Community Music Schools of Toronto

"There are so many ways to build a life around music and helping students see those possibilities is incredibly important.” -Thompson Egbo Egbo

Thompson Egbo-Egbo joined CMST (then Regent Park School of Music) as a 16-year-old piano student and has remained deeply connected to the organization ever since as an educator, mentor, board member, and supporter. Through his philanthropic foundation, Thompson has supported dozens of CMST students in continuing their music education.

In a recent web story, Thompson shares his unique perspective on the school’s growth and the impact of music education over the years.

Read Thompson's story here:
https://www.communitymusic.org/post/from-student-to-supporter-thompson-s-journey-with-cmst

Today is the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. It is day dedicated to protecting Indigenous rights and celebrating Indigenous cultures. CMST strives to honour and celebrate Indigenous cultures through our teaching, learning opportunities and programs.

Yesterday, Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre's 9th Annual Youth Gathering took place in Regent Park. This gathering was a celebration of the vibrant culture, community and youth leadership in Regent Park through traditional drumming, dancing, community celebrations and Indigenous food. CMST was honoured to participate with an information table sharing more about our programs, including our Weekly Drum Circle and to celebrate together.

During the school year, CMST students in Regent Park and Jane Finch explore electronic music through Synth Club which is a free drop-in program where young people create, experiment, and express themselves using digital and modular synthesizers.

Research on Synth Club, developed in partnership with the Responsive Ecologies Lab (RE/Lab) at Toronto Metropolitan University and York University's Helen Carswell Community Engaged Research in the Arts initiative, has been featured in Canadian Music Educator magazine.

Read the full article to learn how Synth Club is expanding access to creative music-making:
https://www.designingsoundfutures.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/synth-club.pdf

CMST graduate and violin faculty member Catherine Chen shares that CMST was more than a place to learn music – it became a space to build skills and confidence that would carry into every stage of her academic and professional life. In a recent web story, Catherine reflects on the connections between music education (she returns to CMST on Saturdays as a violin teacher, while balancing her demanding clinical training!), medicine as she completes her third year of residency in Pediatric Neurology at SickKids Hospital, and the role CMST has played in shaping both her life and career.

Read Catherine's story here:
https://www.communitymusic.org/post/from-cmst-student-to-resident-physician-catherine-s-journey-comes-full-circle

A huge thank you to the Toronto Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association for supporting CMST through your Spring Gala Fundraiser.

Music education helps young people develop many of the same skills that drive success in business - discipline, teamwork, leadership, and creative problem-solving. Thanks to your generosity, children and youth will have the opportunity to build these skills through free, high-quality music education.

We are grateful for your partnership and support of our students!

Run (jog or stroll!) for CMST this fall! We are a charity partner with the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon taking place in October and spots are still open for the 5KM Race. Register online at the link below and join us to raise funds for CMST.

https://raceroster.com/111134?aff=DDGXL

Join us for The Park Songbook - A Retrospective Listen on Friday, July 24, 7PM in Aki Studio, 585 Dundas Street East. This event is free and no tickets required.

Zorana Sadiq (voice) and Kate Carver (piano) will explore The Park Songbook, a landmark CMST and Canadian Music Centre project featuring art songs inspired by student-written lyrics and composed by some of Canada's leading composers.

Through performance and conversation, they'll reflect on this unique six-volume collection and its lasting impact on generations of young musicians, joined by special CMST alumni guests.

🎶 School's out, but the music plays on! 🎶

Congratulations to all of our amazing students on a fantastic year of learning, growing, and making music together. We're so proud of all you've accomplished and can't wait to see what the next school year brings!

Take a look at some highlights from our year - Recitals, performances, collaborations, and more!