What's Your Forte? – Details, episodes & analysis

Today, we’re speaking with Laurier alum Mason Micevski on the importance of arts education, getting a Masters degree and the value of community. Mason Micevski is a recent graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Masters in Community Music. Apart from his studies, he is a professional musical theatre performer, playwright and the Creative Director of Emerson Arts in Hamilton, Ontario. Mason has danced with the National Ballet. and performed on stages from Niagara to Belleville. He is also the creator of the best selling book ‘The Stage Light Flickers.’ Facebook: facebook.com/BandologyCA Instagram: instagram.com/bandologyca TikTok: tiktok.com/@bandologyca Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0AdF8rn... YouTube:    / @bandologyca   #SpotifyPodcast #ApplePodcast #YouTubePodcast #MusicPodcast #MusicInterview #MusicianInterview #Interview #Podcast #MusicMajor #PostSecondary #UniversityLife #MusicEd #MusicEducation

It’s time for another episode of What’s Your Forte!

Today, Tamara Djuknic speaks with Olivia Vaughan, a graduate of Western University’s Bachelor of Arts program, double majoring in English and Music. Olivia provides useful insights for students who are passionate about music but may not want a career in it. And you won’t want to miss her tips on dealing with the workload of being a double major!

This week, Kathryn talks to oudist and quantum computing student Manar Naeem about her earliest experiences in music, favourite career moments and the importance of music education. Listen now or watch on YouTube or Facebook!

Manar Naeem is a self-taught, Syrian-born oudist. She graduated with a physics degree with math and computer science minors from Wilfrid Laurier University, and is now pursuing her Master's degree in Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo.  Manar performs with the Canadian Arabic Orchestra, and works as an oud  teacher for children and adults at the Canadian Arabic Conservatory of  Music. In 2020, she was the first oudist to be featured in CBC's 30 Hot  Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30 list. Manar has performed across  Canada and experienced first-hand how music is a global language of love  that can bring different cultures and communities together.

Conductor Colin Clarke joins us this week on What’s Your Forte, out now on YouTube, Facebook and wherever you get your podcasts!

A sought-after clinician and adjudicator, Colin is best known for his work with the multi-award winning Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra. Having started the ensemble as a high school student, today TWYO enjoys a reputation nationwide as one of the leading performance ensembles of its kind in Canada. Under Colin’s baton, it has performed internationally, including at Carnegie Hall. This summer, they performed a concert with the National Youth Band of Canada.

Colin is the newly-appointed Artistic Director of the Oscar Peterson Program at the Royal Conservatory of Music. As the Music Director of the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra, his ensemble uses the same facility as our Band Camps!

Photo by Stuart Lowe/Royal Conservatory of Music.

This special episode of What's Your Forte? is a group interview on the many ways  to work in the music industry! Our guests today are at different stages of their music careers, and talk about their winding paths towards what they do, a typical day at work and the most exciting (and most challenging) aspects of their work.

Meet our panelists:

Michael Yates (he/him) is a dedicated educator who has worked for the  Halton District School for the past nine years. He designed and  implemented an instrumental music program built around high standards,  engagement and student excellence. Michael's musical journey began at  Mohawk College where he completed a three-year diploma in jazz  performance. In 2011, he obtained his Honours Bachelors of Music from  McMaster University and completed his B.Ed. at Nipissing University in  2013. Michael is currently teaching Grade 6/7/8 instrumental music at  Pilgrim Wood Public School, and is also a steady gigging musician in the  GTHA.   

Shana Bates (she/her) and her husband own KAOS Music Lesson Studios, a  community-centric music school located in southeast Oakville. Shana  started her working career with IBM but quickly moved into the world of  recording studios where she and a previous partner created, developed  and ran one of the city's most successful independent recording studios.  Shana went on to work in the event production business. Shana now  spends her days and nights as a full time mom and business owner. She is  a community go-getter and can often be found volunteering at schools  and working at various events in the community.   

Ryan MacKinnon (he/him) is the Camp and Workshop Coordinator with  Bandology, an Oakville-based music non-profit, and teaches privately and  with the Burlington Teen Tour Band. Ryan started playing guitar at  eight years old and switched over to drum kit when he was 10. Upon  entering high school he found a new love in playing classical percussion  instruments and completed a Bachelor of Music in Self-Directed  Performance at Wilfrid Laurier University. He has played with the Guelph  Symphony Orchestra, Stratford Symphony Orchestra and Grand Philharmonic  Choir. Ryan loves to share all the things that he has learned on his  journey to help young musicians excel.

Our newest interview is out! This week, Lucas talks to Dr. Draw about his busking origins, the music that moves him and what some of his favourite performances are. Watch now or listen to What’s Your Forte on your favourite podcasting platform!

Dr. Draw is the stage name of Moscow-born and Israel-raised electric violinist Eugene Draw. After moving to Canada with his family in 1992, Dr. Draw learned his craft busking on the streets of Toronto. For more than two decades, he has regularly performed internationally, including at the World Trade Center 9/11 memorial, the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Sovereign Art Foundation’s Art Fund in Hong Kong. Dr. Draw has also opened for many artists including John Legend, Mariah Carey and Drake.

Dr. Draw recently composed a song for Canada’s National Ballet School’s country-wide initiative Sharing Dance. He has assisted in the scoring of several independent films and for projects including the BBC documentary ‘Death on the I-95’ about the U.S. opioid crisis.

In 2022 Dr. Draw is releasing two more albums including a debut album for his project Nemesis, with Canadian beatboxing champion Scott Jackson, featuring sound ranging from Middle Eastern-influenced folk music to old school hip hop to Mongolian chant. They performed at Parliament Hill for the Canada 150 celebrations, at the Montreal Grand Prix and for the half-time show at the Toronto Raptors’ infamous Game 7 buzzer-beater in 2019.

#Bandology #TalentedMusicians #YoutubeMusic #FacebookLive #MusicPodcast #TorontoMusic #CanadianMusic #Podcast ##electricviolin

On this week's episode of What's Your Forte, Kathryn talks to guest  Rachel Campbell about her life growing up around music, why she loves  playing in so many different genres and the importance of putting  yourself out there.    Rachel is a musician from Alexandria, ON, who plays a variety of  instruments including the harp, violin, piano, mandolin, voice and  guitar. She plays in bands that range from celtic punk to classical as  well as performing solo as an indie folk-rock artist. Rachel has  performed in venues all over, ranging from Montreal to Toronto, and she  teaches music in a local music school. She also collaborates with  musicians around the world, co-writing and recording songs. With a deep  love for music, she’s always happy to share any of her experiences in  the music field, as well as learn from others.  #Bandology #Podcast #WhatsYourForte

Today we are incredibly excited to be releasing an interview with Tyler Shaw for the latest episode of What’s Your Forte! This week, Tyler chats to Lucas about his tour routines, songwriting process and favourite concerts. Check it out on YouTube and Facebook (link in stories)!

Tyler Shaw is a multi-Platinum-selling artist, producer, and actor. The Chinese-Canadian musician from Vancouver released his hit song “Kiss Goodnight” in 2012, quickly hitting Platinum sales. In 2014, Tyler earned a JUNO Award nomination for ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’ and released certified Platinum track “House of Cards” and Gold “Wicked” from his 2015 debut album Yesterday.

Tyler’s breakout hit “With You,” from his 2018 sophomore album, Intuition, reached Double Platinum status, and he was nominated for a JUNO Award for ‘Pop Album of the Year’ in 2019. Shaw has opened for massive international artists, including Shawn Mendes and Alessia Cara, and toured with Selena Gomez. In 2021, Tyler spearheaded (with Fefe Dobson) the collective artist initiative ArtistsCAN to raise funds for COVID-19 relief in Canada. The pair gathered other musicians from across the country, including Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé and Marie-Mai, to cover the classic single “Lean On Me,” with proceeds going to the Canadian Red Cross COVID relief fund. Tyler’s eponymous third studio album was released in 2021 and features the top 10 hit pop single “I See You.”

Most recently, Tyler released his viral rendition of GAYLE’s No. 1 hit “abcdefu.” “Love You Still” (abcdefu Romantic Version), started as a TikTok duet in late January. To date there are over 4 billion views of videos with the audio on TikTok, 14.5 million streams and more than 1 million videos created using the song.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tyler-Shaw-Photoshoot-Cover.jpg

Mwik10, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

What’s Your Forte returns after a one-week break! This week’s guest is  Sarah Hagan, a music industry consultant and artists relations expert  with 20 years of experience. She talks about her career, the joy of live  music returning and gives advice on how to break into the industry. Sarah started drumming at ten years old and began teaching drum lessons  at the age of sixteen, continuing over the years as a way to fund her  way through college. She completed a double-major in English and  Criminal Justice, and was on her way to law school for an Entertainment  Law degree when she was offered her first job in the music business.  Sarah spent sixteen years at the Zildjian Company in the Artist  Relations department, and also on the R&D team and product  development teams, ending her time there as Director of Artist Relations  for Zildjian and Vic Firth. Currently, Sarah hosts a music industry podcast called Sarah Hagan  Backstage, holds the position of First Vice President and Treasurer for  the Percussive Arts Society Executive Board, and is on the Board of  Directors for Hit Like A Girl. Through her business, Sarah Hagan Media  and Consulting, she provides marketing and artist relations consulting  for multiple music industry brands including Gruv-X Percussion and  Musora Media, who own Drumeo and Pianote.

“The thing about music, there’s this nurturing of our souls.”   

Karen Donnelly, principal trumpet for the National Arts Centre  Orchestra, is our guest on What’s Your Forte this week! She and Kathryn  talk about touring Canada, the moment she realized the depth to which  music could impact you, the best gig she’s ever seen and some key advice  for the next generation of players.

Karen Donnelly was unanimously appointed principal trumpet of the  National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada in October 1999, following  three successful seasons as acting principal trumpet, and continues to  enjoy playing with this wonderful ensemble. A native of Regina,  Saskatchewan, Karen started the trumpet in elementary school, which  propelled her into a Bachelor of Arts in Music at the University of  Regina, followed by a Master of Music degree at McGill University. While  freelancing in Montreal, she quickly became in demand, performing with  many ensembles in the area including the Orchestre Symphonique de  Montréal.

Karen has given master classes and workshops in Europe, China, the  United States, the United Kingdom and coast-to-coast in Canada. She is  part of the coaching team for both the trumpet section and chamber music  for Canada’s National Youth Orchestra. In 2002, she joined the teaching  staff at the University of Ottawa, and has been assisting with their  Orkidstra program, inspired by Sistema, since 2009.

Most recently, Karen spearheaded the Canadian Women’s Brass Collective.  This group of talented musicians presented concerts, master classes and  lectures in Toronto during January 2019 over a five-day conference to  great acclaim. During the pandemic, the collective curated an extensive  series of online sessions to support musicians to create healthy and  effective practice strategies.