Deanna

taking the risk in vocal improv

I was in Kananaskis at the Fine Arts Council conference of the Alberta Teachers’ Association. I gave two workshops on vocal and movement improv, and we had a grand time. In the first session, I introduced participants to the fundamentals of circle-singing–the improvisation technique of Bobby McFerrin (here’s my favourite Bobby McFerrin video about the pentatonic scale). My group of music and drama teachers were so amazing! No one had sung in this style before, and by the end of the session, we were free-form grooving and experimenting, with one participant improvising a whole song! In the second session, I… Read More »taking the risk in vocal improv

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Inspiration for Teachers

I’m thrilled to tell you that I am the incoming director of Inspiration for Teachers–the teacher education component of Singspiration, the award-winning choral camp for youth (grades 4 to 12) at Concordia University of Edmonton. Participants at Inspiration for Teachers will have many opportunities to observe and work with master conductors Elise Bradley (Junior Choir) and Dr. Graeme Langager (Youth Choir). There are many other amazing presenters through the week, including  Catherine Glaser-Climie (Director of the Cantaré Children’s Choir Program in Calgary), the extremely versatile percussionist Dwayne Hrynkiw, and Alyssa Paterson (Manager of  the Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta/YONA-Sistema), among… Read More »Inspiration for Teachers

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deanna’s got talent. or not.

I recently had breakfast with a dear friend. Someone I’ve know for many years. He’s made an incredible career for himself, particularly as a playwright and an actor, with a gorgeous singing voice to boot. At breakfast, I told him how through college, I envied him his talent–he seemed to get involved in so many things. A whole bunch of opportunities seemed to fall in his lap. But as I watched him develop as an artist, I quickly realized that while, yes, he is a gifted performer, he works his ass off. He seeks opportunity. He creates opportunities for himself.… Read More »deanna’s got talent. or not.

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you may now call me dr. dee

I defended my thesis at the end of August, and handed in the final document a week later. I think that, technically, I’m not a doctor until my convocation in November, but unofficially: I AM A DOCTOR!! And I am a doctor who now lives in Edmonton, Alberta. I just had my childhood piano delivered from my parents’ house to mine today. My new studio needs work, but it’s looking promising: Not quiiiiite homey yet, but with a little love and a lot of work, I think this will make a fine studio. I also have plans in the works,… Read More »you may now call me dr. dee

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westward ho!

Big changes in my studio. I will be defending my ph.d. in August this summer, and then relocating to Edmonton, Alberta (apparently the most up-and-coming city in Canada). I will continue to teach privately through my studio in Toronto until early August, and will likely re-open my studio in Edmonton once we are settled, teaching in person and via skype, while also continuing my academic and artistic work. Feel free to contact me for more information or to stay in touch. Have a great summer!

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Concert: ‘My Mother is the Ocean Sea’ May 10 @ 3pm

Echo Women’s Choir is performing a concert on Mother’s Day afternoon, with Ukrainian singers Mark Marczyk and Marichka Kudriavtseva of Lemon Bucket Orkestra. I am not conducting in this concert, but am singing with a full heart! Come join us! Sunday May 10, 2015 @ 3:00 pm Church of the Holy Trinity (10 Trinity Square, next to the Eaton Centre) Tickets: $15 advance/ $20 door/ $10 seniors, children, underwaged

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Reflections on RIME

As you might know, I am finishing my PhD in Music Education at the University of Toronto. So last week I attended the international conference known as RIME: Research in Music Education in the beautiful University of Exeter in England. This was the view from my bedroom window:             Besides the tremendous views, I also got a lot out of the conference itself. Now that I am back in Toronto, I find I am left both excited and troubled about the state of music education world-wide. Excited because I saw many presentations that examined a wide… Read More »Reflections on RIME

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Concert: Moonlit City (Sat March 28)

5th Annual Earth Hour Celebration and Fundraiser for Echo Women’s Choir   Featuring Annabelle Chvostek Saturday, March 28, 2015 7 pm Church of the Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Square (by Toronto Eaton Centre) Tickets: $35 This Saturday evening, Echo Women’s Choir is hosting a fundraiser concert that also celebrates Earth Hour. Here are three reasons to join us: 1) The concert is lit by candles in the 150-year old Holy Trinity Church in downtown Toronto. This is an utterly magical setting to listen to Echo Women’s Choir sing pieces by Malcolm Daglish, Tom Chapin, and others in honour of Earth Hour.… Read More »Concert: Moonlit City (Sat March 28)

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the politics of music, the music of politics; aka I’m on strike

Strike! Strike! Strike! Strike! I am (finally, really, truly) close to finishing my ph.d. at the University of Toronto, but as a Teaching Assistant, that means I’ve been a part of the highly publicized CUPE 3902 Unit 1 strike. I have lots of political opinions but perhaps will share those in another post. What I will say here is that I’m pretty sure being on the picket line is the opposite of writing a dissertation in every satisfying way–lots of people, lots of walking (albeit in circles), being blunt clear about the message. Perhaps what I’ve most loved about being… Read More »the politics of music, the music of politics; aka I’m on strike

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Concert: The Divine Feminine

I get to work with the wonderful Echo Women’s Choir this semester, and am conducting a set at their concert on December 7 in downtown Toronto. I’m loving the repertoire this season: a couple challenging Ave Maria kinds of pieces (unusual for Echo); a ladino lullaby; some Georgian crazy-harmony pieces; a gospel piece. I think it’s going to be a fantastic concert. Here are the details: Sunday, December 7, 2014 7:30 pm Church of the Holy Trinity (next to Eaton Centre on West side) $15 advance/$20 at the door/$10 seniors, students, underwaged To reserve tix: 416-779-5554 for more info: www.echowomenschoir.ca

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