Category Archives: Blog

FESTIVE SPIRIT TO SHARE

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hoping to keep spirits up, we’re sharing this free download

Thanks to Jaash Singh on cajon and darbuka for his generosity and inspiration. Also thanks to Stephanie Woloshyn for inspiring the partnership between Jaash and me. 

 
It’s been a challenging season for many. We at MusiCamp had our challenges too, making it harder to share these musical offerings in a more timely way. However, we are of the belief that the festive mood should carry on past the major holiday marks, that we may celebrate not only how the days are  getting longer, or that the earth will sprout again after going through the necessary winter renewal, but also that there is now so much hope with managing the covid pandemic and that we will overcome the challenges together. Please enjoy this tracks with this spirit in mind. 
WISHING YOU AND YOURS, PEACE AND JOY! 

please also enjoy some seasonal videos below…
JINGLE BELLS
MARRY HAD A BABY
WHAT CHILD IS THIS

 

VIRTUAL SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS!!

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SUMMER MUSICAMP ONLINE WORKSHOPS FOR KIDS!
AUGUST 17-21 2020 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

REGISTER HERE or CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO

 
We have a great series of workshops inspired by our Composition and Song Camp, which include body percussion, exploring songs, and composition and songwriting. At the end of the week, workshop participants will have developed new repertoire and new skills in music making. For the song and composition workshops, we’ll compile a video of performances of our campers’ work from the week and send it to parents and their kids so they can share their musical work with family and friends.

All the camps will be led by MusiCamp’s Andrea Kuzmich, who has been successfully hosting online workshops in Georgian Singing and Body Percussion since April. To make it more real, more musically interactive and more fun, Andrea’s 12-year-old son will be joining her!

Parents can sign kids up for the full day of camp (all three workshops) for $275 or can sign up for individual workshops (prices listed below). All camps are run on Zoom. For more information please visit our contact us page.
 

Andrea & son, 2017 Body Percussion Festival, Harboufront Centre, Toronto. Click to view.

BODY PERCUSSION BODY MUSIC WORKSHOP
Ages 8-14; class size unlimited
Mon-Fri 9:30-10:30 AM $65
REGISTER HERE
A fun, physically active, movement and rhythm workshop, and a great workout for the brain!
Participants in this workshop will be introduced to cool rhythms that can be performed with the body and voice. Starting with simple patterns and building upon them, the workshops present material to accommodate varying skills.

 

A sample of songs from past camps. Click to view.

EXPLORING SONGS WORKSHOP
ages 9-14; class size limited to 10 participants
Mon-Fri 11:00-12:00 AM $85
REGISTER HERE
Kids will learn a load of songs from a vast array of styles and genres. Some are rhythm based, some ancient; some new music, other contemporary pop; some may involve body percussion, others chordal accompaniment.
Starting with basic rhythmic chants and work songs and progressing to 3 and 4 chord songs, we’ll explore the makeup of a song and naturalize concepts of rhythm, tonality, scale, the pentatonic scale, chords and harmony.
A video compilation of the songs learned/performed will be sent to participants and their parents at the end of the week.

 

COMPOSITION AND SONGWRITING WORKSHOP
ages 10-14; limited to 8 participants
Mon-Fri 1:30-3:30 PM $175
REGISTER HERE
Have a song you want to sing? A story you want to tell? This series will help the aspiring songwriters and singers put their ideas to music.
Through fun and practical songwriting exercise, participants are introduced to aspects of songwriting, like hooks, riffs, harmony, and rhythmic accompaniment, chorus-verse format, basic chord progressions, intros and outros, rhyming and storytelling – useful skills/review for even the more experienced song-writers.
A video compilation of all the original compositions will be sent to participants and their parents at the end of the week.
Note: this series builds off of the songs and concepts we learned in Exploring Songs; it is highly recommended your child enrol in the Exploring Songs workshop as well.

Song writing exercises and performances. Click to view.

 

ONLINE BODY PERCUSSION/MUSIC WORKSHOPS

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A fun, physically active, movement and rhythm workshop, and a great workout for the brain…


TUESDAYS 7 PM – 7:45 PM EST (GMT-4 hrs) on Zoom
$10-15 for employed, PWYC for underemployed (per Tuesday class)

Sign up with our PAY PAL link or use our Contact Us Page for more info.
There’s also more info on registering at the bottom of this page. 

Participants in this workshop will be introduced to cool rhythms that can be performed with the body and voice. This is a physically active music workshop, where layers of rhythm are overlapped to make some serious groove. The singing component involves vocalizing rhythms as well as singing songs and riffs, sometimes in harmony. Participants will come out with a stronger sense of rhythm and the pure joy of making music solely your body.

Starting with simple patterns and building upon them, the workshops present material to accommodate varying skills. Those who are more adept are given more challenging rhythms to layer on top of a basic rhythm. Alternatively, those challenged with the more demanding rhythms can practice holding the simpler rhythmic pattern. Vocals, like singing or vocalizing rhythms, are another layer that can be added. A component of drilling certain movements/rhythms will allow some room for individual variation, giving the student more of a chance to express individuality, which in turn makes it more interesting and musically alive!

About 5 years ago, MusiCamp’s director and founder, Andrea Kuzmich, started exploring ways to use body percussion in our kid’s summer camps. It not only functioned as a pedagogical tool to help with rhythm and arranging, but also heightened the excitement of any song – and really was inspired by Andrea’s interest to instantaneously make a party-like atmosphere, any where, any time, without instruments, but through the body alone!

In June 2019 Andrea was honoured to lead workshops on body percussion at the Ontario Womyn’s Drum Camp. Due to Covid-19, the 2020 camp was turned into a Zoom camp, and Andrea lead a Zoom body percussion workshop for over 60 participants. The video below is from that workshop.

With an interest to share and develop these skills more, Andrea will be hosting regular Zoom body percussion workshops on Tuesdays. You can use our Contact Us Page for more info or to arrange payment, or click this PAY PAL link (all sorts of credit cards accepted) to sign up now (make sure you enter your email address) and we’ll send you the zoom link and instructions. 

Body Percussion Festival 2018

ONLINE BODY PERCUSSION/MUSIC WORKSHOPS

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Please visit our UPDATED PAGE for this workshop.  

TUESDAYS 7 PM – 7:45 PM EST (GMT-4 hrs) on Zoom
PWYC for underemployed, suggested $10-15 for employed

Sign up with using our PAY PAL link or use our Contact Us Page for more info.


Drawing on her wealth of experience from running innovative music programs at MusiCamp, Andrea Kuzmich will introduce participants in this workshop to cool rhythms that can be performed with the body and voice. This is a physically active music workshop, where layers and layers of rhythm are overlapped to make some serious groove. The singing component involves vocalizing rhythms as well as singing songs and riffs, sometimes in harmony. Participants will come out with a stronger sense of rhythm and the exceptional experience of creating music together. The material will be presented to accommodate varying skill levels.

Starting with simple patterns and building, the workshops present material to accommodate varying skills. Those who are more adept can be given more challenging rhythms to layer on top of a basic rhythm. Alternatively, those challenged with the more demanding rhythms can practice holding the simpler rhythmic pattern. Vocals, like singing or vocalizing rhythms, are another layer that can be added. A component of drilling certain movements/rhythms will allow some room for individual variation, giving the student more of a chance to express individuality, which in turn may make it more interesting and musically alive!

About 5 years ago, MusiCamp’s director and founder, Andrea Kuzmich, started exploring ways to use body percussion in our kid’s summer camps. It not only functioned as a pedagogical tool to help with rhythm and arranging, but also heightened the excitement of any song – and really was inspired by Andrea’s interest to instantaneously make a party-like atmosphere, any where, any time, without instruments, but through the body alone!

In June 2019 Andrea was honoured to lead workshops on body percussion at the Ontario Womyn’s Drum Camp. Due to Covid-19, the 2020 camp was turned into a Zoom camp, and Andrea lead a Zoom body percussion workshop for over 60 participants.

TO REGISTER
With an interest to share and develop these skills more, Andrea will be hosting more Zoom body percussion workshops. Thursday June 27 is just the first of many. You can use our Contact Us Page for more info or to arrange payment, or click this PAY PAL link (all sorts of credit cards accepted) to sign up now (make sure you enter your email address) and we’ll send you the zoom link and instructions. 

Body Percussion Festival 2018

COVID 19 and MusiCamp

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Protect yourself: wash your spirit with music, often…

It is without doubt that the performing arts are charting untrodden territory in the COVID-era. Compared to many arts organizations and innovative artists, MusiCamp has been a bit slow in response to the epidemic. Clearly, we can no longer offer our adult workshops, summer kids’ camps or facilitate other music events.

It was a sad day for us when the Dundas West Festival was postponed and we wouldn’t be able to present the incredibly diverse musical youth in our community at the MusiCamp Youth Stage. It was particularly sad because I, as an artist in residence at Dewson Public School, had been working with a group of rather talented grade 5 and 6 youth, and was inadvertently mobilizing a body percussion troupe that were creative, energized and excited to be part of the Dundas West Fest. But while we at MusiCamp were slow and careful to react, we soon found ourselves involved in different musical activities and are happy to share some updates with you.

But most importantly we want to reach out and encourage you to process all the changes of the COVID-era in your own time and space, and, if you feel like it, to be creative. Music and the other arts have such powerful healing qualities and are essential to any and all social groupings. But in this time in particular, creative work can help slow down the busy and stressed brain, help refocus on the moment, and empower you in unspeakable ways. So please, stay healthy and safe… and wash your spirit often with music, dance, drawing, film making, painting, body percussion, cooking, baking, writing, or whatever else your heart implores.

   

UPDATES

    

ONLINE SINGING WORKSHOPS?!?
We believe we have made it work. Follow this link to see videos and understand how we teach harmonized singing online.

   

ONLINE BODY PERCUSSION BODY MUSIC WORKSHOPS
A fun, physically active, movement and rhythm workshop, and a great workout for the brain. Beginner/intermediate level. Follow this link to learn more, see videos, and/or register.

   

VIRTUAL SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS (8-14 yrs)
AUGUST 17-22 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Each day offers 3 workshops: BODY PERCUSSION, EXPLORING SONGS, and COMPOSITION & SONGWRITING. Sign your kid up for all 3 or for individual workshops. (Note for some workshops, the class size is limited.) Click here to register or learn more.

PERFORMANCE & MUSICAL EVENTS
While we aren’t streaming our own musical performances – we’re leaving that to the experts to ensure excellent audio, video and connectivity – we have joined Virtual Private Concerts online. So if you have a special event coming up – an anniversary, birthday, or simply a need to connect – you can hire a musician for a private virtual event. Check it out at Virtual Concerts Online.

ORI SHALVA PERFORMS in URGNT’s ONLINE FESTIVAL
Ori Shalva, our family ensemble, will be a part of this incredibly diverse and exciting online festival of musician from across Ontario! With Juno award winning names like the Gryphon Trio, Lila Biali and too many others to name. Visit our post to learn more.

URGNT LIVE: MAY 8

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SAVE THE DATE!! FRIDAY MAY 8th 7:00 PM.


We were so honoured to get the invitation from our good friend and incredible musician Mark Marczyk (of Lemon Bucket Orkestra). When he first asked us, I don’t think we realized what sort of company we would be associated with or the reach it would have. But looking at the lineup and the list of co-presenters now, we are in awe!

Ori Shalva, our family ensemble, will be streaming at 7:45 PM on May 8. But have a look at the incredibly diverse and exciting lineup of musicians below, many of whom are internationally acclaimed and Juno award winning!  And plan a great evening of great music with URGNT.

And remember, it’s possible and important to support this meaningful cultural work via URGNT’s gofundme campaign.

LIVE STREAM ON MAY 8th 7:00-11:00 PM from:
MusiCamp’s FB page , URGNT or MacCleans.


A bit about URGNT: 

Starting as a livestream series in empty venues created in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, URGNT LIVE, in partnership with Music Together ON and news magazine Maclean’s, quickly adapted to promote social distancing and create a curated platform to present and support the best of TO’s music online. We’re also grateful to the lovely folk at Folk Camp for choosing to cosponsor Ori Shalva!
Past shows can be seen here https://www.urgnt.ca/past. 

MAY 8: SCHEDULE, ARTISTS and CO-PRESENTERS

(Also brought to you by Shopify, Arts & Crafts, and Ontario Live via Ontario Creates)

7pm – Gryphon Trio – Chamberfest
7:20pm – Kobo Town – Northern Lights Festival Boréal
7:45pm – Ori Shalva – Folk Camp
8:20pm – Laila Biali – TD Sunfest
8:40pm – Stewart Goodyear – The Royal Conservatory of Music
9:00pm – Scott Merritt – Hillside Festival
9:20pm- Britta B – Unity
9:45pm – OKAN – Sunfest
10:10 – Meesha Shafi – Small World Music
10:30 – Skratch Bastid – URGNT

FLAVOURS of LOVE

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Flavours of Love: An Alternative Multi-Sensory Valentine’s Celebration

Saturday February 15 2020 7-10 PM

Location (close to King and Jameson) revealed through Artery https://artery.is/showcases/flavoursoflove.

With the idea that we are all labourers of love, comes an alternative Valentine’s celebration through Artery https://artery.is/showcases/flavoursoflove. Join us for FLAVOURS OF LOVE and imbibe on the sounds, the tastes and the ideas of love, community and friendship.

The evening features:

  • live music that grooves and moves by Andrea Kuzmich;
  • stories and samplings of savoury and sweet cheesecakes by Meris Cherian;
  • all framed through a series of thoughtful toasts that Artery attendees are welcome to contribute to and find expression within.

Bring your own drinks and some friends, savour the sounds and flavours, and make a meaningful and memorable evening in the intimate setting of our hosts’ home, a lovely old house that overlooks Lake Ontario. Exact location only known via Artery and visit our Facebook event for updates on the menu.

Some nibblies will provided by the host, and cheescakses, or course, by Meris. Don’t forget to bring your own drinks. Cost is $15.
(NOTE: there may be cats around)

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

MERIS will be giving a multi-sensorial presentation on the history of cheesecake and how it’s travelled around the world. This evening, expect to taste a few ancient flavours, and some newer interpretations of cheesecakes, including a savoury cheese pie. While you savour the flavours of these cheesecakes, you will also learn about the culinary history behind them, and nuances of the cheese used. Learn more about Meris by checking out her Midnight Cheesecake blog. PS: The cakes are not dairy-free, nut-free, or gluten-free.

ANDREA KUZMICH is an award winning singer, a teacher, an ethnomusicologist and music facilitator. She has performed in and/or recorded with numerous ensembles and choirs throughout Toronto, from mainstream big band jazz to church choirs to contemporary improvised music and village-styled folk music. This Artery performance will feature hip arrangements of jazz tunes with a sprinkling of originals for solo guitar and voice.

Andrea draws her listeners into a world of sensuality and inner city blues, Rudy Blair 680 News

Holiday Events 2019

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Tis the season! and MusiCamp’s artistic director and founder, Andrea Kuzmich, will be performing in numerous events around town.

 

November 29 2019 3-6 PM – solo guitar and voice
Festive Fridays at The Candy Bar
849 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M6H 1A1

Join us for an afternoon of Festive tunes! Starting at 3pm and going till 6pm, this week we feature Andrea Kuzmich. Jazzing up the Holidays with an acoustic set of songs in our intimate space, Andrea kicks off the season for us. Stop by, shop, listen and enjoy in store savings and prizes! Bring a friend. The event is free but tips are always welcome for the musicians entertaining us. facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/593921004677673/

 

Sunday December 8 11 AM -2 PM – solo guitar and voice
The Holiday Pop Up Market at the Barns
Artscape Wychwood Barns 601 Christie Street, Toronto, Ontario M6G 4C7

Join us for a fun, family oriented, community Holiday Market on Sunday December 8 at Artscape Wychwood Barns! We’ll have a wonderful line up of terrific local artisans to shop from, a kids craft & hot chocolate area, live musical performances, and a holiday bar too!!  Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/431336750903862/

 

Monday December 9 5-8 PM
Andrea Kuzmich in a Festive Mode featuring Ernie Tollar and Travis Knights
at Drom Taberna 458 Queen Street West

Enjoy an early evening of cool tunes and festive groove. Andrea Kuzmich (voice and guitar) will be performing hip arrangements of jazz, pop and HoLiDAy tunes(with a sprinkling of originals). Joining her will be the musical feet of Travis Knights (tap dancing!!) and the brilliant horn of Ernie Tollar.  The facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/507351313186901/

 

December 15 5-8ish PM – FEATURED EVENT!!
HOLIDAY SPIRIT CABARET with singer Lieke van der Voort, Jackson Welchner, Shalva Makharashvili and others!
at Hirut Cafe 2050 Danforth Ave

Get your fix of classic, traditional, obscure and wacked-up Christmas carols, winter tunes, and seasonal blessings. Hirut Cafe is a great place for fresh fresh coffee and tibs…. and other amazingly savoury Ethiopian cuisine.  A PWYC event! (suggested $15). Visit our FB event https://www.facebook.com/events/2391600377618138/

 

6-week Georgian Singing Workshop

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A 6 Week Workshop led by Shalva Makharashvili and Andrea Kuzmich
WEDNESDAY 7-9 PM October 9 to November 13 2019.
at the MusiCamp studio
$250 for new participants; $200 for repeat students
More info or register by email through our contact page

Have a quick peek at workshop leader, Shalva and his children singing with Basiani, a traditional Georgian choir. (Click on the photo.)

 

IMG_1558Take part in a Georgian singing workshop and join the thousands of voices before you that have contributed to this millennia-old folk tradition. Georgia, is located in the mountainous region of the Caucasus, the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Its ancient singing tradition, known for its distinctive and haunting harmonies, was recognized by UNESCO as an intangible masterpiece of humanity in 2001. The 3-part form defies Western conventions and comes in a plethora of musical dialects, reflecting the diverse geographical and cultural makeup of the land.
Canada’s foremost experts in Georgian polyphony, Georgian-born singer/multi-instrumentalist Shalva Makharashvili and his Toronto-born partner, Andrea Kuzmich, will be leading the workshop. Andrea is an academic (PhD ABD) who has presented and published papers on Georgian music to international audiences. Both Shalva and Andrea were featured soloists in Darbazi; founded the award-winning trio ZARI; perform with their family ensemble Ori Shalva; led Georgian workshops and/or have collaborated with many groups in Canada, including VIVA Youth Singers, Aradia Ensemble, UofT Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Young Voices of Toronto and Folk Camp; and have exposed many in Toronto (enthusiastic amateur singers to professional musicians and composers) to the intricacies of Georgian polyphony through regular workshops they lead out MusiCamp.

In this series, we’ll take a look a variety of regional styles and song-types (harvest/work/travel/table/love songs and chants). At the end of the 6 weeks we’ll have a little performance for friends and family… and a little toast – to keep it in the Georgian tradition…

To register for the workshop send us an email through the contact us page.

For some samples of Georgian songs have a listen to Shalva’s and Andrea’s trio soundcloud playlist or visit their website ZARI

 

2019 MusiCamp Themes & Fees

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2019 DATES!

15% EARLY BIRD registration discount before May 30!
$25 discount for additional weeks, siblings and referrals!
No additional fees or taxes charged!

July 15-19 ~ COMPOSITION & SONG ~ $285 … more info →

July 22-26 ~ WEST AFRICAN DRUMMING (guest artist!) ~ $350 … more info →

  • Class sizes are small.
  • All-day (9am-4pm) programming with extended care available from 8:30am-6pm.
  • No formal training is required. No instrument required – just an enjoyment of music
  • Our intuitive approach to exploring sound, music, composition, the voice, and the weekly themes also functions as a great supplement to conventional music lessons
  • We also integrate crafts (instrument and mask making), backyard games, Pizza-making Wednesdays in Dufferin Grove park and other outdoor fun
  • Limited financial assistance is available on a per person basis. (Contact MusiCamp for more info)
  • 2019 Registration can be accessed here
visit our Flickr Gallery – click on the images below

MusiCamp at a glance