Gina’s Story
I gained my Bachelor of Music Performance from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada where I studied voice as my major instrument and piano as a minor instrument. I later studied privately with Henriette Asch and Victor McCorry, both faculty at the University of Toronto. In Toronto I have sung with large orchestras as a classical soloist and with the Toronto Symphony Chorus for many years. I’ve sung with Tafelmusik and other small ensembles.
My favourite classical composers to sing are Bach and Mozart, and my favourite composers to play are Bach, Scarlatti and Debussy, but the ultimate is Beethoven. 😍
That doesn’t mean I don’t rock out at my keyboard singing Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison and even Taylor Swift, too! Good music is good music no matter which genre or time period. I was raised on rock & roll, country and pop as well as developing my own personal taste for folk, blues and jazz.
I have had some excellent experiences with teachers and I’ve had some not-so-great experiences. Many times teachers would instruct me to ‘sing on the breath’ or ‘use your diaphragm’ and not be able to explain how to do those things. They weren’t curious enough to find a way through an impasse in my lessons and it was just left to me to go away and work it out on my own, which was really frustrating.
The best experiences I had with teachers were curiosity-driven. These teachers had an arsenal of technical exercises that solved the usual problems that everyone experienced. But as I became more advanced (particularly as a singer) there were obstacles that were specific just to me and my development at that time. This is where lessons became really interesting; I had teachers who were curious and open to trying different approaches that weren’t run-of-the-mill. Because of their relatability and investment in me, I trusted them enough to take chances and make sounds that weren’t particularly pretty in order to find the mechanism that was going to help me make incredible sounds, and sing pieces and passages that I never dreamed I could sing. They were passionate, they believed in me and never gave up on me.
These are the teachers that I aim to emulate, and these are the experiences that I wish to cultivate for you.
The Greek Myth of Hesperides
In Greek mythology, the Garden of the Hesperides was like the ultimate VIP club of the ancient world—a magical paradise hidden away at the edge of the known world. This lush, enchanted garden was home to the Hesperides, three nymphs who were the daughters of the mighty Titan Atlas. Their main job? Guarding the garden’s most prized possession: the golden apples of immortality.
These weren’t just any apples. Plucked from a tree gifted by Gaia (Mother Earth) herself, these golden fruits were said to grant eternal life to anyone who tasted them. So, as you can imagine, they were a pretty hot commodity and needed to be cultivated and protected from the thieving hands of Heracles.
Just like the legendary Garden of the Hesperides, your musical talent is a hidden treasure, waiting to be discovered and nurtured. Picture this: inside you, there’s a tree full of golden apples—each one representing one of your many musical gifts. But, as in the myth, these talents don’t just blossom on their own. They need a bit of care, attention, and maybe a little help from a modern-day guide.
That’s where Hesperides Music comes in! Think of me as your musical nymph—here to guide you, protect your gifts, and help you cultivate them into something truly magical. With a nurturing, playful environment, we’ll unlock your inner musical mojo, turning those hidden talents into skills that shine as brightly as any golden apple.
In the end, your musical journey isn’t just about finding the apples; it’s about realizing that the real magic was inside you all along, just waiting to be brought to life. So, let’s dive in, explore your garden of gifts, and watch your musical talents grow into something legendary.
The totally rad nymphs of Hesperides finding their musical mojo.