I have had the honour and privilege of working with children, youth and young artists of all ages throughout my career as an educator, singer and choral conductor. Helping my students ignite the artist within has been my greatest joy and life’s passion. When my students ignite the artist within – they discover a creative voice, a confidence and a resilience – they never knew they had.

My love of singing began at a very young age. My dad was a singer, choral conductor and musical director. My mom was a member of our church choir and led our church youth choir. Music was no doubt a huge part of our home. From the age of six to the age of eighteen I was a member of a youth choir. It was an incredible and formative experience for me in my early years. I developed deep friendships with like-minded children who loved to sing and express themselves through music. There was power in a group setting, and I found that performing and creating together was fun and energizing. My confidence grew as we collaborated and performed for audiences large and small. We encouraged and inspired one another, we traveled together, we learned and grew together, we became confident, creative and expressive young people. The arts transformed us. We had a place where we belonged, where we fit in, where we thrived!

This (and many other) positive experiences with the arts throughout my life have undoubtedly shaped who I am as a person and an artist. I want these same transformative experiences for you. The Mini Maestros program intentionally creates positive collaborative arts experiences that are transformational and build key life skills – creativity, confidence, and self-expression – that will transport into all aspects of life. There is something very special, powerful and even magical about the arts!

xoAndrea

Andrea Donais

BMUS, MMUS, RCM certified teacher, Smart Start certified teacher