General

One of the most important skills children need today isn’t memorization. It’s adaptability. In a world that is constantly changing, children need to learn how to shift their thinking, solve problems creatively, manage challenges, and adjust when things don’t go as planned. Scientists call this cognitive flexibility — the brain’s ability to switch between ideas, […]

At Donais Studios, we are entering one of the most exciting times of the year: performance season. This Friday, our artists take the stage at Coffee House. In May, RISE Children’s Choir celebrates five incredible years at our Anniversary Concert, and in June, our Donais Studios Spring Concert, Inspire, brings our community together in celebration

Last week, our family traded snow boots for sandals and set sail on a Caribbean cruise for March Break. It was a week filled with sunshine, blue skies, turquoise waters, and unexpected reminders of why we do what we do as artists, educators, and parents. One evening, the ship hosted a “bandeoke” night—karaoke, but with

This September, I stepped back into the classroom after 14 years away from school education. The changes have been eye-opening. When I first began teaching in 2004, students craved consistency. They loved routine. They found comfort in familiarity. If we sang a favourite song or played a beloved musical game, they would ask to repeat

Goals are fascinating, aren’t they? Every January we set them with excitement and intention. And then one of two things usually happens: a) We feel discouraged when progress doesn’t happen quicklyb) We quietly forget about them by March. Sound familiar? For singers — especially teenagers and young adults navigating school, friendships, auditions, performances, and life

At The Artist Within Academy, we just completed an incredible week of performances at the Newmarket Voice Festival. This cherished community festival offers singers the opportunity to perform and receive valuable, encouraging feedback from professional voice adjudicators.   Performance categories include Classical Voice, Musical Theatre, Popular Voice, Speech Arts and Drama, and Songs from the

It has been three weeks since my last blog post, and what a whirlwind it has been!  Between Halloween, Remembrance Day, Coffee House performances, the Holiday Heroes kick-off event, concert planning, teaching, curriculum writing, report cards, and Vera’s extra-curriculars, the days have flown by in a blur of activity and artistry. In what feels like

As we step into our last week with the colour orange — the colour of fall sunsets, crunchy leaves underfoot, jack-o-lantern smiles, and towering sunflowers — we arrive at one of its most joyful qualities: fun. Singing is work — real work. It demands focus, repetition, patience, breath, awareness, and grit. Anything we deeply care

October always feels like a burst of possibility — from jack-o-lanterns to sunflowers to pumpkin-spiced everything — but beyond the seasonal glow, orange represents optimism, independence, adventure, creativity, and fun. What a perfect energy to carry into our artistic journey this month. Confidence and self-trust are not things we’re magically born with — they are

October glows with orange—the colour of optimism, independence, creativity, and fun. But this week, we’re adding one more spark to that list: adventure. Adventure is the heartbeat of artistry. It’s what happens when we step outside the familiar and explore new paths with curiosity and courage. It’s about the willingness to try something new—to take