Winter recitals at The Lane School of Music are next week. Our students have been preparing for months! We aren’t kidding! It takes that much time to set yourself up for a successful performance. Rebecca and Zara are here with five tips to help you get ready for your next recital. They have advice on choosing repertoire and outfits, practicing and de-briefing with your teacher. Book a free trial lesson: www.laneschoolofmusic.com/trial

Rebecca and Zara are back with more interesting instruments! This week we are learning all about the clarinet. And no one is better to give us the ins and outs of this member of the woodwind family (and a few of its cousins) than Kelly Sanchuk. Kelly is a multi-instrumentalist hailing from Saskatchewan. She is also one of The Lane School of Music’s fabulous instructors. She teaches us all about reeds, when kids can start clarinet lessons and how learning recorder at school is setting you up to be a skilled woodwind player. Book a free trial lesson: www.laneschoolofmusic.com/trial

The Hockey Sweater is a Canadian children’s book by Roch Carrier. It tells the story of a boy in Quebec who gets the wrong jersey in the mail and is forced to play hockey with a group of Montreal Canadian’s fans, while repping the Toronto Maple Leafs. In February, The Toronto Symphony will be presenting this book in concert form. How cool is that? The conductor of this show, Trevor Wilson is here to tell us all about this marriage of sports and classical music. We chat about why this story resonates with Canadians, how a book becomes a concert and what to expect when you watch this musical hockey match on February 5th. Buy tickets for The Hockey Sweater: https://www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/the-hockey-sweater/ Learn more about Trevor: https://trevorwilsonconductor.com/about/ Watch The Hockey Sweater short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hka6mVkszq0

Music is a big part of any celebration, and the holidays are no exception! We have created a list of holiday musical classics to make your season even more merry and bright. It includes classical, jazz and pop music inspired songs and shows. Watch and listen live or cozy up with a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy at home. How will you be adding music to your holiday traditions this year? This is our episode all about The Nutcracker: https://www.laneschoolofmusic.com/single-post/the-nutcracker-episode-12 Watch at home: The Nutcracker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR_Z1LUDQuQ Handel's Messiah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR0cEOTpYSk Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fh133ZO1AE&list=PLEpZan9S2GOFesp-gJqsdD80a7zoaflHa The Snowman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AIhMpdpzbg&t=144s

The music world is VERY small! Today’s guest is extra special because she is the parent of one of Rebecca’s former violin students and a fellow music studio owner. Rhonda Hanson is a music teacher and soon to be accredited music therapist based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. At her music studio, she runs a very important and unique program called Sing It Girls. Sing It girls helps female identifying adolescents develop confidence and community through singing. Rhonda tells us all the whos, whys and whats of the program as well as how music therapy can help other demographics of people. Visit Rhonda’s website: http://www.setthetone.ca

In this episode Zara steps down from hosting duties to be a KQTM guest! She is joined by soccer teammate and Lane School of Music student Norah to compare playing sports and taking music lessons. From an outside perspective they may seem to have no connection. But, both involve winning, practicing, scoring, building skills and teamwork. They often look different in each activity but these important life skills are prominent in both. Sign-up for a free trial lesson: http://www.laneschoolofmusic.com/trial

Tania Miller believes that anybody can be a conductor, just like her! Tania grew up in small town Saskatchewan and now conducts orchestras all over the world. She even conducted Rebecca in the RCM orchestra 15 years ago. And no, her job does not involve driving a train. She shares with us what the conductor does up on the podium, what the white stick is for and why anybody can be a conductor. Learn more about Tania: https://taniamiller.com

If you’re in Toronto between October 14th and November 4th, head over to The Four Seasons Centre to see the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Carmen by Georges Bizet! Carmen is one of the most well-known and commonly performed operas in the world. It is a tragic love story, full of earworms and a very energetic children’s chorus. In this episode Rebecca goes solo to interview two members of the children’s chorus Lee and Leo. These young singers are members of the Canadian Children’s Opera Company and take centre stage in this new COC production. Learn more about the CCOC: https://www.canadianchildrensopera.com Get tickets to see the COC's production of Carmen: https://www.coc.ca/productions/23489

Fall lessons are back in full swing! How did you prepare over the summer? Did practicing not quite fit into the summer schedule amongst beach days, soccer games, and camping trips? It’s always ok to take some time off, but here is some advice to re-start practicing after a long break. Rebecca and Zara have three easy tips to get back to music making at a gradual pace. Book a free trial lesson in-person in Toronto or online from anywhere: http://www.laneschoolofmusic.com/trial

Welcome to season 3 of Kids Q The Music! We are getting ready to bring you another year of musical adventures. To kick off this season, Rebecca and Zara are reminiscing about their favourite episodes (remember all the “fluffy noises” when our LSM students came up with new definitions for the word tutti?) and making a wish list of who they want to interview in upcoming episodes. Who are you most excited to hear from? Conductors? Performers? Composer? Kids? If you have a suggestion for a guest (or YOU want to be a guest) send our content manager an email: mairi@laneschoolofmusic.com

Season 2 of Kids Q The Music brought us tons of laughs, helped us discover new and interesting music, and allowed us to meet very talented musicians from across the country and abroad. In this episode, Rebecca and Zara are revisiting five of their favourite moments from the past year. (It was so hard to choose only five!) Did your favourite musical adventure make the list? What do you think, should we come back for a third season?

We often think opera singing is for grown-ups only. It requires advanced technical skills and a deep understanding of music and languages. But did you know there have been tons of roles written for children? Very famous examples are the Three Spirits from Mozart’s The Magic Flute. The Spirits, played by children, help guide the main character, Tamino, on his quest to save the princess. Nine-year-old singer, pianist and mega opera fan Emma Moreau recently sang the First Spirit with the Canadian Opera Company. Emma shares her experience working with professional opera singers, upcoming auditions, and sings the Spirit’s solo for us. Watch out for her name in lights! Learn more about the COC's production of The Magic Flute: https://www.coc.ca/productions/23090

The Musical Terms Trivia Show is back for a second round! This time it’s a violinist party. Rebecca and Zara are joined by Siobhan and Corinne to give fresh definitions to four musical terms. These Lane School of Music students are experts when it comes to following musical directions. They know when to cut violin strings, how to whistle a song from your soul, and how to point a pink piano with their pinky while drinking pink lemonade. If you aren’t sure which terms these definitions belong to, you better get listening! Book a free trial lesson: http://www.laneschoolofmusic.com/trial

You know the saying the show must go on? No matter what happens backstage or onstage, musicians must present their performance to the expectant audience. While events that could de-rail a performance are, for most musicians, just a scary thought that never comes to fruition; Lane School of Music violin student Brooksley experienced this firsthand. Moments before her recital performance, one of her violin strings snapped! With some quick thinking and very impressive performing skills, she still managed to serenade the audience without anyone knowing what was happening behind the scenes. Brooksley shares the whole story of what happened that day and gives a redemption performance of Etude. Book a free trial lesson: http://www.laneschoolofmusic.com/trial

Kids grow quickly, but unfortunately their instruments will always stay the same size. There comes a point when your mini musician isn’t so mini anymore and will have to say goodbye to their best musical friend. This is what happened to two of the Lane children just a few weeks ago. Zara has a new violin named Kevin or Bob (name pending) and Charles is now playing the brother of his former cello, Chenry II. Rebecca and Zara have tips on how to make the breakup a little easier, the signs that your child needs to upsize, and what to expect when adjusting to a larger instrument. Visit The Sound Post: http://www.thesoundpost.com Book a free trial lesson: http://www.laneschoolofmusic.com/trial

Have you ever met an opera singing bassoonist? Rebecca and Zara have, and she’s only nine years old! Olivia Pady is a quint (mini bassoon) player and member of the Canadian Children’s Opera Company’s principal chorus. The CCOC works in collaboration with the Canadian Opera Company, allowing its young members to perform in professional operatic productions. Olivia recently sang the role of Marcel in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Fantasma, composed by Ian Cusson. In this episode, she shares her favourite part of the rehearsal process, what it’s like working with a professional opera company, and what happens when your veil doesn’t fit quite right. Oh! And if you have a question about the bassoon, Olivia is the girl to ask! Learn more about the CCOC: https://www.canadianchildrensopera.com Learn more about Fantasma: https://www.coc.ca/productions/fantasma

Rebecca, Zara and special guest co-host Chirps have complied a playlist guaranteed to make you fall in love with classical music. Get ready to be transported to outer space, the forest, a carnival, and into a beehive by orchestral scores, narrators and familiar melodies. These five pieces are sure to be loved by kids and parents alike! Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLewNH9OW3Bx_ln0dZN4KKehwbr3FDiJbA Peter and the Wolf Ballet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQb5UA93VrI

Have you ever fallen out of your practice routine? It happens to every musician at some point, and it can feel cumbersome to get back on track. If this sounds like you, take this as a sign that April is your month to get back on track. (Especially if you are a Lane School of Music Student trying to become a practice star during practice month!) Rebecca and Zara share five pieces of advice to help you get practicing back on track. These tips are easy and fun ways to make practicing part of your daily routine again. Download a practice chart:https://www.laneschoolofmusic.com/_files/ugd/9f09eb_aaaa4cb3c0ee45968658ed5b091f791c.pdf Our Top 10 Practice Games: https://www.laneschoolofmusic.com/single-post/our-top-10-practice-games-episode-23

Where do you find musical inspiration? For artists, simply looking up to the sky can stimulate the creative juices. Many musicians have been inspired by birds, rainbows, stars and the sun. For Halifax based-pianist Jennifer King, her musical inspiration comes from the moon. Jennifer has released two solo piano albums O Mistress Moon and O Mistress Moon: Canadian Edition. Both feature pieces that have a relationship to the environment, specifically the moon, space and nighttime. She chats about choosing music for the albums, working with composers, and what it means to be both a collaborative and solo pianist. Twilight Hour Animation: https://youtu.be/fOjVxHBMbsw Learn more about Jennifer: Website: https://www.jenniferkingpiano.com/ Instagram: @jenniferkingpiano Facebook: Jennifer King Piano Follow her on Spotify and YouTube: Jennifer King Piano

Writing and producing an opera is no small feat. It marries the art of music and theatre, so it’s nothing without a gripping storyline! In this episode, Zara is re-writing the plots to three popular operas, based their title, main characters and a single plot point. The first, is the story of a prince named Tamino who turns the world into cheese. The second, a love story about an evil boy who does karate. And finally, a composer and his friends making music on a piano named Tenor. Highlights from each Opera: Die Zauberflöte: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuBeBjqKSGQ L'Enfant et les Sortilèges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWPpsMPLgrY Ariadne auf Naxos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_xRW4FQGQM