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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Assignments from February 7th
Hello Everyone!
I hope you’re all staying warm this week!
Euan:
For warm up this week please use a metronome when playing your C Major scale. Review the scale playing hands separately first before trying to play hands together. When playing hands together, try your best to line up each note with the click of the metronome as this dictates where the beat falls at the given tempo. Start at 60 beats per minute and slowly increase the speed from there as you get more comfortable. You can also continue to practice the G Major scale hands separately this week. Please find the melody and chords for “We Will Rock You” here. Please note that the rhythms in the melody are complicated. We will discuss these in class but for now Euan is encouraged to use the sheet music to reference the notes he is to play while using his ear to match the rhythm of the song as he knows it. When practicing “We Will Rock you” please also practice building the e minor, G Major, and D Major chords with the fifth, third, and first finger of the left hand. Remember; triads are built with an interval of a 3rd and a 5th stacked on top of your root note! I’ve provided chord figures below the melody line of We Will Rock you with the proper fingerings. The chords are as follows: e minor (E G B) G Major (G, B, D) D Major (D, F#, A). If you have any questions about the notation and sheet music we can discuss these in class next week.
Berke:
I have provided a new homework sheet for this week. It is similar to the note book from last week but focuses on Major keys with flats and their key signatures. It also asks Berke to identify and write out the key signatures for minor keys. Remember; to find the relative minor of a major key, find the 6th scale degree of that major key (C Major = a minor). Please complete this sheet and bring it back next week so we can discuss this further. When practicing the andante in g minor this week Berke can practice the A section hands together. Focus on any spot where there is a pause between notes or bars. Isolate these spots and review them on their own before adding them back into the full phrase. For the B Section, please review the left hand. Make note of any parts in the B section that are repetitive to help you learn the structure of the song. Review the right hand of the B section and ensure you are using the proper fingerings to help you navigate the contour of the line. When you feel confident navigating the left hand of the B section you can slowly try playing this hands together. We will try this in class next week.
Thank you Everyone!
Happy Practicing!
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.
