Summer Camps
Piano Time has a tradition of going above-and-beyond all expectations in our summer classes.
The Curious Case of Muttzart and Ratmaninoff
Adventures in Composing Age 7-11
5 Day Summer Camp – 1 hour / class
Duration: 5 Days, 1 hour / class
Days Offered: Mon – Fri
The Curious Case of Muttzart and Ratmaninoff teaches students the building blocks of composing by having them create their own music right from day one. By the end of the camp students will be composing pieces of their very own. When Isabella’s composing notebook is destroyed all fingers (and paws) point to Muttzart. But was he framed? Wrapped up in a seriously engaging format, you will laugh out loud as they work to complete the torn pages of the composing book!
Carnival of the Animals
A fun & engaging 5 day class for kids age 6-7 to get started with music!
Duration: 5 Days, 1 hour / class
Days Offered: Mon – Fri
Read Mimi's Full Bio
Mimi is a Toronto-based pianist, collaborator, and music educator. She enjoys working with students of all ages and believes in the joy of music making. Inspired by the pedagogical approaches of Orff, Kodály, Dalcroze, and Edwin Gordon, singing, movement, and play are always integrated into her lessons. With over eight years of teaching experience, she has worked with a variety of students ages four to eighteen, from preparatory levels to ARCT. Her teaching philosophy revolves around building a solid technical foundation from a young age, and at the same time fostering one’s musicality through creativity, imagination, and emotional connection.
In addition to her teaching, Mimi is also an active soloist and has performed in Italy, the USA, China, and Quebec. As a participant in local and international summer music festivals including the RomeSMARTS program, Adamant Music School, and and l’Académie orford musique, she has performed in masterclasses by John Perry, David Jalbert, Orazio Maione, and more.
Mimi holds a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Toronto, where she studied with Dr. Midori Koga. Her principal teachers also include the late Prof. Boyanna Toyich, Dr. Adam Zukewicz, and concert pianist Li Wang. In addition, she holds an ARCT in Piano Performance from the RCM and a Bachelor of Education from OISE as part of the Concurrent Teacher Education Program, where she received a full-tuition scholarship and was named a University of Toronto Scholar.
“Teach children the beauty of music and music will show them the beauty of life.” – Maestro José Abreu
Songwriting Simplified!
6 Week Course – 1 hour / class
Instructor: Julia Carlucci
Writing a song is not as difficult as you think! If you can play some basic chords on Piano or Guitar, this course will teach you literally everything you need to know to get you started writing songs like a pro. You will learn practical music theory, chord progressions, melodies, song structure, lyric writing, creativity, and songwriting tips and tricks. You do not need to know how to read music, this course will take you step by step through the entire songwriting process, and by the end of the course you will have written a complete song that includes chords, melodies, and lyrics.
Duration: 6 Week Course, 45 min/ class
Level: Ages 10 – Adult
Days Offered: Wed-Sun Afternoon or Evening EST
Course Cost:
Pop/R&B singer, Julia Carlucci, was was born and raised in Toronto and has been honing her craft for over fifteen years. Enamored with the piano and a zealous interest for writing poetry, Julia’s two passions came together in high school when she started to experiment with songwriting. Over the years, she continued to develop her writing and explore different genres with the goal of finding her voice as an artist. After moving to Los Angeles in 2018, Julia’s experiences performing for the industry’s elite would transform her life and artistry forever, “I was so comfortable singing other people’s stories, but terrified of singing my own.” Her debut EP, set to release early 2021, shares those stories of learning how to forgive, learning in love, and learning to love herself. Julia is a master teacher with a passion for helping her students discover their own voice through the art of songwriting.
Learn To Beatbox!
Duration: 6 weeks, 30min/class
About The Course
This is a course for anyone who wants to learn to make the sounds of a drum set using only their mouth! We will learn a slew of weird and wonderful noises, and eventually combine them into some beats to send you on your way to becoming a human drum machine. Drum in the shower, on the bus, or walking down the street. Get some weird looks? …probably. Have a ton of fun? Absolutely.
What does it actually look like?
The course will include a lot of demonstration, call and response, and interactivity. Participants will experiment making sounds with their mouth on their own, and share with the class within their own comfort level. We will learn many individual sounds, and ultimately combine what we have learned to beatbox along with an actual song. Expect to be laughing a lot as you make sounds you’ve never made before!
Listening To Classical Music
Music Appreciation
Duration: 6 weeks, 1 hour/class, Feb-March
Days Offered: Sat 11-12pm EST or early afternoon / Mon 4:30-5:30pm EST
Click Here For The Full Course Outline
Week 1: J.S Bach – The Man, The Myth, The Legend
Listening: BWV 1052 (Gould), 1058 (Slow Beautiful 2nd Movements),
847 (Intro to Fugues), 1080 (Finger Twisters)
Homework
Listen to BWV 1007 on Cello, Flute, and Guitar. Which do you prefer?
Week 2: Mozartʼs Famous Themes
Listening: Rondo Alla Turka, Queen of the Night, K545, “Twinkle Twinkle
Theme”, Sonata for Two Pianos
Homework
-Both composers wrote for Piano. Listen to Tchaikovskyʼs Seasons. Do you
prefer his Orchestral or Piano Music?
Week 3: Beethovenʼs Sonatas: The Passionate and Fiery Composer
Listening: Beethoven Intro Facts, Op 2 No. 1/ Op. 27 No. 2/ Fur Elise/ Op.
57 (1st Movements ONLY)
Homework
-Listen to Beethovenʼs 7th Symphony Mov. 1. Write a VERY short story of
what you visualize happening in the music.
OR
-Choose ONE movement from Beethovenʼs Pathetique Sonata. Why do you
prefer this movement more than the others.
Week 4: Chopin Etudes: Your Fingers May Hurt After Watching (Richter,
Arrau, Pollini)
Listening: Op. 10 no. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11/ My Favourite Interpreters
of Op. 10 No. 12/ Op. 9
Homework
-Short Response Find 2 Different interpretations of an Polonaise by Chopin.
Compare: Which of the two do you prefer?
OR
-Short Response: 2 Different interpretations of a Nocturne by Chopin.
Compare: Which of the two do you prefer?
Week 5: Flex Your Ears!: Bartok, John Cage, Schoenberg, Pierre Scheffer
Listening: 4ʼ33, Pierre Lunaire,
Homework
-Listen to Bergʼs Sonata no. 1. How do you feel about this music? One page.
Week 6: How To Discover Composers Without the Teacher!
Content: Searching by Opus #, Syllabus, YouTube
Final Project: Of a composer we did not study
-Name and Date of Birth
-Era: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern
-Instruments Most Notable Writing For
-10 Small Facts
-Listen to some pieces by this composer. Name a piece you found that you
enjoy.
*Weekly Journal: Recording a new piece you listened to each day.
Let’s Learn Together!
At Piano Time Music Studio we believe kids learn faster and with better results when they are exposed to a variety of approaches, have the opportunity to acquire collaborative skills, and engage in peer level learning.