Community Knowledge Centre - Toronto Community Foundation

About this organization

Mission

The RPSM aims to provide high quality, affordable music education to underprivileged youth in Regent Park and other areas of the City of Toronto.

The Regent Park School of Music is one of Toronto’s most diverse music schools, with a mandate to provide music education to youth who might not otherwise have the opportunity. We offer both private and group lessons with an emphasis on quality, collaboration and creativity. Located in a little house on Queen Street East, our staff, faculty and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure the safety and growth of our students. We also operate satellite programs in other high need areas of the city where children receive extra-curricular music lessons in the safe and familiar space of their own community school.

History of Organization

In 1998, a group of bright and motivated individuals led by lawyer Judith Hinchman had the courage and tenacity to start the school and form a Board of Directors. At the outset, they were struggling to find space that they could afford from which to operate the program. Father Tom Day lived in Regent Park, worked as a pastor at St. Paul’s Basilica and knew many of the families in the area. He loved music and believed in giving children a safe place to go after school. He offered RPSM space in the basement of his church where we ran our first music lessons for almost 2 years. Father Day thereafter became a board member of the school and was instrumental in forging the community relationships necessary to launch our satellite program at Jane and Finch.

Accolades and Accomplishments

• NOW Magazine “Best Music Program” (2006)
• Recipient of “Healthy and Vibrant Communities Grant” Ontario Trillium Foundation (2003, 2005, 2009)
• RPSM Choir has performed for Her Majesty The Queen, Jean Chrétien, Blue Jays Opening Night, Breakfast Television, and more
• Regent Park School of Music Foundation provides Four Annual Scholarships which covers the lesson costs for the recipient (New students chosen each year)

Programs

>Private Lessons
>Regent Park School of Music Choir
>Jane & Finch

By offering a wide range of musical experiences we are able to cater to the diversity of our students: 

Private Lessons
Regent Park School of Music offers private music lessons everyday afterschool between 4pm-8pm.   Each student borrows his/her own instrument, books, and supplies for free.

Music Theory Classes
Students that are currently enrolled in private lessons have the option of beginning group theory classes. 

String Ensemble
The RPSM String Ensemble is open to any interested intermediate-advanced strings students.  This ensemble has performed at various events throughout the city including the 2009 AIDS Candlelight Vigil and 2009 Canada Day at Harbourfront Centre.

Choir
Our choir, led by Tapestry New Opera Work's Artistic Director, Wayne Strongman, is often invited to perform at various high profile events through the city.

Early Childhood Music (ECM)
Children ages 3-5 years old can enrol in group classes that focus on movement and music based on the Dalcroze teaching methods. 

Jane & Finch
In 2006, RPSM began a satellite program in the Jane and Finch area where local students receive group piano and guitar lessons at two of the elementary schools in the neighbourhood. 

Beyond 3:30
As of Fall 2009, RPSM is proud to be contributing to a new program that is being led by the Toronto Community Foundation and coordinated with the Toronto District School Board called "Beyond 3:30." RPSM will be providing weekly music lessons at two model schools.

Parkdale - In development for January 2011

Summer Camp - In development for Summer 2011.

Private Lessons

Regent Park School of Music offers private music lessons in piano, violin, viola, cello, guitar, voice, flute, saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, and percussion. All students can borrow their instrument for free if they don’t already own one. Books and supplies can also be checked out from our library for free. For our piano students, we rent electric keyboards to the student and, after a year, we arrange for a donated piano to be moved into the student's home.

Students receive weekly 30 minute lessons with members of a professional faculty. Regent Park School of Music Teachers must have either a degree in music performance or their ARCT with experience in group and individual musical instruction. Many of our teachers are members of local orchestras, choirs and ensembles.

Funding and Program Partners

The Regent Park School of Music is able to effectively run its diverse programs thanks to some of the support of numerous corporate donors, individual donors and foundations, such as (but not exclusive to):

• Daniels Corporation
• RBC Foundation
• McCarthy Tétrault
• The New Classical 96.3 FM
• Harbinger Communications Inc
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Guild Electric Ltd
• Gryphon Partners
• Unilever Canada
• Dior, Durrell and Associates Inc
• Barrick Gold
• Davies Ward Philips & Vineberg LLP
• Roy Foss Motors
• Ontario Trillium Foundation
• Toronto Arts Council

See a list of all of our supporters here.

Program Impact

Beginning with only 25 students taking lessons out of the basement of St. Paul’s Basilica, Regent Park School of Music, in its eleventh year, now reaches over 200 students in priority neighbourhoods across the City of Toronto (165 enrolled in private lessons).  Furthermore, students enrolled in our programs have the ability to sign up for free ticket offers when we receive them, giving them the opportunity to experience arts and culture events in Toronto they may not otherwise afford.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

Learning: “The hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are a high-risk period for unsupervised children. During these hours, children are more likely to engage in gang-related or delinquent behaviour, or become victims of crime. Children in mid-childhood (6-12 years old), who spend time in safe and supervised after-school programming are less likely to experience academic problems, engage in delinquency or be assaulted." (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Regent Park School of Music offers a safe place for students after-school. Lessons at RPSM operate from 3:30pm-8pm and offer a constructive alternative for students keeping them off the streets and engaged in creative programming.

Participant Vignette

Cecilia has been with the Regent Park School of Music ever since it opened back in 1999. She began taking piano lessons at Regent Park School of Music at age 8 with Frank Horvat. At the age of 11, Cecilia began to take cello lessons with Amber Walton-Amar. She has also been a member of the Regent Park School of Music choir and string ensemble. Starting in Grade 7, Cecilia attended Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts specializing in cello. She continued to take piano lessons with Frank on the side as well as continuing private cello lessons with Amber. When Amber left for Chicago in late 2008, Cecilia, in turn, studied with Amber’s teacher, Coenraad Bloemendaal.

Cecilia has performed in many recitals, auditions, festivals, showcases, exams, fundraisers, and other performances for both cello and piano. In August 2009, she completed her ARCT Performers exam with the Royal Conservatory of Music with Honours. She continues to perform at various recitals and events and can still be seen at the Regent Park School of Music accompanying students for recitals and exams.

Currently, Cecilia’s two younger siblings still study at the Regent Park School of Music, and at one point in time, her entire family (herself and five siblings) were studying at the music school. Cecilia is now enrolled in a post-secondary program and teaches privately from her home.

Regent Park School of Music Choir

Our choir, led by Tapestry New Opera Work's Artistic Director, Wayne Strongman, is often invited to perform at various high profile events through the city. Mr. Strongman has taken the choir to perform for:

• Her Majesty the Queen
• Jean Chretien
• The Empire Club
• Breakfast Television
• St. George Society
• Jane Goodall
• Blue Jays Opening Night
• Live on 96.3 Classical FM
• Live on CBC Radio One
• Toronto City Hall Choral Christmas Concert
• Artscape Wychwood Barns Opening
• Calvacade of Lights at Nathan Philiips Square
• Taste of Toronto
• Earth Hour
• And more...

Within our larger choir exists our Senior Choir.  These students perform more challenging repertoire and serve as role models to the younger choir members.

Every week during rehearsals, students go through a routine of breathing and vocal warm ups, learn note reading and clapping rhythms, and by the end of the year are singing in 3-part harmony.

As we do not have the space in our townhouse to support a 30-40 member choir, we rent the gymnasium at the neighbouring St. Pauls Catholic School.

Funding and Program Partners

The Regent Park School of Music is able to effectively run its diverse programs thanks to some of the support of numerous corporate donors, individual donors and foundations, such as (but not exclusive to):

• Daniels Corporation
• RBC Foundation
• McCarthy Tétrault
• Classical 96
• Harbinger Communications Inc
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Guild Electric Ltd
• Gryphon Partners
• Unilever Canada
• Dior, Durrell and Associates Inc
• Barrick Gold
• Davies Ward Philips & Vineberg LLP
• Roy Foss Motors
• Ontario Trillium Foundation
• Toronto Arts Council

See a list of all of our supporters here.

Program Impact

Over the years, the RPSM Choir has grown from an enrolment of 10 students up to 40 students, ages 5 to 18 years. These students not only have the opportunity to perform at high profile events in Toronto, but attend weekly rehearsals which foster an environment of mentorship and community. At the end of each year, the students have all gained new musical skills and made lasting friendships. A large number of choir members of the choir return year after year.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

 “The hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are a high-risk period for unsupervised children. During these hours, children are more likely to engage in gang-related or delinquent behaviour, or become victims of crime. Children in mid-childhood (6-12 years old), who spend time in safe and supervised after-school programming are less likely to experience academic problems, engage in delinquency or be assaulted." (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

The Regent Park School of Music Choir brings students together each week from 4:30pm-5:30pm. Often, parents and siblings attend and socialize outside rehearsal, while choir members obtain quality instruction and mentorship.

Participant Vignette

“Without RPSM and its supporters, I just never would have had the same opportunities.”

~Stacy

Stacy is currently enrolled in University in the Music Faculty at the University of British Columbia. Stacy grew up in Regent Park and began music lessons with RPSM in 2000 at age 10. Despite various obstacles which could have easily prevented her from continuing her musical studies, Stacy stayed with RPSM and continued to nurture her talent. She took private vocal lessons with Zorana Sadiq, studied music theory, and sang with the RPSM choir.

As time went on, she became a member of the senior choir and performed with the choir, the trio, and as a soloist for various high profile events around Toronto. Stacy was accepted into the Etobicoke School of The Arts in 2007 and graduated in 2009.

Her determination, commitment, and talent kept her on scholarship at the RPSM. Most recently, both RPSM and UBC awarded her an entrance scholarship which made University a reality.

Jane & Finch

In 2006, RPSM began a satellite program in the Jane and Finch area where local students receive group piano and guitar lessons at two of the elementary schools in the neighbourhood. Similar to our Regent Park private lesson model, each student receives consistent weekly lessons and his/her own instrument to take home for the year.

Funding and Program Partners

The Regent Park School of Music is able to effectively run its diverse programs thanks to some of the support of numerous corporate donors, individual donors and foundations, such as (but not exclusive to):

• Daniels Corporation
• RBC Foundation
• McCarthy Tétrault
• Classical 96
• Harbinger Communications Inc
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Guild Electric Ltd
• Gryphon Partners
• Unilever Canada
• Dior, Durrell and Associates Inc
• Barrick Gold
• Davies Ward Philips & Vineberg LLP
• Roy Foss Motors
• Ontario Trillium Foundation
• Toronto Arts Council

See a list of all of our supporters here.

Program Impact

Our Jane & Finch program has provided music lessons for 75 students over its first three years of existence (25 students per year). Beginning 2010, we hope to expand our enrolment to 30-40 students. With the support of York University, RPSM looks to support its faculty with teachers in training, and allow us to expand our programs in the neighbourhood. For this coming year we are also looking to expand our programs, offering more guitar, more piano and also a new course in bucket drumming beginning in January 2011.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

Learning: “The seven neighbourhoods with the largest number of 6-12 year olds (15% of the total), located in Toronto’s inner suburbs in the northwest and northeast of the City, are the least able to provide after-school programs. Just 5% of the neighbourhood’s children have an after-school program to go to." (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Group piano and guitar lessons at elementary schools in Jane & Finch provide safe after-school programming for students in the neighbourhood.