Whitby Shores Suzuki Piano Studio

07/19/2018

Thank you for your interest in the Whitby Shores Suzuki Piano Studio, the Studio of Gillan Latour. Due to new work commitments for the 2018-2019 year, I will not be accepting new students into the studio at this time. If you are looking for a teacher, I recommend finding a teacher through either of the two links below. Support Local and Independent music teachers, or teacher coop music schools.

https://suzukiassociation.org/find-a-suzuki-teacher/
https://www.rcmusic.com/find-a-teacher

The Suzuki Teacher Location Service database contains only teachers that are interested in adding students to their studio—not all SAA members. Many teachers have not opted in to this listing service. The information presented in the Directory is not verified by…

12/15/2017

Congratulations to all my students who performed at the studios winter recital! Everyone was fantastic :)

11/27/2017

http://blog.twedt.com/archives/2045

“Why be the cow when you can be the farmer?” In my previous article, How Music Teacher Directories Hurt Private Music Teachers, I began with the same quote and compared music …

08/12/2017

Currently accepting students for the 2017 / 2018 year. Lessons now available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Call, text, email, or send a message on this page to schedule a free trial lesson!

06/19/2017

The studios first recital, held at
the Abilities Centre in Whitby Shores.

10/27/2016

Just a 3 minute walk from Whitby Shores Elementary School! It is mandatory for One Parent of a children to attend all lessons to ensure their musical education :)

10/11/2016

How is Suzuki Music education different from traditional music education?

• Suzuki teachers believe that musical ability can be developed in all children.
• Students begin at young ages.
• Parents play an active role in the learning process and attend all lessons.
• Children become comfortable with the instrument before learning to read music.
• Technique is taught in the context of pieces rather than through dry technical exercises.
• Pieces are refined through constant review.
• Students perform frequently, individually and in groups.

What is the Suzuki Method?

Shinichi Suzuki was a violinist, educator, philosopher and humanitarian. Born in 1898, he studied violin in Japan for some years before going to Germany in the 1920s for further study. After the end of World War II, Dr. Suzuki devoted his life to the development of the method he calls Talent Education.

Suzuki based his approach on the belief that “Musical ability is not an inborn talent but an ability which can be developed. Any child who is properly trained can develop musical ability, just as all children develop the ability to speak their mother tongue. The potential of every child is unlimited.”

Dr. Suzuki’s goal was not simply to develop professional musicians, but to nurture loving human beings and help develop each child’s character through the study of music.

About Gillan Latour

Gillan has been playing piano since age six, and has studied under various Suzuki Teachers such as Barbie Adams, Katherine Monsour Barley, and Taylor Sutherland. Gillan completed the Grade 8 exam at Royal Conservatory of Music, and is currently working towards the Grade 10 exam. As well as private instruction in Piano, he attended Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts in North York from grade 7-12, where he studied cello and orchestra performance with Julia Bowkun and Jolanta Hickey. In 2012, he attended the University of Kings College in Halifax and completed the Foundation Year Programme, and subsequently transferred to the University of Toronto. As well as teaching from his home studio, Gillan is a piano teacher at the Durham School of Music in Pickering Village.

10/10/2016

When we learn to speak, we learn through the mother tongue I.e modeling , repetition, and listening. We learn to read later, once we have achieved the ability to speak fluently - this is the same principal used in the Suzuki method.

In Suzuki, teachers do not just teach children (and adults) songs, but provide the foundations of technique, musicality, and familiarity with the piano. Children learn all the songs by ear through listening to the recordings daily, practicing with their parent daily, and the teachers instruction and support weekly. Once they have
learned and perfected all the songs in the first book, children "graduate" to book two, and perform all the songs from memory in their home to their parents, family, and friends in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere.

The the process of learning book one is a commitment by the student, practicing parent, and the teacher. This triangle commits to the musical education of the child, and approaches this commitment with positivity and wamrth. For the parent and child, the process is both a challenging and rewarding bonding experience.

Typically, book one takes about one - two years to complete. However, every person is different: I myself took four years! Every child can learn.

Once book one is complete, children begin to learn to read music. With the skills from book one, fly through the subsequent books.
In comparison to the Royal Conservatory of Music's grading system, book one goes as far as grade 2 level, and book two progresses to a grade 4 level.

Evan started taking lessons at 'The Suzuki School of Music' exactly 1 year ago. This video, recorded Sept.25 2011, represents his 'graduation' from Piano Boo...

10/10/2016

https://youtu.be/LX5Rogf-SYo

An Enterprise story for KOMU 8 News.