Performance Studios
"Growing With Music"
Teachers
Karen Aitken
Director
My vision to have a music school that made a difference in the lives of everyone of any age began over 30 years ago! GROWING WITH MUSIC- helps concentration, confidence, co-ordination, memory and learning. I am a graduate of the prestigious Humber College music program and the Royal Conservatory Of Music. After Humber, I joined as educational representative of Roland Canada Music and subsequently became a partner of an entertainment consultant company in Toronto. I have obtained Music For Young Children certificates for all levels and completed requirements to teach Kindermusik along with ongoing professional development. Throughout many years of teaching, as a director for a Mississauga music school and a member of the Humber College Children's music school faculty, I have gained considerable insights into all aspects of music education. I am proud to have been a longtime member of the Not So Grand Players: a musical theatre non profit group which has donated 80,000 back to the community. As a musician I have performed at various functions from weddings to funerals to daycares. After all this time I still enjoy spreading the magic of music to my students and parents, and to watch my students GROWING WITH MUSIC!
Then
Alex Gulino
Alex has been playing music for 20 years, focusing mainly on drums throughout his youth, and many instruments along the way including guitar, bass, and various percussion and string instruments.
He has had experience teaching, as well as playing in multiple bands and solo studio drumming.
"Rock On."
Now
Gayle Ackroyd Gibson
Gayle has been teaching for 16 years and has her level two in Artist Educator Professional Training, completed the Learning Through the Arts program with the Royal Conservatory of Music, and graduated the Musical Theatre program at Sheridan College.
With the songwriting experience from five albums worth of original music: Gayle has taught songwriting workshops and hosted a cable television show featuring songwriters.
Gayle feels that the ukulele is the cutest instrument in the world; perfect for small hands and teaching reading skills to beginners. She also believes that singing is a way to creatively express yourself by developing good technique, so, bad habits don’t hold you back.
Guitar is Gayle’s favourite instrument for performing although she also plays the mandolin for a variety in sound. "Classical, electric, and Spanish guitars all have their own sound and inspire very different styles of playing" she says. Gayle teaches how to sight read sheet music and tablature, and a variety of strumming, as well as the theory behind the structure of chords.
Faith Townsend
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Faith started with Performance Studios at a very young age as a brand new student to music. She took a shining to drums as she showed an attitude to rhythm and progressed very quickly, continuing on in music throughout primary and secondary school. Drums have become a big part of her life as she has even started her own band. She has now moved on to multiple instruments to expand her music, but is here to teach more young adults how fun drums can be.
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Szofi has been “Growing With Music” at Performance Studios. Her passion for music started very young as a student of Karen’s. Szofi is a Music For Young Children graduate, and has successfully taken several RCM piano and theory exams and was a student of Martin Anderle from Germany and a past member of the St. John’s Youth Choir. She has also learned to play the guitar under the guidance of Alex Gulino and professional musician songwriter Madison Galloway.
Szofi grew up in the Montessori school system as well as speaks 3 languages Hungarian, French and English. Her interests include: Going to concerts, travel, tennis, history.
Szofi really enjoys teaching piano to her young students. Keep on smiling and playing:)!
Szofi Cooper
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Shirley Jemmett
Shirley is a registered music teacher with ORMTA (Ontario Registered
Music Teachers Association), specializing in Music for Young Children. She's taught privately for over 45 years and MYC for over 25 years.
Shirley has a vast array of experiences that make her a great teacher: teaching workshops in schools, directing numerous bell choirs and voice choirs, and even being a singer in choirs, solos, trios, and quartets! She also works in summer day camps as well as music therapy programs!
Teaching piano to the young or young at heart is her passion: RCM
classics or recreational including pop, jazz, blues, theory or composing
your own music.
"I encourage and prepare my students to enter festivals, exams, recitals. I look forward to teaching your child on their musical journey. Play On!"