CityArts Launches the 2011/2012 Rock Band Program!
Thu, Oct 13 2011 11:38
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We are pleased to launch the CityArts Rock Band Program for 2011/2012. The details are as follows:
Join a Rock Band! Jam! Have Fun! Play Live in Concert!
Developed out of our industry leading CityArts Summer Rock Camp program, the CityArts Rock Band program takes the Rock Camp experience into a year round program. Each summer, kids through Canada, the USA, Mexico and Europe have come to the CityArts Toronto Rock Camp. Rock Band is your chance to Keep On Rocking throughout the year!
Taught in several seasons throughout the year, CityArts Rock Band is a multiple week program with a focus on collaboration, self improvement, and fun. Kids aged 10 through 17 learn to play effectively within a band concept, collaborate with other musicians and gain confidence playing Live in Concert.
The CityArts Rock Band program allows aspiring Rock Stars from 10 to 17 years of age to:
- Join a Rock Band during our Year Round Programs!
- Play Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums or Sing Vocals for your Rock Band!
- Compose an Original Song or Learn your Favorite Song as a Band!
- Jam with your peers and members of other bands!
- Receive Instruction in your chosen Instrument from Professional Musicians and Experienced Teachers during Weekly Practice Sessions and Lessons!
- Perform your Songs Live in Concert at the end of the season!
The focus is on fun and collaboration and on getting your band ready for a Live Concert Performance.
Dates and Details:
Season 1: October 28, 2011 through Dec 16, 2011
Season 2: January 14, 2012 through March 2, 2012
Season 3: March 23, 2012 through May 18, 2012
Number of Weeks: 8 Weeks per Season. One Session per Week!
Session Duration: 90 to 120* minutes per Session. Some sessions will be extended for Jams & Clinics.
Ages & Experience: 10 to 17 years of Age with a minimum six months experience on your instrument recommended.
Program Cost: Only $200.00 per Season!
Riverdale Location: 933 Broadview Avenue near Danforth Avenue (a short 2 minute walk north of the Broadview Subway Station).
Registration and Information: CityArts.ca
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CityArts Returning Student Discount Program Announced
Sun, Mar 13 2011 06:23
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CityArts is set to issue a series of discount coupons for returning students. Did you attend a CityArts Rock Camp or Rock Band program during the past three years? You are entitled to a returning student credit applicable to any CityArts program in Art, Dance, Music, or Media that we'll be offering throughout 2011.
Discount Credits apply as follows:
20% discount applicable to any program or Summer Camp week.
25% discount when combining a multi-week program and a Summer Camp week or Three Summer Camp weeks.
50% Week 5 Discount: Sign up for any week of Summer Rock Camp and get a special coupon for a 50% discount off Week 5 of Summer Rock Camp.
These discounts are exclusively available to returning students. Look for discount codes in your emails to go out on Monday, March 14th, 2011.
CityArts Scholarship Donation Drive Opens
Tue, Dec 28 2010 08:40
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CityArts grants scholarships to its programs on a social needs basis. During the summer of 2010, twenty five children attended the CityArts Toronto Rock Camp on full scholarship. Please consider supporting our scholarship program by donating or participating in our 2011 Rock Camp Donation Drive.
In addition to the scholarships that will be fund from the proceeds of the donations, we will also grant one our scholarship gift certificates to three parties who participate in the Rock Camp Donation Drive. Gift certificates can be directed to a program or a child on your behalf by CityArts.
Scholarship 1: 1 Week of Summer 2011 CityArts Rock Camp ($495.00 Value)
Scholarship 2: 1 CityArts Gift Certificate ($250 Value)
Scholarship 3: 1 CityArts Gift Certicate ($100 Value)
Donation Drive No. 1 closes on February 1, 2011! Scholarship Gift Certificates will be announced on that date.
Fund a Program! Make a Difference!
Brian Moncarz- Producer / Engineer - joins CityArts Rock Band Plus+ Program
Fri, Dec 24 2010 06:59
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We are very pleased to announce that Brian Moncarz will be joining CityArts as the Producer / Engineer of the innovative Rock Band Plus+ program. Brian is uniquely positioned and qualified to work with serious young musicians, sharing our vision and desire to develop industry leading creative learning programs in music. Brian will guide the Rock Band Plus+ bands as they prepare for recording in some of Canada's leading recording studios and oversee the recording of the EP/CD.
"Brian is one of the hottest young producer/engineers around." Bob Ezrin (Producer, Pink Floyd, Kiss, Jane's Addiction)
"I've been working with Brian Moncarz for the last several years. He is a top class engineer and producer and is always able to put musicians at ease. It is always my intention to encourage musicians to feel that they are doing their best work and Brian is always supportive of this and remains calm even during the most stressful of sessions. We've had such a productive working relationship that when I felt it was time to open a studio and needed a partner, my obvious choice was Brian." David Bottrill (Producer, Tool, Peter Gabriel, Silverchair)
Rock Band Plus+ is an innovative 32 week program which takes talented young musicians to the next level with intensive instruction from leading industry professionals, a series of concerts, photo and music video sessions, all leading up to the recording of a EP/CD in some of Canada's best studios. To learn more about CityArts Rock Band programs visit http://www.rockcamp.ca.
About Brian Moncarz:
"Even before I could walk, my dad taught me how to put a record on the record player," says Brian Moncarz, Toronto-based producer/engineer. Music has been an ingrained part of his life since he was young, and his passion for sound has led Moncarz to work with artists from Moneen (Dine Alone/Vagrant) and The Junction (Universal Music) to Kyle Riabko (Aware/Columbia), Silverstein (Victory Records), Pilot Speed (Maple Music), Rise Electric (featuring Lukas Rossi, EMI Publishing) and most recently, Circa Survive (Atlantic Records).
"Brian is one of the hottest young producer/engineers around." Bob Ezrin (Producer, Pink Floyd, Kiss, Jane's Addiction)
In high school, Moncarz was intrigued by the recording process. "I played in lots of bands when I was growing up and... I was always the band member that would be heavily involved with the recording of our demos. It was just a natural progression from guitarist/musician to producer/engineer."
After completing a degree in Radio and Television Arts at Ryerson University, he began work as a freelance engineer in the Greater Toronto Area. A self-motivated entrepreneur, he opened his first studio in 2000 and began honing his skills with an attitude characterized by humour, calmness and attentiveness in the studio. Moncarz explains, "In order to keep bands inspired, I feel it's important to maintain a fun and creative atmosphere... while always staying focused on working hard. Recording a song or an album takes time. Why shouldn't we have a great time doing it?"
And while his self-taught engineering style forced Moncarz to learn quickly, it wasn't until 2005 that he found a mentor in legendary producer, Bob Ezrin. "[Ezrin] taught me how to listen," Moncarz says, "He especially helped me with mixing and really tuned my ears to hear tones."
That experience was put to good use in 2007, when Moncarz was hired to produce The Junction's debut album for Universal Music. The album's first single, Components of Four, was quickly picked up by rock radio stations across Canada, and reached top 10 at 102.1 The Edge in Toronto.
Ezrin also introduced Moncarz to producer David Bottrill (Peter Gabriel, Tool, Silverchair), with whom a friendship quickly developed. After working together on an EP for We Are The Take. he and Bottrill banded together to open Rattlebox Studios in 2008. Their first joint-effort was, fittingly, a co-production of Moneen's The World I Want to Live Behind, which Exclaim! Magazine heralds as the band's "watershed album".
2009 was just as busy for Moncarz, both in and out of the studio. Most notably, he held post as engineer for Circa Survive's forthcoming major label debut while attending to teaching duties at Ryerson University and the Metalworks Institute of Sound and Music production. He has also delved into the world of electronic business, as the president of online mixing website, eMixEngine.com.
And though Brian Moncarz has experienced success as an engineer, producer and e-business entrepreneur, he attributes it, first and foremost, to his passion and love for music.
"I've been working with Brian Moncarz for the last several years. He is a top class engineer and producer and is always able to put musicians at ease. It is always my intention to encourage musicians to feel that they are doing their best work and Brian is always supportive of this and remains calm even during the most stressful of sessions. We've had such a productive working relationship that when I felt it was time to open a studio and needed a partner, my obvious choice was Brian." David Bottrill (Producer, Tool, Peter Gabriel, Silverchair)
Kevin Dietz - Metalworks Head Engineer - joins CityArts Rock Band Plus+ Program
Fri, Dec 24 2010 06:24
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We are pleased to announce that Kevin Dietz will be working with CityArts in the ground breaking Rock Band Plus+ program. Kevin is the head engineer of Metalworks Studios, in Mississauga, Ontario. He has worked with a diverse array of artists including Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, Circa Survive, Drake, Protest the Hero, Silverstein, and Placebo. He has also worked alongside numerous award winning producers and mixers such as David Bottrill, Julius Butty, Gavin Brown, and Demacio "Demo" Castillon. Kevin shares our vision in developing industry leading music programs for kids and is the perfect compliment to our high level Plus+ programs for serious young musicians 14 to 18 years of age.
Rock Band Plus+ is an innovative 32 week program which takes talented young musicians to the next level with intensive instruction from leading industry professionals, a series of concerts, photo and music video sessions, all leading up to the recording of a EP/CD in some of Canada's best studios. To learn more about CityArts Rock Band programs visit http://www.rockcamp.ca.
CityArts to Announce Arts Hubs in Toronto Public Schools
Tue, Dec 14 2010 02:08
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CityArts is set to announce four CityArts Hubs in the City of Toronto. Located within Toronto Public Schools in Downtown Toronto, Riverdale, Midtown (Yonge/Eglinton) and Uptown (Yonge/Shepherd) the CityArts Hubs will deliver creative learning programs in Art, Music, Media and Technology.
Seraphim Marcopoulos
Programs will commence in January 2011 and will include:
CityArts Rock Band and Learn to Rock Programs including Rock Camp
CityArts X U of T Faculty of Music Piano Programs
CityArts Media Programs developed by Professor Wayne McPhail of Ryerson University and the University of Western Ontario
An innovative 4 month co-curricular in-school music program will also commence on January 10, 2011, at Danforth Tech Collegiate in Toronto.
We are committed to providing exceptional Arts Education to children and thank our partners in Public Education for their continued support.
Full details and a press release will follow.
Seraphim Marcopoulos
Executive Director
CityArts Creative Learning Inc.
CityArts Rock Band Plus: Auditions December 6-12
Wed, Nov 24 2010 07:57
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Auditions for the CityArts Rock Band Plus winter programs will take place during the week of December 6 -12, 2010. Rock Band Plus is an intensive and advanced 28 week Performance and Recording program open to young musicians 14 to 18 years of age. Admission is by audition only. Look for more information and audition times to be posted at http://www.rockcamp.ca
CityArts + U of T Piano Programs: Audition Week Announced
Wed, Nov 24 2010 07:54
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The CityArts + University of Toronto Faculty of Music Piano programs will be holding auditions and interviews during the week of December 6 to 12, 2010. Auditions will be held at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music for interested students and parents. This innovative multi-year program is open to students age 6 and up. Admission is by audition and interview. Times and dates will be posted on http://www.cityarts.ca.
CityArts will make a number of scholarships available as we partner with the University of Toronto in bringing these innovative programs into the community. Programs run an average of 32 weeks per year, are taught by U of T Faculty of Music graduate students under the direction of Dr. Midori Koga. Programs commence during the month of January 2011.
CityArts at the Gladstone Hotel: October 31st 2 PM to 6 PM
Sat, Oct 23 2010 01:03
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CityArts will be hosting a party at The Gladstone Hotel on October 31, 2010, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Come join us this Halloween as we launch our winter programs including: Learn to Rock!, Rock Band, Rock Band Plus+ and the CityArts / University of Toronto Faculty of Music community programs.
We will be programming an afternoon of music at The Gladstone Hotel's Ballroom and Melody Bar. A photography exhibit, featuring photographs taken by Devin Dubeau at the Summer 2010 CityArts Toronto Rock Camp will also be on taking place in the Ballroom.
Voting Opens: The Best of Summer 2010 CityArts Toronto Rock Camp CD
Mon, Oct 18 2010 02:57
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Voting is now open for the Best of Summer 2010 CityArts Toronto Rock Camp CD. You can vote for your five (5) favourite Original Songs and five (5) favourite Cover Songs. Voting will close on Friday, October 22, 2010, at 11:59:59 PM. Two polls are open on the sidebar of http://www.cityarts.ca. Please see the enclosed graphic.
