What's Your Forte?

What's Your Forte?

By BandologyMusicMusic Interviews
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What's Your Forte? episodes

  • Arts-Based Research And the Value of Music Education with Mason Micevski

    Today, we’re speaking with Laurier alum Mason Micevski on the importance of arts education, getting a Masters degree and the value of community.

    Mason Micevski is a recent graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Masters in Community Music. Apart from his studies, he is a professional musical theatre performer, playwright and the Creative Director of Emerson Arts in Hamilton, Ontario. Mason has danced with the National Ballet. and performed on stages from Niagara to Belleville. He is also the creator of the best selling book ‘The Stage Light Flickers.’
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    10 min
  • Olivia Vaughan On Double Majoring in English and Music! What's Your Forte - Season 5

    It’s time for another episode of What’s Your Forte!

    Today, Tamara Djuknic speaks with Olivia Vaughan, a graduate of Western University’s Bachelor of Arts program, double majoring in English and Music. Olivia provides useful insights for students who are passionate about music but may not want a career in it. And you won’t want to miss her tips on dealing with the workload of being a double major!

    12 min
  • From Music Major to Lawyer - Erin White's Experience! What's Your Forte - Season 5

    Passionate about music but not interested in becoming a music teacher or a performer? Erin White received her Bachelor’s of Music from Wilfrid Laurier University, but now she’s preparing to become a lawyer! In this insightful conversation with Tamara Djuknic, Erin talks about how her background in music made her stand out as a law student at the University of Ottawa and how studying music has changed her life.


    This is a great episode of the podcast that you definitely won’t want to miss!

    15 min
  • Madison Keats Explains the Value of Percussion | What's Your Forte? Season 5

    It’s time for another episode of What’s Your Forte! In this captivating episode, Tamara speaks with percussionist Madison Keats about what it means to really lean into your craft. Madison also delves into the heart of percussion ensembles, sharing her profound insights on the value of teamwork and trusting your fellow percussionists.


    Madison Keats (she/her) describes her interest in music beginning with a feeling of finally fitting in and strives to ensure she conveys that feeling to everyone she meets. As a female percussionist she hopes to inspire girls to take a chance on percussion and aspires to make music more accessible to larger audiences. Madison holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance with a minor in Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University. Madison has participated in many clinics, seminars, and ensembles such as WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles) Youth Wind Orchestra, Stratford Symphony, and Torq Percussion Seminar, among others. Using her various experiences, Madison hopes to inspire the next generation of musicians.


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    10 min
  • Sara Thoeny and Karen Guan Discuss Being Music Therapy Majors | What's Your Forte? Season 5

    Welcome back to another season of What's Your Forte? This season is all about different and unique careers someone can have with a background in music. To kick off the season, Tamara Djuknic interviewed Karen and Sara, two music therapy students at Laurier University.


    Sara Thoeny (all pronouns) is a music educator, performer and composer. Sara has been playing piano since the age of five years old and has since learned to play guitar, ukulele, double bass and French horn. Sara has completed RCM level 10 piano and is working on her Community Music/Music Therapy degree at Wilfrid Laurier University. She is originally from Langley, B.C., and has performed in group settings in Hawaii, the Royal Nova Scotia Tattoo, the 25th Annual Stratford Music Festival, Kiwanis Music Festival, Fort Langley Jazz Festival and many other festivals and music events across Canada and the United States.


    Karen Guan (she/her) is a Music Therapy student at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her journey with music started at the age of 5 and has continued to grow ever since. She has played the flute in many concert bands over the years and enjoys singing various styles of music in choirs across Ontario. Karen also sings in an acapella ensemble and has been the president of this group since 2023.

    11 min
  • 2023 Year-in-Review Part 1: Looking Back on Our Best Year Yet

    On our penultimate episode of What’s Your Forte? for 2023, Sandy and Ryan, our Community Programs Manager, sit down and review Bandology’s best year yet and answer questions from our Executive Director Lisa Michaels. Part Two comes out on Saturday, December 30, 2024. (Pictured, L-R: Ryan MacKinnon, Sandy Wright and Sara Thoeny, our Programming Team.)

    31 min
  • Amanda Kind and the Winding Paths of Music Careers

    Our guest this week is Amanda Kind, the Artistic Director of KW Glee, as well as a singer, songwriter, and commercial and musical theatre voice teacher based in Waterloo! She joins Sandy on What’s Your Forte? to talk about her unique career path and the importance of lifelong learning. Watch now on YouTube or listen on your preferred podcast platform!

    Amanda has released a wide variety of music including country singles “Slow Dance” (#1 on SiriusXM Top of the Country), “The Good Fight” and many others. She is a member of the Songwriter’s Association of Canada, SOCAN, and the Canadian Country Music Association. She spent her teenage years obsessed with everything from Ella Fitzgerald to Shania Twain to Broadway, so it’s no wonder that she has sung everything from opera, jazz and musical theatre to pop, rock and country.

    As an evidence-based commercial voice specialist, Amanda works with a broad range of clients including professional singers, label and indie artists and aspiring performers in many genres. She teaches commercial music at Wilfrid Laurier University and has been a guest lecturer, adjudicator and workshop facilitator for many other music education programs. Amanda is on the board for the National Association of Teachers of Singing in Ontario.

    Her education includes a Musical Theatre Diploma from Canadian College of Performing Arts, a music certificate from Kwantlen College, a Bachelor's degree from the University of Waterloo, and professional development in vocal pedagogy at the Boston Conservatory, Shenandoah University (Levels, I, II, II at the CCM Institute) and Evidence-Based Pedagogy certification from MTVS. For more about Amanda, visit www.amandakind.com.

    52 min
  • Rebekah-Jordan Miller on Music Education and Lifelong Learning

    This week we welcome Dr. Rebekah Jordan-Miller to our What’s Your Forte? podcast! Rebekah is the Director of the Laurier Academy of Music and Arts (LAMA) and an instructor at Wilfrid Laurier University's Faculty of Music (WLU). She joins our Education Manager Sandy Wright to talk about her journey in music, the importance of music education and our collaboration on March Break Music Camp!

    Rebekah is a seasoned piano pedagogue, accredited music therapist and pianist who has performed widely, both as a soloist and collaborative artist throughout Canada, the United States, Austria, Australia and Norway. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance and piano pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, a Masters degree in Music Therapy from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music.
    In addition to her role as Director, Rebekah is a music therapist and piano instructor at LAMA, as well as a contract faculty member of music therapy courses at WLU. Her current music therapy practice at LAMA consists of a diverse client population with everything from adapted music lessons for children with cognitive and/or physiological challenges to Neurological Music Therapy sessions for adults with traumatic brain injuries. Rebekah is an active adjudicator, RCM examiner and clinician. She previously held academic positions at Oklahoma City University, Shorter University in Rome, Georgia and Western University in London, Ontario.

    32 min
  • Cynthia Johnston Turner on How Music Will Save the World | Episode 40

    Our season finale of What’s Your Forte, with special guest Cynthia Johnston Turner, is out now! She and Sandy talk about her journey from small-town Ontario to conducting bands with jets flying overhead, ways you can differentiate yourself as an artist and the best parts of being the Dean of Laurier’s Faculty of Music.

    The first in her  family to attend university, Cynthia received her B.Mus. and B.Ed. from  Queen’s University, a M.Ed. at the University of Victoria and a D.M.A.  (Conducting) from the Eastman School of Music. She has received numerous  teaching, research, and leadership awards in Canada and the United  States.

    Cynthia was appointed Dean—Faculty of Music at Wilfrid  Laurier University on July 1, 2021.  She also oversees the Laurier  Academy of Music and the Arts, a community-based school serving hundreds  of children and their families in the region.

    Cynthia has guest  conducted bands, music ensembles and orchestras at several universities  and conservatories as well as state honor bands in the United States  and abroad. She continues to actively promote commissions by today’s  leading and emerging composers around the world with a focus on  underrepresented voices. She is published in several notable journals  and has recorded CDs with the Innova and Albany labels. Cynthia has  served as a board member with the World Association of Symphonic Bands  and Ensembles (WASBE) and currently serves on the board of the Western  International Band Clinic (WIBC).

    29 min

About What's Your Forte?

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Join us to hear musicians, conductors, composers, teachers, students and community members talk about their experiences with music and their views on the power of music education in our What's Your Forte interview series.