Programs

Memorizing music is an important skill for musicians, whether you’re a beginner learning to play an instrument or a seasoned performer preparing for a performance. Having pieces memorized enhances your performance freedom and expressiveness. Here are some proven tips and tricks to help you memorize music more effectively: 1. Understand the Structure: Analyze the Form: Break down the piece into sections. Understanding the form, such as A-B-A, sonata, or rondo, helps organize the music logically in your mind. Identify Patterns: Look for repeating motifs, sequences, and chord progressions. Recognizing these patterns significantly simplifies memorization. This is an example of my own memorization method. I will often break down the song in a visual format, allowing me to group the song into much more digestible pieces. Memorizing 30 seconds of music and then understanding where it repeats in the song is much simpler than memorizing even a short 2-minute piece. 2. Use...

A Fun and Detailed Guide for Young Musicians Have you ever wondered how musicians know which notes to play to make a song sound happy, sad, exciting, or mysterious? The answer often comes down to something called a musical scale. Scales are like the secret language of music, and once you understand them, you'll start hearing music in a whole new way! Let’s dive in! What Is a Musical Scale? A scale is a group of musical notes ordered by pitch - either going up (ascending) or down (descending). Think of a scale like a musical ladder. Each note is a step on that ladder. Some steps are close together, and some are a little farther apart. There are many kinds of scales, but the most common ones use 7 notes, and then the 8th note brings you back to the start - just higher. That 8th note is called the...

Calling all aspiring guitarists and guitar students! So you’ve picked up a guitar - awesome! Now you’re probably wondering how people figure out what notes to play without reading sheet music. Well, that’s where guitar tablature (or "tabs") comes in! Tabs are like a secret guitar code—and today, you’re going to learn how to crack it. Ready? Let’s go! What Is a Guitar Tab? A guitar tab is a special kind of music writing just for guitar players. Instead of using musical notes like in a piano book, tabs show you exactly where to place your fingers on the strings and which frets to play. Think of it like a guitar map! What a Tab Looks Like Here’s a simple guitar tab: Each line is a guitar string. From top to bottom: e = the 1st (thinnest) string B = 2nd string G = 3rd string D = 4th string A...

Hey there, young musicians! Do you ever feel a mix of excitement and butterflies in your stomach right before you perform? How about shaking hands or sweating? It’s totally normal to feel a bit nervous when you’re about to share your music with others. Even world famous performers will, sometimes, experience stage fright! But don't worry - we’ve got some awesome tips to help you feel more confident when you’re performing, ensuring you can enjoy every moment on stage. 1. Practice, Practice, Practice! Know Your Music: A ukulele Your four fingers to press the strings (it’s easy with just four strings to work with!) A big smile! --> This may seem obvious, but the more practice you put into a song, the more confident you will feel on stage. Each time you practice, you’re improving your skills, building muscle memory, and getting more comfortable with the piece of music you are...

Whether you’re a beginner just learning to switch chords or a bedroom songwriter trying to find the right rhythm for your next track, strumming is everything. The way you strum defines the feel, energy, and vibe of a song. And here’s a little secret: most pop songs stick to just a few classic strumming patterns. In this post, we’ll break down the three most commonly used strumming patterns in pop music, explain why they work, and show you how to use them to make your playing smoother and more expressive. 1. Down, Down, Up, Up, Down, Up The Universal Pop Pattern Strumming pattern: D – D – U – U – D – U (Count it like: 1 – 2 – and – and – 4 – and) This one’s a staple. It’s super dynamic, a little syncopated (which gives it groove), and works beautifully for both slow ballads and upbeat...

A Music Summer Camp Inspired by Disney for Kids in Vaughan Let your child step into the world of music and magic this summer at our Disney-inspired Magic Summer Camp in Vaughan! This fun, imaginative music camp is designed for kids ages 5–12 who adore fairy tales, musical adventures, and singing their favorite Disney songs. Whether your child dreams of being Ariel, Simba, or Mirabel, they’ll love exploring music through the stories and melodies of the Disney universe. What to Expect at Our Disney-Inspired Magic Summer Camp 🎭 Dive Into Musical Storytelling with Disney Favorites From beloved classics like The Lion King and The Little Mermaid to newer hits like Encanto and Frozen, campers will sing their favorite Disney songs while learning to express emotion and character through music. 🎨 Creative Disney-Themed Activities All Week Long Each day is packed with themed crafts, interactive games, and magical activities that bring Disney...

A One-of-a-Kind Music Camp for Video Game Lovers in Vaughan Does your child love video games like Super Mario and Donkey Kong? Our Super Sound Quest: A Video Game Adventure Summer Camp at Chorus Music Academy turns music into an exciting, game-inspired adventure, perfect for curious and creative kids in Vaughan and the GTA. This summer, let your child level up their creativity with our one-of-a-kind music summer camp inspired by the exciting world of video games! This camp blends music education with game-themed fun to create an immersive and unforgettable experience for kids ages 6–12. Inside the Super Sound Quest: Camp Activities & Themes Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store: 🎮 A Musical Video Game Adventure Campers step into a video game-inspired world where music is the key to completing challenges and collecting “game coins.” Throughout the week, they’ll explore the sounds of classic game themes, including the...

Learn Easy Guitar Songs with Just a Few Chords If you're just starting out on guitar, it can feel overwhelming trying to decide what to play. But don’t worry—some of the most fun and rewarding songs to learn only use a few simple chords. In this post, we’ll walk you through three classic beginner songs that are perfect for practicing chord shapes, building strumming confidence, and having fun. Whether you’re picking up a guitar for the very first time or brushing up on the basics, these songs will get you playing real music fast. Let’s dive in! 1. "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is a super simple and fun song for beginner students, and great for practicing the fundamental chord shapes! Chords Used: C major G major F major How to Play the chords: C major Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the B string...

Looking for a fun and enriching way to keep your children busy this summer? Music summer camps offer more than just fun - they nurture creativity, build confidence, and help children develop real-life skills in an exciting and social environment where they will also make friends. If you are from Vaughan or the Greater Toronto Area, here’s why Chorus Music Academy’s summer camps are the perfect fit for your family: 1. Enhance Focus and Creativity Music has been proven to improve memory, focus, and brain development, perfect for boosting cognitive skills before heading back to school! 2. Hands-On Music Learning Depending on the camps you sign up for, we will be incorporating a range of musical activities from vocal warmups and exercises, to drum circles, to learning to sing pop music hits or Disney classics, to diving into lyric and songwriting and more - campers will explore different areas of music...

Learn to Play "Happy Birthday" with Just 3 Easy Chords Hey there, future ukulele superstar! Are you ready to learn how to play the classic song "Happy Birthday" on your ukulele? This song is super easy and a perfect tune to play at birthday parties to make everyone smile! With just three beginner chords and step-by-step instructions, you’ll be playing this cheerful tune in no time. So grab your uke, warm up those fingers, and get ready to celebrate with music! Let’s break it down step by step so you can start playing in no time! What You’ll Need: A ukulele Your four fingers to press the strings (it’s easy with just four strings to work with!) A big smile! The Chords You’ll Need: To play Happy Birthday, we’ll only need three simple chords! These are all easy chords that you can learn quickly. Here are the chords: C major (C)...

The History Behind Jingle Bells Whether you're brushing up on seasonal favorites or simply curious about the origins of iconic songs, Jingle Bells is a classic worth knowing. Written in 1850 by James Lord Pierpont, this festive tune was originally titled "The One Horse Open Sleigh" and was actually composed for a Thanksgiving service. Today, it's one of the most well-known holiday songs around the world. Now, let’s get to the music! The Piano Keys You’ll Need At first glance, the piano might seem complicated with its mix of black and white keys, but don’t worry! You can play Jingle Bells using only five white keys. If you look closely at your piano, you’ll notice the black keys appear in a pattern of two black keys and three black keys. The white keys we will use are: C D E F G These five notes are all you need to play...

What Does "Tuning" Mean? Calling all young guitarists! Are you ready to make your guitar sound amazing? Tuning your guitar is the key to getting a clear, rich, and professional sound. Whether you're strumming chords or playing melodies, an out-of-tune guitar can make even the best playing sound wrong. But don't worry—tuning is easier than you think. With the right techniques, you can get your guitar sounding perfect in no time. A Quick Recap of Notes Before we start, let's go over some basic music notes: The seven natural music notes are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. There are also sharps and flats that slightly raise or lower these notes, but that's a lesson for another time. The 6 Strings and Their Notes Each string on your guitar makes a different sound when you play it. From thickest (lowest) to thinnest (highest), the strings are tuned to these...

Why "Smoke on the Water" is Perfect for Beginners "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple is one of the most recognizable guitar riffs of all time. It's simple melody makes it an excellent choice for beginners. Unlike other songs that require complex chords, this riff can be played using just a few frets and two fingers, making it a great way to develop finger strength and coordination. Before diving into the riff, let's first understand how to read guitar tabs, which will help you play this and many other songs. How to play the famous “Smoke on the Water” riff by Deep Purple This is a famous riff that’s perfect for beginners to practice, and you can play it without worrying about full chords. It's one of the most iconic guitar riffs out there! Before we get into the riff, let’s quickly go over how to read guitar tabs. GThe...

How to Read the Grand Staff: A Fun Guide for Kids Hey, young musicians! Are you ready to learn how to read music on the Grand Staff? Whether you’re playing piano, flute, or any other instrument, understanding the Grand Staff is an important step in reading music. But don't worry—it's not as hard as it sounds! Let’s break it down in a way that’s easy and fun to learn. The Grand Staff is made up of two staves stacked together: Treble Clef → Represents higher-pitched notes, mainly for notes above Middle C on the piano. The right hand follows the Treble Clef. Bass Clef → Represents lower-pitched notes, mainly for notes below Middle C on the piano. The left hand follows the Bass Clef. When these two clefs are connected, they form the Grand Staff, making it easier for musicians to read and play a full range of notes. The Treble...

Why This Song Is Perfect for Beginners If you're new to guitar and looking for an easy yet rewarding song to learn, you're in the right place! "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz is a great choice because it uses only four simple chords found in many other popular songs. You can --->listen to the original version here to get a feel for the melody and strumming groove. "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train "Count on Me" by Bruno Mars "Let It Be" by The Beatles And many more! Plus, this song is perfect for practicing chord transitions and strumming techniques while having fun! The Four Chords You Need These four chords form the foundation of the song. They are also some of the most commonly used chords in popular music, making them essential for beginners. The chords you'll need are: C Major (C) G Major (G) A Minor (Am) F Major (F)...