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
Is Katie Your Teacher?
Sign up now to get your weekly assignments delivered, and never lose your homework sheet again!
Homework Assignments for the Week of November 9, 2025
Josh
Recommended minutes to practice: Enjoy your trip!! Before I see you next, try to figure out the next song you want to learn.
What to practice: “Spaceman” by the Killers, “Sunflower” by Post Malone
How to practice it most effectively: try to review these songs once before our next lesson to jog your memory.
How parents can support practice: help Josh pick his next song!
Shayne
Recommended minutes to practice: I know Shayne doesn’t have a drum set to practice on yet, so I’d recommend just listening to some songs he might want to try out.
How parents can support practice: Help Shayne pick some new songs for next week. We have been having a lot of fun playing along to songs like “Iron Man” so far.
Noah
Recommended minutes to practice: try to review this song, especially the structure and the kick pattern at least once or twice this week.
What to practice: work on playing through the song and smoothing out the changes in structure! Come up with some fun fills or transitions if you’d like as well.
How to practice it most effectively: focus on the sections that challenge you the most – fills, complicated kick patterns.
Finn
Recommended minutes to practice: review “clint eastwood” at least once this week and try to think of a new song to play!
What to practice: play along to the songs we’ve been working on – “Yellow,” “The Abominable Snow Cone,” and “Clint Eastwood”
How to practice it most effectively: try to read along to the music I’ve written for “Clint Eastwood”
How parents can support practice: help Finn come up with a new song to start learning next week – something with some variation and challenge preferably.
Mateo
Recommended minutes to practice: I know school can be busy at this time of year – if you can work in some time to review our songs this week that would be great.
What to practice: work on the fills for “Your Love,” as well as keeping up the endurance with your kick pedal and your right hand on the ride cymbal.
How to practice it most effectively: practice just playing fast on the kick – try to see what works for you to be able to play double strokes on the kick quickly. Also, the song is very fast at 100% speed, and I think you should figure out how to play the grooves in a way where you don’t necessarily need to play every kick note, but can still maintain the overall feel of the song.
Jared
Recommended minutes to practice: try to find some time to internalize and get familiar with the fills we worked on this week.
What to practice: listen along to the song and try to be able to play the fills as they come along, especially the new ones on the last page that we just learned. Also review the groove for the chorus (Specifically those hihats).
How to practice it most effectively: break down the feel of each fill, and figure out how to recreate them in a way that’s your own!
Koel
Recommended minutes to practice: I know midterms are around the corner, so I have 0 expectations for practicing this week. Good luck!!
What to practice: Great job with “Bring Me To Life” today! Keep working on the kick pattern for the Verse section in the song.
How to practice it most effectively: Play along to the YouTube video at 80-90% speed. Isolate and break down the individual grooves that are the most difficult, especially the “Verse” section with the complicated kick patter.
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.
