We are very pleased to announce that the  prestigious Carswell scholarship in piano was awarded this year to Sophie Coelho.

There was extremely tough competition and the other two contestants, Madison Oliver, and Mika Harada performed extremely well.

This award recognizes our most outstanding piano student. Candidates nominated for this award must be achieving  85% or higher in both examinations and competition. Along with expertise, the recipient will also demonstrates talent, dedication and showmanship.

The candidates Madison Oliver and Mika Harada are to be heartily congratulated for being nominated. Please join us next June for the 2009 studio award concert.

That the Studio continues to produce music students of high caliber is once again supported by the commendable achievements of the following students who took Royal Conservatory examinations this past year.

At Carswell Music Studios, we offer examinations comparable to those at the Royal Conservatory at half the price for twice the time allotted for an examination,  along with critical comments to help the students build on their present developing skills. E-mail or call the studio for details and/or scheduling for exams in any area: vocal, Instrumental, piano or theoretical.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of the following teacher to our already very talented staff:  Gisella Giraldi, and Aminah Hughes.

Gisella is a talented teaching assistant at Sheridan Park Public School dealing with special needs children.  She is a great choir leader, singer and helps conduct the school choirs. She is available in Mississauga to teach both voice and piano.

Aminah is a highly talented singer who was a former student of  Jim Carswell at Sheridan Park Public School and currently is studying advanced classical and jazz voice.  She offers excellent instruction in voice to beginner students. Thanks to Luisa and  Elise Ceolin for hosting our spring workshops, lead by Jim Carswell, at their house in Mississauga.  This is a great opportunity for all the students to fine-tune their playing before the December concerts and spring examinations. Our next workshop will be at the studio, on December 6.  This is a good chance to hone up on your piano skills!

Frank Iacino continues to perform in the Organ Society concerts in the Toronto area.   Vesna Vukusic performed with her string quartet and several local professional orchestras. Vesna continues to help Jim Carswell with his orchestral programme (the only one of its kind) in the Mississauga area. The orchestra consists of 85 grades 2 to 6 students from Sheridan Park Public School who arrive for 7:30 am rehearsals 4-5 times weekly. This year the instrumental group included both guitar and harp players. Their finale concert was an outdoor MUSIC IN THE PARK; a blend of classical and popular pieces.

Jim Carswell continues to work on the studio piano book, Piano Space Exploration professionally edited by the Canadian music editor Ruth Pincoe. Ruth has edited and been the consultant for the various Royal Conservatory piano, voice, and theory courses been offered.  She is active in devising many of the syllabi involved in the conservatory.  Hopefully, a new revised and exciting version of the piano book he wrote, should soon be available for our students!!  We have a few students using the new book on a trial basis.

Carswell Music Studios has an exciting section in our Internet website which you can reach at www.carswellmusic.com.  A number of our advanced students  are featured as live performers on the site.  There is a short biography of each student and a sample or movie clip of each student performing with sound.

Several of our students at the studio are performing in local music theatre productions of very high quality.  Elizabeth Amos, a student of Jim Carswell, has a major role in the Etobicoke production of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES.  Blair Barnsdale, brother of our teacher Raylin, has a major role in the Meadowvale theatre production of SWEENEY TODD.