Bachelor of Fine Arts (York University)
Katie Thurman is a singer, pianist, accompanist, and teacher based in Toronto. Her passion for music has been with her since childhood, and she is excited to have recently completed her undergraduate degree in music at York University.
Trained classically in piano, she continues to explore other styles including pop and jazz, as well as write her own compositions. Her vocal training is in both classical and musical theatre styles, as well as lengthy choral experience both in and out of school.
Katie spent 6 years singing with WIBI A Cappella, a collegiate-based group, during her time at York, and is proud to have competed with them twice in the ICCA (the very competition the Pitch Perfect films were based on!). Currently, she sings with the Toronto-based That Choir.
Katie loves all types of music, but spends most of her time listening to pop, indie, and alt-pop records.
Katie also writes her own songs and is working towards putting together an EP. Aside from music, Katie’s other passions include baking, film, and psychology. She loves teaching and is always pushing herself to grow pedagogically and musically!
Get to know Katie…Beyond the Bio!
Hobbies: baking, watching movies/TV, writing, yoga, hiking
Musical influences: Classical: Natalie Dessay, Maria Callas/Pop: Arcade Fire, Lana Del Rey, BANKS, Florence & the Machine, Rhye
Favourite food: Pasta
Least favourite food: Seafood
Favourite music: pop & alt-pop, indie/folk, dance, and all things Celtic
Favourite song: currently “Favourite Boy” by Half Moon Run
Favourite movie: Eighth Grade
Favourite movie music: A Single Man, music composed by Abel Korzeniowski?
Favourite musical theatre/opera: Les Misérables
Best quote from your teacher: Vocal teacher: “Just go for it! We want to hear ‘Katie-and-a-half'”.
Favourite quote: Motivation comes from work
Favourite book: The Handmaid’s Tale
Best thing about teaching at ABC: I like sharing my knowledge with students, and I learn from them too!
Latest Homework from Katie
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Thursday April 25 Lessons – Erin P
I’m happy to be back and hear all you lovely people and see your shining faces! At the bottom I’m going to attach all of your technique requirements so we don’t let anything slip through.
Our recital is Sunday May 5th at 12:30 OR 1:30. At least half of you are already signed up, but we’d love to see you all there.
Liam
You can start testing your memorization of repertoire (not etudes) by setting the book open beside you. Do not play Minuet from memory until you’ve got the extra LH notes the second time the theme plays solid.
Sonatina in G major – Think dynamics dynamics dynamics. When you lock in and think about making it really sing, it sounds lightyears different then when you’re just trying to get through the piece. Polishing mode ON!
Walk the Talk – WOOHOO! Make sure the G is ON the beat and the dotted quarter notes are syncopated for *that* part.
Minuet in G – Great work! 1. Add in trills, they are just little quiet additions to make the line more beautiful, they should not change the rhythm of the other notes or be loud and stick out. 2. Add in the circled LH notes you keep forgetting 3. add in LH for the second half. Notice the patterns and sequences. The phrase endings are classic I-V-I cadences, just represented with fewer notes.
Prelude VII – 1. Pedal – you can practice the pedal with just the LH to get it easier, think as soon as your LH pinky plays, raise and lower the pedal. Try and do it only enough that the sound breaks, and not big enough that the actual pedal mechanism makes a clunk. 2. Phrasing of RH. Look to dynamics. 3. Rhythm of dotted half note and then quarter note, just play on beats 1 and 4.
Technique – Keep on keeping on! If you need any more resources, look at this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xSaKNyGX2c&ab_channel=ClassicalSqueak
Katarina
Somewhere over the Rainbow – We will add chords to this next week
We will play the game in your book about the honey next week. You played the two honey pieces well! Play any other written pieces prior to this in the book, you have the skills!
Marita
*New* Allegretto in C by Neefe – HT for the A and B section. Notice the two bar sequences in the B section and how they get quiter each time. Great great reading, and articulation!
Today we did some awesome voice leading using both hands for vi-IV-I-V in C.
Sara
Air in Bb – Very nice even tempo! Try adding some dynamic shaping to even the little 16th note lines, like a small swell as it raises and lowers. Dynamic range can be bigger and more dramatic.
Sonatina in C – Your balance is getting better! Be proud! Careful the 16th note runs in the RH do not become swung or uneven.
Nighttime – use a swing beat as a metronome, there are only specific spots you tend to rush. Great attention to details on the rests.
Cloud Dance and Ballade– I’ll hear next week
Technique is all great, love the shaping and the examiner will too.
https://www.rhythmrandomizer.com?s=34020608403010205060d0e10
Ear training mock exam part 2 (5 minutes long)
Marco
Minuet – count quarter notes even. The tempo you are currently at is the final tempo, it is not a fast piece.
The Snake – eliminate hesitation between when one hand stops and the other ends. LH line I circled some notes you forgot to play.
Song of the Dark Woods – LH fingering in the 3rd line is necessary for legato. Do not bump the last LH note of each line, float off beautifully. Start quiet so you have somewhere to grow.
Morning Fanfare – LH rhythm is just quarter note-8th-8th, you do not keep to copy the RH’s 16th note. Practice doing the LH rhythm like a staccato robot, on the piano or just tapping your hand, while playing the RH. Listen.
Superman – First part after the intro is HT with C B A G in the LH as quarter notes. Second part is HT but just C whole notes in the LH until the phrase ending. Final section will be C in quarter notes under the opening intro rhythm in the RH. Go slow and you can just hit a nearby surface in the correct rhythm with your LH while acually playing the piano with your RH.
Daniel
Periwinkle – Great attention to detail! You said you want to do the dynamics even more dramatic and I agree. I circled the quarter rest before the ending.
Breezy – Also very nice! Good lifting between the 2 note slurs.
Entree – nice trill technique, ensure they are not really long though, only as many notes as are written at the bottom of the page, light and easy.
The Wind – practice pedalling in the 3/4 section by blocking the chords to make it easier, as soon as you press the “new” note (as in the chord has changed) lift up your foot and then put it down quickly. Don’t do this *before* the new note. LH Fingering! 1235 to make it legato as you switch chords.
Technique – Spend some time doing chromatic again, keeping the fingering the same ascneding and descending. Remember to use the fingers in the order they are on your hand when playing two white notes beside each other, no need to cross over. Reference this if you need ANY help.
Greta
Minuet in F – Nice work! Ensure you are keeping the rhythms steady and consistent. “Run-ning walk walk” is the main rhythm of this piece. How you play it in the B section is correct and is how they should all sound. Today we played it at 100 bpm and it sounded nice and steady. We want to get it to 120 eventually.
Follow the Leader – Staccato!! Fix one note I circled (D in hands). Add dynamics in now.
Red Satin Jazz – Great job!! Awesome rhythms and fingering. Trust yourself with the 6ths, you’re doing it right. In the B section, the RH first does a C triad inversion, then a root position F – they are not the same shape.
Detectives – key signature!! All Bs and Es are flat. Use the RH fingering to keep it legato, detach and bounce the LH.
Technique – Keep working on your scale fingering. Reference this if you need ANY help.
Preferred Books for Katie’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
Faber & Faber Piano Adventures
The 2nd Edition Primer Lesson Book introduces the keyboard, note values, and the grand staff. Students play in C 5-finger scale patterns, develop recognition of steps and skips, and learn letter names independent of finger number. Musicianship is built through the use of dynamics and coloristic experimentation with the pedal. The book is organized into units which represent the major concepts and skills. As new units are introduced, earlier concepts and skills are constantly reviewed.
Alfred's Adult Basic All-In-One
Alfred’s Basic Adult All-in-One Course is designed for use with a piano instructor for the beginning student looking for a truly complete piano course. It is a greatly expanded version of Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course that will include lesson, theory, and technique in a convenient, “all-in-one” format. This comprehensive course adds such features as isometric hand exercises, finger strengthening drills, and written assignments that reinforce each lesson’s concepts. There is a smooth, logical progression between each lesson, a thorough explanation of chord theory and playing styles, and outstanding extra songs, including folk, classical, and contemporary selections.
RCM Voice Repertoire
A Comprehensive Voice Series serves as the official resource for voice assessments of the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program. Featuring an outstanding selection of voice literature and supporting materials, this series offers a truly enriched learning experience to help ensure student success. As in previous editions, Resonance encompasses a rich and varied selection of Repertoire, Vocalises and Recitatives that students of all ages and voice types will find appropriate to their musical interests and level of technical ability.
Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer
The vocal workouts in this much-anticipated follow-up to Peckham’s The Contemporary Singer are based on Berklee College of Music’s highly effective vocal method. This volume will help vocalists develop the voice through good vocal health, warm-up exercises, advanced techniques, stage performance advice and more. Includes companion online audio for ultimate interactive education!
Alfred's Teach Yourself to Sing
Learn to sing and open up a brand new world of musical knowledge with this exciting method from Alfred Music. Beginning with the fundamentals, you will learn about equipment used by singers, vocal health, and getting acquainted with reading music. You will then move right along to breathing, vocalizing, proper warm-ups, and singing songs, lesson by lesson, all while continuing to increase your knowledge of reading and understanding music. You will learn to sing an array of musical styles including pop, jazz, classical, and musical theater. Near the end of the book, you will be introduced to the idea of individual interpretation, which will help you color your songs with your own unique style. The book features a chord and scale chart for reference during and after your lessons.