Date: December 17, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM
Price: $20.00 Proceeds to benefit the CityArts Scholarship Program
Location: The Gibson Artist Showroom
Address: 1205 King St West, Toronto, ON, Canada

Three Designs: Flying “V” (Miles), CityArts Classic Girl (Lucy), CityArts Corporate (Nick)

All profits from T-Shirt sales go towards subsidizing the Fall/Winter 2009 CityArts free after school and in-school programs. By a stylish T-Shirt and support free Music and Arts education in at risk communities in Toronto!

Regular Price: $25.00 CDN Camper Price: $20.00 CDN (If Attending a CityArts Camp)

T-Shirt Sizes: Mens: (Small, Medium, Large, XL) Womens: Classic Girl Style (S, M, L) Kids: (Sizes Coming)

CityArts and the Toronto Rock Camp welcome guitarist Tristan Avakian in 2009. Tristan will be leading the Guitar Workshops and lending his expertise to the Toronto Rock Camp program. Personally selected by the legendary Brian May of Queen, Tristan is the lead guitarist for the hit Queen Musical “We Will Rock You”.

“There’s an aura of being around a working professional that you can’t communicate through a DVD or clips on YouTube,” he says. “From my own experience growing up, I know there’s no substitute, so that’s a role I hope I can also play for some kids.”

To learn more about Tristan visit the following websites:

CityArts Profile: Tristan Avakian
Website: www.tristanavakian.com

For immediate release
15 June 2009        
 
TORONTO – CityArts Creative Learning is pleased to announce that the star of the hit Toronto musical “We Will Rock You,” Valerie Stanois, will be teaching at our Triple Threat (T3) Workshop for young performers this summer.
 
Ms. Stanois’s innovative “T3” workshop provides hands-on training in acting, singing, and dancing skills for young performers aged 11 to 17. Each week-long workshop will be headed by Ms. Stanois and feature some of Toronto’s most talented performers as guest instructors.
 
“I’m so excited to be able to give back to the community by leading this workshop for young performers! So many performers inspired me growing up and I want to do the same", says Ms. Stanois.
 
“We’re honored that a performer of Valerie’s caliber has joined us this year. We’ve also got an amazing line-up of musicians to teach at this year’s Toronto Rock Camp,” said Seraphim Marcopoulos, Managing Director of CityArts Creative Learning.
 
Now in its second year, the week-long Toronto Rock Camp gives musicians aged 11 to 17 the opportunity to play together in their very own band. Students are taught how to write songs, given instruction on their instruments, and coached on performance techniques from the camp’s staff of professional music teachers and industry professionals. Each week-long rock camp culminates in a live concert performance that’s open to friends and family.
 
The Ontario Ministry of Education’s Focus on Youth program has sponsored the Toronto Rock Camp, and CityArts is making 24 full scholarships available for potential students. Students can apply for a scholarship: http://www.torontorockcamp.com/register/scholarships.php
 
++++
About City Arts Creative Learning:
CityArts Creative Learning Inc. is a registered non-profit that develops and delivers arts, music, media and tech learning programs for kids and grownups.
 
-END-

Media contact: Seraphim Marcopoulos
Managing Director, CityArts Creative Learning Inc.
Tel: (416) 880-9370, seraphim@cityarts.ca
For more info and to register: http://cityarts.ca

The first in a series of CityArts / Toronto Rock Camp concerts hit Rock and Roll Heaven on May 31, 2009. Playing before a capacity crowd, TRC alumni bands, Carmen and Jack October, The King’s Cards, and Gentlemen and the Jury put on a fantastic performance.

They were followed by The WitHouts, Left of Eden (featuring CityArts / TRC instructors Mike McAvan, Chris Lesso, Valerie Stanois, along with Jeff Eager). Left of Eden was joined on stage for CityArts Music Director Leo Georgoulis and Tristan Avakian (Lead Guitarist for the hit Queen Musical “We Will Rock You”) for a three song set of Queen Hits!

Check out the Rock and Roll Heaven Concert gallery here.

www.colinknowlespiano.com

Come join us on May 31st, 2009, from 5 PM to 9 PM as CityArts launches its summer 2009 programs, in Art, Music, and Media with a free concert at Rock and Roll Heaven. Toronto Rock Camp instructors will be rocking the stage!

Date: Sunday, May 31, 2009
Time: 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Cost: Free (all ages show)

Rock & Roll Heaven
1660 O’Connor Drive,
Toronto, ON, Canada
(416) 750-7335

Google Map:  http://tinyurl.com/palh47

The Toronto Rock Camp is the real “school of rock” for young Torontonians aged 11 to 17. Each week-long-long camp teaches aspiring rock stars how to write, perform, and promote their music. CityArts Creative Learning Inc., which runs the Toronto Rock Camp, is a registered non-profit. (http://cityarts.ca)

Come out and enjoy performances by:

-Cast members and CityArts / Toronto Rock Camp instructors Valerie Stanois "Oz" and Tristan Avakian (WWRY Lead Guitarist) from the hit musical "We Will Rock You"
-The WitHouts
-Left of Eden
-Sixes and Sevens
-Three rock camp student alumni bands — whose members range in age from 11 to 17

To learn more visit http://torontorockcamp.com  or http://www.cityarts.ca or contact Seraphim Marcopoulos Tel: (416) 880-9370

The Toronto Rock Camp’s own Chris Lesso, Director of Drums and Percussion, is featured in a series of Sonor Clinics during May in Ontario. Chris will be leading Drums Workshops and Master Classes at the Toronto Rock Camp.

Canadian Sonor Artist: Chris Lesso will join John Favicchia for a series of Drum Clinics and Master Classes in Ontario. Chris is a freelance drummer and educator based out of Toronto, Ontario. He began studying music on the piano at the age of 7, and received his grade 8 in classical piano through the Royal Conservatory at age 12. He began drumming when he was 9, and has never looked back. After gaining much experience performing and writing music in various bands, he sought out and took lessons from many world-renowned artists such as Dom Famularo (World Clinician), Ed Shaughnessy (Johnny Carson Show), and Jim Chapin (Famous Educator), then going on to study with highly respected teacher and drummer Jim Blackley. Chris is currently studying jazz harmony on the piano.

Chris' unique blend of hard rock, jazz, improvisational, and world flavored rhythms can be heard with guitarist Tony Springer, (www.wildt.ca), trumpeter Nick 'Brownman' Ali, pianist Steve Kovan, and Chris' own original instrumental band 'The Factor', (wwww.myspace.com/thefactortoronto), as well as various Top 40 bands, all playing around the Toronto area and internationally.
The future holds an ever improving output of energetic live shows and rhythmically intense recorded work, always drawing from a wide range of influences and styles.

Chris is endorsed by Sonor Drums, and a member of the Professional Drum Teachers Guild.

05/05/09 7:00PM DRUM CLINIC @ COSMO MUSIC Richmond Hill, Ontario 05/06/09 7:00PM DRUM CLINIC @ MUSIC PRO Barrie, Ontario 05/07/09 7:00PM DRUM CLINIC @ WIZDOM MUSIC ACADEMY Hamilton, Ontario

More dates are scheduled. Full details can be found on Chris Lesso’s MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/chrislessomusic

The Toronto Rock Camp welcomes back Mike McAvan. Mike enthralled TRC campers last year with this weekly clinics. This year, Mike McAvan returns not only for his exciting weekly guitar clinics, but also as an Instructor in the Toronto Rock Camp's Guitar Workshop and Master Class program.

Mike is a gifted guitarist and composer who has received endorsements from Ernie Ball Musicman guitars, Ernie Ball strings, Koch amplifiers, Evidence Audio cables, DiMarzio pick-ups and BOSS pedals, and most recently JAM Pedals!

We are pleased to welcome Chris Lesso to the Toronto Rock Camp team! Chris ran a successful and well received clinic last year, and joins the Toronto Rock Camp as the head of Drums and Percussion instruction.

Chris began studying music on the piano at the age of 7, and received his grade 8 in classical piano through the Royal Conservatory at age 12. He began drumming when he was 9, and has never looked back. After gaining much experience performing and writing music in various bands, he sought out and took lessons from many world-renowned artists such as Dom Famularo (World Clinician), Ed Shaughnessy (Johnny Carson Show), and Jim Chapin (Famous Educator), then going on to study with highly respected teacher and drummer Jim Blackley. Chris is currently studying jazz harmony on the piano.
 
Chris' unique blend of hard rock, jazz, improvisational, and world flavored rhythms can be heard with guitarist Tony Springer, (www.wildt.ca), trumpeter Nick 'Brownman' Ali, pianist Steve Kovan, and Chris' own original instrumental band 'The Factor', (www.myspace.com/thefactortoronto), as well as various Top 40 bands, all playing around the Toronto area and internationally. The future holds an ever improving output of energetic live shows and rhythmically intense recorded work, always drawing from a wide range of influences and styles. Chris is a member of the Professional Drum Teachers Guild, the Percussive Arts Society, and is endorsed by Sonor Drums.

Chris conducted a successful and well received clinic at the Toronto Rock Camp in 2008, and returns in 2009 as the head of Drums and Percsussion instruction.

More about Chris:

• Chris Lesso's MySpace Page

Left to Right: Chuck Majic, Elijah, Carmen, Chris Lesso, Mike McAvan and Kameron

The highlight of the event was a jam with TRC students. Elijah (guitar) performed with the trio on Stevie Wonder's Superstition. Elijah was joined by Kameron (guitar) on an original 12 Bar blues number improvised on the fly by Mike McAvan and titled "Greek Town Blues". As it was getting close to lunch time, Mike sang about coming down to Greek Town (Danforth and Pape) in search of Greek cuisine, only to be thwarted in his quest. The song only ended when Mike exhausted his knowledge of Greek dishes!

Carmen North joined Elijah and Kameron and sang lead vocals on Road House Blues (The Doors). You can listen to MP3 recordings of the jams in our Concert Recordings section.

Toronto Rock Camp band Duble + 2 jammed with award winning master guitarist and super nice guy Mike McAvan after Mike's August 7th clinic. Without the benefit of any preparation, Duble + 2 members (from left to right) Miles (Bass), Graham (Guitar), Nick (Guitar), Elijah (Guitar), Max (Drums) and Susan (Keyboards) recorded four tracks with Mike.

You can listen to Duble + 2 and Mike McAvan's versions of Red House (Jimi Hendrix), Superstition (Stevie Wonder), Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (Van Halen) and Rock and Roll All Night (Kiss) in our Concert Recordings section. Simply a super impromptu performance by Mike and Duble + 2!

Summer 2008 Week Two Toronto Rock Camp Musicians are ready to rock!

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The Summer 2008 edition of the Toronto Rock Camp kicks off today! A group 22 of talented young musicians are joining together in four rock bands. Look out for photos, audio clips, and video clips to be posted on the TRC website over the next week.