
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!

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 |

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 |

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 |

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 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!

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 |

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.

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 |
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 |

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 |
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 |

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 |
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 |

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 |
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 |

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 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

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 |
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 |

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 |
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 |

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 |
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 |

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 |
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 |

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 |
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 |

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 |
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 |

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 |
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 |
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.

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 |
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 |

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, 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 |

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, 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 |

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:
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)

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, 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 |

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, 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 |

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, 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 |

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, 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 |

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, 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 |

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, 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 |

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, 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 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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)
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
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)
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.
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).
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.
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
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)
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.
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!
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".
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)
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
To print a copy of the current month newsletter and take advantage of exciting offers, coupons and current promotions, click here [PDF].
Year XXIX, No. 10 (October 2025)
Maisha Patti, Drums
Evelyn Elias, Voice
Haeun Kim, Flute
Hael Kim, Clarinet
Caleb Samuel, Piano
Valerie Tang, Violin
Gigi Wong, Violin
Thomas L., Marcus L., Alison Q., Aksharah S., Esther L., Reyansh S., Sarah M., Caleb S., Imeenicole B., Saisha A., Samantha C.
October 1 International Music Day
October 1-2 Yom Kippur
October 13 Thanksgiving. IMA is open
October 18 Flato Markham Theatre. Kindred Spirits Orchestra. Mind and Magic.
October 20 Diwali
October 24 PA Day (YR). IMA is open


Check out our new IMA PARENTS GUIDE
The Ontario Ministry of Education requires that all high-school students get involved with a charitable or non-for-profit organization volunteer 40 hours in community service. Our affiliated charity, the Kindred Spirits Orchestra (KSO), has several projects with various time commitment that can be done either at home or at its locations in Markham and Stouffville. If you are in grade 9, 10, 11 or 12 and looking for community service, email GM@KSOrchestra.ca The projects are open to all students (including those who are not taking lessons at the IMA), so feel free to refer your friends.
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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.
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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.
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.
M.Mus., B.Mus., Voice Studies, Piano and interpretation
Olesia Marchuk is an accomplished professional pianist and singer whose career spans some of Europe’s most prestigious opera houses and concert stages. Born in Ukraine, Ms. Marchuk pursued her passion for music at the Kiev Music Academy, graduating in 2004 with a Master of Music degree. For over 17 years, she was a distinguished member of the Kiev Opera House, where she performed as a choir soloist and took part in a wide range of acclaimed productions. Her versatility and artistry have brought her to the stage in internationally renowned projects such as Notre Dame de Paris by Luc Plamondon and Riccardo Cocciante, the rock opera Mozart by Dove Attia, and operatic masterpieces including Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata. Ms. Marchuk has toured extensively, sharing her art with audiences in Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and many other European countries. Since relocating to Canada, she has continued to enrich the cultural landscape with her artistry. In addition to her work as a soloist, Olesia brings a wealth of skills to her artistic practice, including choir and ensemble singing, conducting, vocal coaching, piano accompaniment, piano teaching, and stage acting. Her broad experience and deep musicality continue to make her a highly sought-after artist, both on stage and in the studio.
Mr. Tsang was happy to answer a few questions for our students and parents:
1. What do you like most about teaching? - What I enjoy most about teaching is seeing students grow – not only as musicians, but also as individuals. Music has a unique power to open hearts and minds, and it is incredibly rewarding to witness when a student has a moment conscious understanding a new concept or feels proud of their progress. Teaching allows me to share my passion for music and to inspire students to express themselves creatively. I love creating a positive and encouraging atmosphere where every student feels supported, challenged, and motivated to reach their full potential. Watching students gain confidence and develop their musical skills is one of the most fulfilling parts of my work.
2. How do you inspire students to practice more? - I believe students practice more when they feel connected to the music and understand why it matters. I choose repertoire that matches their interests and abilities, so practice feels exciting rather than overwhelming. I also set clear, achievable goals and celebrate even small successes along the way. During lessons, I explain how consistent practice builds skills step by step and makes music more fun to play. I encourage students by showing genuine enthusiasm for their progress and reminding them that every minute of practice brings them closer to performing with confidence and joy.
3. What roles does performance play in student’s development? - Performance is an essential part of musical growth. It helps students build confidence, develop stage presence, and learn how to share their music with others. Preparing for a performance teaches discipline, focus, and attention to detail, as students work toward a clear goal. It also gives them the opportunity to experience the joy of expressing emotions through music in front of an audience. After each performance, students often feel a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue improving. I see performances as celebrations of progress, where students can be proud of their hard work and see how far they have come.
4. Who are your favourite composers? - I admire many composers, but some of my favorites are Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Giuseppe Verdi, Robert Schumann, Franz Schubert, Claude Debussy, and Maurice Ravel. I love Bach for his profound spirituality and perfect counterpoint, Mozart for his elegance and charm, and Beethoven for his emotional depth and power. Verdi’s operas inspire me with their dramatic intensity, while Schumann and Schubert capture the beauty of human emotions in such a poetic way. Debussy and Ravel fascinate me with their colorful harmonies and impressionistic sound world that feels like painting with music.
5. What was the last piece of music (sheet music or a recording) you purchased for yourself? - I purchased the music books - The Royal Conservatory Level 5 Piano Repertoire and Technical Requirements for Piano.
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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.
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Most of us would agree that music is a language, arguably humanity’s most expressive and oldest language. What it doesn’t have, unlike speech and writing, is precision.
Which came first, music or language?
These are the pieces of classical music that will make you cry, according to our critics. Music can be used to express, for example, a feeling of love towards someone – as Gustav Mahler did for Alma in the Adagietto of his Fifth Symphony – but not to say ‘where were you till 3am last night?’ (possibly a question he wanted to ask later in their marriage). Music has its vocabulary and syntax, just like a verbal language. And its complexity is at least equal to Polish, if not Finnish. But the vocabulary and syntax of music is a self-contained world. It can’t be pinned down or translated, like the meaning of ‘apple tree’ or ‘it is raining’.
How does music make us cry?
Or can it? In one BBC Music article various contributors including me have written about music that reduces them to tears (in a good way). The questions of ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ have intrigued musicians for centuries and, more recently, neurologists and psychologists as well. How our brains process physical signals such as sound waves and convert them into ‘emotions’ is still quite mysterious. Is it possible, though, to start at the other end of the process: to take passages of music where the effect on the emotions is generally agreed – whether that effect is happiness, nostalgia, sadness, hope or hopelessness – and analyse the musical constituents that apparently cause that to happen? Can we get to an answer of the question: why does classical music make you cry (or smile, or leap for joy)? Does listening to sad music actually make you happier? What are the saddest pieces of classical music?
Just how good is music for you? Music theorists have been fascinated by that for centuries. In the medieval church, certain modes such as the Dorian or the Phrygian were associated with certain moods, and these rules were rigidly enforced. Indeed, one of the boldest things about early Renaissance composers such as Dufay and Josquin was their determination to produce more sophisticated emotional effects by breaking those rules.
How have composers written music that pulls on our emotions?
Through the centuries, composers became increasingly sophisticated about using harmonic progressions, melodic phrases or even (in Beethoven’s case, for instance) just a rhythmic pattern to convey emotions. So much so that Wagner was able to organise a whole cycle of operas, The Ring, using ‘leitmotifs’ – recurring snippets of melody or harmony – to enrich the drama and guide our ears through it.
The English musicologist Deryck Cooke – best known for completing Mahler’s Tenth Symphony – attempted to broaden this way of understanding music’s emotional power in his book The Language of Music. Published more than 60 years ago, it’s still a fascinating read. Cooke’s theory was that what Wagner invites us to do – identify a network of harmonic or melodic snippets, each with a specific dramatic or emotional function – is something many other composers have done subconsciously.
What’s more, he argues, those composers have often adopted similar melodic or harmonic figures to achieve the similar expressive effects. In other words, they deployed a common language of music, using a stock of what today we might call soundbites with meanings that can be specifically identified. To illustrate his argument, he applies this analysis to two symphonies by composers who lived more than a century apart: Mozart and Vaughan Williams.
‘Music’s infinite means of expression make it the most fascinating of artforms’
Well, the shortcomings of this approach were pointed out by critics at the time and haven’t diminished since. Cooke drew his examples not just exclusively from European art music, but (on the whole) from a narrow historical strand of it. The musical vocabulary he identified would be unlikely to apply to, or explain the expressive potency of, an ancient folk music melody from Africa or Asia. In a way, though, that doesn’t matter. Cooke wasn’t suggesting that every piece of music ever created uses the same pathways to touch us emotionally. We’re not seeking an answer to the question ‘why does classical music make you cry?’ because no such rule is present. Instead, music engenders a huge range of different emotional responses.
Indeed, it is music’s infinite means of expression that makes it the most fascinating of artforms. What he did argue, however, was that if a particular piece is affecting you emotionally it should be possible to identify the musical ingredients that created this effect.
In other words, you can work out why. Whether that makes it any easier to answer the more complicated question of ‘how?’ is debatable. For that task we probably need scientists who understand music inside-out, or musicologists with a PhD-level understanding of the brain.
I hope many more such polymaths appear soon. If we can learn more about the way that created sounds impact on our brains, it wouldn’t affect our love of music – but it would open up new possibilities for using music to treat both mental and physical illness.
To comment on this story or anything else you have read in the Newsletter, head over to the IMA Facebook page or message us on X.