emotions. Another use of drumming can be a non-verbal conversation on drums where the ability to listen to the other person's drumming is needed to "converse" on the drums.
Playing a musical instrument can reverse stress at the molecular level, according to studies conducted by Loma Linda University School of Medicine and Applied Biosystems (as published in Medical Science Monitor).
Making music can help reduce job burnout and improve your mood, according to a study exposing 112 long-term care workers to six recreational music-making sessions of group drumming and keyboard accompaniment. (As published in "Advances in Mind-Body Medicine") Engaging in playing music reduces depression. Recent research with long-term care workers showed reduced depression (21.8 percent) six weeks after the completion of a music-making program consisting of one hour per week (Source: A 2003 study conducted by Trip Umbach Healthcare Consulting, Inc.).
Parkinson's Disease and Stroke: Rhythmic cues can help retrain the brain after a stroke or other neurological impairment, according to Michael Thaurt, director of Colorado State University's Center of Biomedical Research in Music.

Cancer Subjects who participated in a clinical trial using the HealthRhythms protocol showed an increase in natural killer cell activity and an enhanced immune system. While this does not indicate a cure for cancer, such results may be of benefit for those facing this disease. (Bittman, Berk, Felten, Westengard, Simonton, Pappas, Ninehouser, 2001, Alternative Therapies, vol. 7, no. 1).

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