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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Saturday, March 7th
Jack
Jack is again making progress with the Visual Drumset Method book. This time around I am happy to share that not only is he willing to use right hand for snare drum, but also willing to use the cross hand method to play beats with hihat and snare drum together. I am also easing him into reading actual score through relating it to the graphics. We will pick a simple song next week and try to learn it through reading.
Nova
We are working on Insomnia by EVE for one more week. My goal for them is to play through section A to C and we will call an end to the song. Note all the repetition and all the transition are now the tricky parts. Watch the score following video available below for better hint on how each beat relates to the song.
If the score currently notated on the notebook confuses Nova, here is a clearer score on the Drive:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-wuCVCRI2cYEydeiK1QbyYUzIq-uRP1W/view?usp=drive_link
I will also like to get back to some xylophone for next week and make that their homework for March break.
Adam
I continue working on rudiments with Adam, and in the weeks coming, I hope to work on that with the Stick Control book. This class I introduced a new exercise that switches between 8th note and 16th note, and one thing to pay attention to is wrist relaxation and evenness.
Then we moved onto doing more of Enter Sandman. This week we worked on Chorus again. Best way to master this, is practise with the score as much as possible, observe the details, then listen to the song, relate those details to what happens in the vocal or the guitar riff. Another thing to try is to hum the melody with him as he does the cymbal thing at the last bar. We will work towards playing with music under speed next week.
Nicolas
We spent more time working on Merry Go Around today. I have been notating theory homework for him weekly, and hopefully that builds his note reading skill but also make it a habit. In terms of the song, think about how to bring out the right hand more as it is the melody. Adjust through stick height as well as finger control. Also since the song is a waltz, a dance! think about how to sound more elegant and coherent from note to note. Also Hymn of Freedom is sounding really good and we will do some fine tuning of the song when the exam is near.
Jonah
We started the song Superstition by Stevie Wonder. My goal for him this week is to get through page one, and the tricky bars are the last two bars of the page. Make sure to follow the sticking carefully, but also keep a good count of the beats. We will aim to finish the song in the next few classes.
Preferred Books for Katie’s Students
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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.
