Artist Spotlight: Feels Zine

by Mikaela Brewer for The 44 North

Senior Editor

Photo of Feels Zine’s “Sexy” issue by Melissa Blackall

“[Q]ueer romances have far fewer representations in the media, and often the ones we do aren’t written by us, and are rooted in pain and trauma. This, for me, is a huge part of why I believe queer love stories are so important to share–because seeing ourselves represented gives those of us who don’t yet feel safe or seen a place to have their experiences reflected back and honoured.”

Editor's Note: Recently, I had a chance to speak with the co-founders of a zine I've long admired. We chatted all things queer love, romance, reclaiming sexiness, and more! Please check out their newest issue, "Hunger," and many others here. —Mikaela

The 44 North (44N): Firstly, before we begin, could you share why you started something like Feels Zine? How do you, your families, ancestors, community, politics, and values braid into your work on these zines? Where/how would you like folks to witness/experience this when spending time with the zines' pages? Is there anything you hope people pay particular attention to? Take action with/from?

Feels Zine (FZ): FEELS started with a dream and a friendship! Hannah, our co-founder and creative director, has worked in magazine design for a long time, but always wanted to have her own. Sarah, the co-founder and editor, is a social worker by trade and a big fan of talking about feelings. After visiting the Toronto Art Book Fair about a decade ago, we made the decision to take the leap and try making our own.

Thematically, it comes from a couple of decades of friendship centred around a deep comfort with each other discussing challenging feelings in a culture that does not always support or encourage it. It is also deeply political in nature, focusing on justice, community care, and storytelling. 

In terms of experiencing FEELS, one thing we’ve really loved is hearing the vast array of rituals people who consume it seem to have that are very personal to them. Just like feelings! We want people to sit with the content in a way that feels most true to them. The content is emotional and often challenging, and we want that to feel as safe as possible. 

Co-founders Hannah (left) and Sarah (right) at a booth offering Feels Zine issues

44N: I love that your publication is about feelings. More specifically, I admire the message that our inner worlds aren't necessarily safest when kept private. As you say, "Having an open dialogue about what’s going on inside of us can foster meaningful connection and make us feel less alone, especially in the social-media era that asks us to curate and polish our lives and feelings before sharing them—if we share them at all." When you began curating & creating zines like "Sexy" and your "Queer Romance Mini Zine," I'd love to know how you thought about representing feelings, especially since so many other emotions are present & connected to queer sex positivity, health, and safety. How did these two zines, in particular, fit into the fabric of what Feels Zine is & hopes to do?

FZ: With those issues in particular, we wanted to move away from media representations of what it means to be sexy, or what queer romance looks like, and shift the focus back onto how it actually looks in our lives—far messier and more nuanced, but also more real. As a queer person (Sarah here, so speaking for myself), I’ve always found myself disappointed in the majority of representations of queer love and sex—so much so that when I find something I connect to, I won’t shut up about it and am so excited about it. I felt that way in receiving the submissions for those issues—so thrilled to see experiences that might look different from my subjective experiences, but also so similar in the feelings and the authenticity in them. I think this is really the epitome of what we want FEELS to be—a space for something we feel in our guts as true to life.

44N: Issue 18, "Sexy," explored feeling sexy, worth, and desire. Safe, positive sex & sexiness can empower us, as you say, and should be something to celebrate! Across the work included in this zine, how did you curate/capture this beautiful balance of feeling sexy—not only re: sex, but also in how we show up in the world? 

FZ: One thing that people may not know about our process is that, once we put out a call for submissions with our overarching mission statement, we really let the submissions we receive guide the final product. We work hard to curate that mission statement to touch on different viewpoints and angles to a feeling and not lock in on any one element. But at the end of the day, the most important component is how people relate to that statement and that feeling. As much as it would be nice for our egos to say we captured all that, the truth is, the contributors did that work. We also worked hard to curate submissions that explored the spectrum of how sexiness shows up for us—in ourselves, with others, with the world, and how we communicate about it. We don’t want to showcase just one type of experience—we want as many unique experiences as possible.

The front cover of Feels Zine’s “Sexy” issue

44N: Your "Queer Romance Mini Zine" explored queer romance as an act of resistance & resilience, creating intentional space for queer love stories. I so admire this. And in conversation with what we've been discussing: romance, love, and desire aren't insufficient without sex, of course! Intimacy beyond sex is a vital part of queer love stories, and I'd love to know how this mini zine approached queer romance beyond or alongside sex?

FZ: The complementing mini zines are a concept we’ve used a few times over the years, and come straight from the submissions we receive. Every once in a while, when we’re curating an issue and reviewing submissions, a related but distinct emotion or topic jumps out at us that necessitates space-making. As we worked through our Pride Issue submissions, this became very clear as a topic that was resonating with a lot of people, and a huge component of their subjective queer identities. Romance can involve sex for a lot of people, but it isn’t a necessary component, and we hope that that rings true in the overall storytelling of the Queer Romance mini zine. 

The other thing I would note, which I mentioned above, is that queer romances have far fewer representations in the media, and often the ones we do aren’t written by us, and are rooted in pain and trauma. This, for me, is a huge part of why I believe queer love stories are so important to share–because seeing ourselves represented gives those of us who don’t yet feel safe or seen a place to have their experiences reflected back and honoured.

The front cover of Feels Zine’s “Queer Romance” mini zine

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About Feels Zine

A collage of Feels Zine issues

Feels is a publication about feelings. It is a place to explore, to share, and to be honest. Having an open dialogue about what’s going on inside of us can foster meaningful connection and make us feel less alone, especially in the social-media era that asks us to curate and polish our lives and feelings before sharing them — if we share them at all. Feels believes there are no good or bad feelings — the value comes from how we relate to them, how we experience them, and what we learn from them.

Feels believes in inclusion and recognizes that certain voices have been given the lion’s share of the spotlight throughout history. Our pages are for everyone. We are a feminist, sex-positive, 2SLGBTQ*, anti-racist, anti-colonial publication.

—Feels Zine Instagram & website

Artist Spotlight: Extended Mic

by Mikaela Brewer, ​for The 44 North

Senior Editor

Green Extended Mic Logo

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“I remember, when I was younger, I would dream about having a megaphone. In the dream, I’d be speaking to everyone—setting everyone free. I just love that; telling everyone things to encourage them to rebel. I feel like poetry is that. The poems that I want to include in Extended Mic will be, of course, meaningful, and they’ll have to speak to people and say something.”

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Editor's Note: A few weeks ago, on October 27th, I was catching up on emails and messages. I’d just had all four wisdom teeth removed a few days prior, and debated whether or not to venture into Instagram. For some reason, I decided to check, and in my DMs was a message from Extended Mic’s founder, Mariana, inviting me to a Season 1 launch event. It was that evening, so I couldn’t attend, but a door had been opened…

I soon learned that Extended Mic fosters an editorial production where spoken word poets put everything on the line; they redefine poetry in a way that’s never been seen. Mariana and I began chatting, and I knew Extended Mic would be a perfect fit for our December Artist Spotlight. We decided to record the spotlight in person, in Toronto. After meeting for coffee and realizing we shared many artistic and poetic ideas, interests, and passions, we captured the honest, authentic, and poet-centred interview you see below. 

I dearly hope you enjoy the video and written versions of our conversation as much as we did. 

Before we begin, let’s take a moment to spotlight Extended Mic’s Season 1 Poets and their stunning poetry.

Extended Mic Season 1 Poets Spotlight

The Extended Mic Season 1 Poets

Chris Ferreiras

“Protect What I Want From Me” is an expansive excavation of desire as hunger—as it both lives within and is imposed upon us. Chris weaves through feelings of guilt, longing to never need again, our inability to put out the internal fire of want, and the awareness that one of the oldest ways to meet need—to at least appease a void—is to write a poem. 

Protect What I Want From Me

Chris Ferreiras is an artist, author and poet with a magic for depth and universal truths. His words show you the secrets of the world. Chris is an established poet with a published book, “The Sun Underground & All The Colours In Between,” and a clothing collection, ‘Salt Into Gold’. 

Andrea Josic

“On Queer Platonic Love” is a generous guide to redefining platonic love: building a practice and commitment to making love with one another, like finding water in a desert. Andrea beautifully braids together trust, loneliness, conditionless touch, and grounding our humanness as love—as home.

On Queer Platonic Love

Andrea, poet laureate (2024–2026), is a writer, an award-winning poet (2019, 2020), performer, journalist, arts educator, and creative who makes space for belonging, mental health, and healing.

Andrea offers a variety of services, including performances, workshops, copywriting and editing, journalism, commissions, and 1-on-1 coaching.

Sincerelytg

“Meet Me Half Way” is a searing portrait of how someone we love can exploit our desires, needs, and care by hiding behind their wounds—in the real and metaphorical dark. Tasha places this truth in conversation with the plea to be, at least, met halfway—to be seen, held, and accepted for the wounds we carry into and through relationships.

Meet Me Half Way

Tasha is a poet with recent involvement in the sea of words. Her poetry speaks to all hearts, focusing deeply on love, self-love, and the intricacies of being a human. Tasha’s debut happened at an art event, 'Sometimes I Think Too Much,' in December of 2024, where she stepped into the world of Spoken Word for the first time.

Hannah Flores

“Sorry for the Smoke” shares a breathtaking story of the roots and impacts of climate change, particularly on the body, centring those most impacted by its wake of violence. Through the metaphor and imagery of smoking, Hannah’s poem shifts from ‘you’ to ‘we,’ emphasizing collective responsibility while peeling away the blame often placed on how people survive climate catastrophe. 

Sorry For The Smoke

Hannah Flores is an award-winning poet, biologist, and storyteller. Hannah is the rare bridge between the empirical and the magical, with honourable mentions in both Art and Science. She is the top 25 under 25 environmentalists and a 2023 BeSpatial Ontario Student Award Winner. She holds countless features across Raptors, FIFA, Dove, TED and many, many more local platforms.

kaswithlove

“out west” invites us to stand strong within our stories and truly feel the coexistence of empowerment and lingering fears of unworthiness. The poem takes on a road trip that finds reasons to live, chasing hope that we can’t always feel or see in the wake of memory, scars, and rage. kawwithlove offers life with the beautiful juxtaposition of love, protest, community, and dreaming.

out west

kaswithlove is a poet and writer based in Toronto. kaswithlove encompasses a published book, realizations; custom poetry at poesy.ca on an old typewriter; and poetry events at poetrydecoded.to, a core poetry/art organization in Toronto where he co-creates and curates events and workshops.

Poettray 

“P.B.U.Y” is an unflinching, thoughtful reminder that colonial, performative peace is often conflated with safety and liberation (as Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael) once said). Using rhyme, rhythm, repetition, and pacing, Poettray further reminds us that lived experiences in the Black community—particularly painful ones—are often assumed, tokenized, and exploited in non-profit and policy spaces. “P.B.U.Y” speaks a vital truth: safe spaces and people aren’t something we claim, but earn through care as action.

P.B.U.Y

Tray is a poet deeply involved in all aspects of life. His work ranges from fundamental Spoken Word performances across Toronto to facilitating workshops such as “The Healing Verse” and “Where Water Meets Stone.” He is the founder of a community to empower black men to break cycles @hoodman2manhood and Raps songs such as “Time & Space” ft Kinkade.

Nomo

“Let's Talk About Us” is sharp, witty, and musically layered verse that confidently questions and reclaims the language men weaponize to impose control, expectation, and superiority on women in relationships. With repeating melodies and intentionally chosen words, Nomo truly does talk about—and speak to—all of us. 

Let's Talk About Us

Nomo has a talent for incorporating rhymes and melody in her poetry, which carries you away along the path her voice paves (you learn a lesson while you’re at it, too). Her work is often found in poetry and art events around the city of Toronto. 

Molly Cole

“That Look In Your Eye” explores how desire can feel raw outside of our control. Alongside this, Molly asks us to question how we might locate desire by looking into our own eyes. Incorporating cinematic storytelling, “That Look In Your Eye” shows us how to see desire directed inward, feel it, and cross rivers to one day love its reflection. 

That Look In Your Eye

Molly is a writer, filmmaker and artist. She likes to explore the world, question the unquestionable, and her work is about connecting to our oneness as humans and the magic of life. She explores topics with reflection, philosophy and most importantly, play.

Interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iir2JzUs6E0

Transcript lightly edited for flow & clarity

44N: Hi! I’m Mikaela with The 44 North Magazine. I'm our senior editor, and we’re a magazine that focuses on social issues that matter to our audience. We go about that through art, essays, and featuring incredible work by artists such as Mariana with Extended Mic. Mariana, I'm very grateful to be chatting with you today. 

EM: Well, thank you for having me. 

44N: Wonderful. So, just to jump right in: You noted many times that—and I'll quote you from your website—“For the longest time, music, photography, film and paintings have easily gained attention as the world modernizes the way we consume art. And you’ve said that poetry, however, has always been confined to a book, text, or photo.” I would love it if you could share a bit more about your poetry journey, discovering poetry’s profound impact on people’s lives, and how you discovered that people love this art form, but maybe lack exposure to it.

EM: I started my poetry journey—which ties to Poesy, who [Extended Mic] is partnering with—writing poems for people. I write poetry on the spot, on a typewriter. And every time I write a poem for someone, they’re impressed and touched by words and by poetry itself.

Every time I present poetry to someone, it would make them happy—they would resonate with it. So I realized that people really do like poetry. It's just that there aren’t enough spaces for poetry to be introduced to people who aren’t connected to the artistic world in the same way they are with music, painting, photography, and film. All of these feel more present in people’s lives. And poetry isn’t, as much, because many don't have or can’t take the time to pick up a book, open it, and read it, you know?

So I wanted to present poetry in a fun, different way that hasn’t been seen before. So that's where Extended Mic was born. 

44N: I love that. You're meeting people where they're at with a form that they may not have access to. That connects wonderfully to the guiding image and visual identity that you’ve created for Extended Mic, which is a key poetic device in and of itself. I would love for you to share a bit more about that image and how you came to it. 

EM: Extended Mic is supposed to be, or is, very funky. It’s very colourful, eye-catching, and visually pleasing. I originally got the idea for a platform like this after watching The Colors Show. I was thinking it would be nice to feature a poet sharing their poem in a setting that’s pleasing, satisfying, minimalistic, but also kind of weird. So I think the weirdness and coolness of Extended Mic comes from a balance of funky, colourful, and minimalistic. I wanted to make it eye-catching. That's where the essence of the visual aspect of Extended Mic comes from. 

44N: That's beautiful. And it speaks to what it means to be a poet, too. All those different things coexist. Leading into this season—this very first season of extended Mic—you have eight videos featuring eight poets, and you said that your aim is to make people look, maybe even (hopefully) twice. And I'd love for you to tell us a bit more about this approach and how our first two questions lend to the choices you made.

EM: Yes. The point was to avoid presenting poetry in a video with nothing else. Poetry is a cool form of art, but one that people usually don't see the “coolness” of because the great poets—who paved the way for us—are poets from a long time ago.

They also have a different style. Nowadays, you don't really see modern poets. You might read them, but you don't know what they look like—you don't know their artistic aesthetic. You don't have a sense of the visual—everything that accompanies who an artist is, you know? That's something we built into Extended Mic: it’s not just a video, but something eye-catching to allow you to notice us.

If the words that we're saying aren’t making you look, then we’ll add another element that will, so you’ll be interested in what we have to say. Because poets have a lot of things to say that people love, but there's not always [something visually] engaging in poetry. I'm not saying that there's nothing engaging in poetry, but there's something else that I feel called to that’s not on paper or words. That's why Daniella and I had the idea of poets lying down under a curtain with the mic hanging—maybe that’s weird enough to cause curiosity. I feel like curiosity is the right word. That’s what we're looking for. 

44N: Oh, I love that. And it brings to mind for me, “Show, don't tell.” So when we say in poetry, “Show, don't tell,” you're bringing that to life with a whole other layer, which is beautiful. And segueing a little bit into your first season with all of these poets, you have eight—as you described—unapologetic, bold, free-thinking poets, of course, with exceptional craft and performance skills like you were mentioning. So I'd love it if you would tell us a little more about them and the unique journey that you've been on together to build Season 1.

EM: The poets are the key to everything. Each poet we have for Season 1 is amazing, and [looks at camera] I love you guys so much. Each of them has a very different personality. They also all come from different backgrounds in art. Extended Mic is such a particular project with such a particular visual aspect, including being filmed. Many poets don't share their work in open mics, poetry slam competitions, or music videos, and even if they do, actually being in a video production—being comfortable with being in front of the camera—is new for them. So one thing that was key in choosing poets for Season 1 was just people who were very bold and like you said, unapologetic.

If the poets have one thing in common, it’s that they have the quirkiness and personality to be in front of a camera on a weird set. I'm thankful that I'm not one of the poets because I don't think I would be able to do that! But they did. They were able to be on that set—as uncomfortable and weird as it looks—and pull it off. They are the nicest people on the planet. Being the first season with a completely new approach—and me not having serious experience in producing—they understood the idea right away. This project is for the poets, and it's going to keep going for as many poets as I can bring in. I just want to show people how cool poets are.

44N: You’re offering such a wonderful opportunity to work that maybe wouldn't be seen visually to be seen. And you're right: poets are so often gate kept in a book. Not that books aren't great. We love books. But you're just adding another layer to reach people, which is wonderful. And speaking of that production process, you were talking about taking the poets through promo videos, photo shoots, filming, creative collaboration, social media, and all of those elements. Could you tell us about the magic of Extended Mic's creative ecosystem and what that looked like on the backside? 

EM: In this project, the journey was very long because I didn't want to invite the poets to a studio once, record the videos, and that's all. I wanted to honour quality. So with my resources, I brought everything in that I could to fit the standards we set when we created this project. 

The first thing was meeting everyone, then it was taking them to the photo studio for photo shoots. Afterwards, we recorded the audio of the poems in a music studio. And then, we recorded the videos. We also shot something else that will be coming out soon. So you’ll see it! It's a journey that the poets and I went through together. But I think this comes from wanting to do it well and honour what the project requires.

44N: Such an important process. So much energy and time go into it, and I'm sure you have dreams of expanding beyond what you have for Season 1. You've written that your goals are to film in studios with poets across the world, continuing to disrupt traditional poetry formats—

EM: [Laughs] I was just thinking that I wrote that when I was so excited to do this, and I actually forgot that I wanted to do it across the world. I do want to, and it’s wonderful to remember that. 

44N: I love giving energy to an old dream! And I know you hope to bring new perspectives through this high-quality visual experience. You said, “Featuring meaningful poems that rebel against shallow art,” which is so well said. What can the poetry community (and beyond) look forward to next, outside of your seasons? 

EM: The end goal is still to take Extended Mic across the world, because I feel it’s a project that I'm going to do for the rest of my life. So if I do it for the rest of my life, eventually I will want to cover more than just the place where I live.

In the future, it will be fun to discover poets and more meaningful poetry across the world. There's so much that poets can say outside of traditional topics. There's nothing wrong with these, I just want change. 

I remember, when I was younger, I would dream about having a megaphone. In the dream, I’d be speaking to everyone—setting everyone free. I just love that; telling everyone things to encourage them to rebel.

I feel like poetry is that. The poems that I want to include in Extended Mic will be, of course, meaningful, and they’ll have to speak to people and say something. 

Season 1 is still breathing, and it's going to be alive for some time. But yes, for the poetry community, at least in Toronto, you can expect a second season and a third and a fourth and so on.

44N: So exciting. And I'm hearing Extended Mic as a megaphone?

EM: You know what? Extended Mic came from the idea of having a really long mic cord on set. In the end, we didn't go for that, at least not for Season 1, but for Season 2, hopefully.

44N: A fantastic segue into our very last question. Season 1 launched! It's out—everybody can watch it and listen to it. And you had a kickoff event in October, recently on the 27th, after a year of such hard and thoughtful creative work. It featured a screening of Season 1 and opportunities to gather with other poets in the Toronto poetry community. And I would love it if you could give a recap of the event, the vibe, and just make everybody more excited. 

EM: The event was amazing. It was everything that I could have imagined and dreamed of—even more. The purpose was accomplished, which was essentially to create and feed community in the city. The event did exactly that. Everyone was super nice. Everyone was super happy. We screened the poems and people were engaging with them.

The number one reason why I wanted to do an event was to honour the poets (and the project). So I put together a mini gallery, spotlighting photos of the whole process that we went through. I also created a set design and other things like that.

This event really opened doors for me into what's possible and what people really enjoy, which at the end of the day, is being in community and being supportive of something.

With the event, we sent the videos and poems off, essentially saying, “This is yours now.” I can't wait to do it all over again. 

44N: So good to hear. It's always so wonderful to be in community with other poets and to be surrounded by art in general—something that so many people have worked hard on. To have it all come together is a gift to the community in such a beautiful way because it's so accessible. 

It's on YouTube. Is there any other way that you would want to share for folks to engage with it? 

EM: Yes, you can watch all eight videos on Extended Mic’s YouTube. As the YouTubers say, you can subscribe, like, comment, and share! I'm going to be posting clips on our Instagram, but the full videos are on YouTube. 

44N: So wonderful to chat with you. We're honoured at The 44 North, and excited to have Mariana and Extended Mic as our Artist Spotlight for this issue. Definitely check out the written and video versions of this conversation. Thank you so much.

EM: Thank you!

Artist Spotlight: Bob Cole & Modern Music Studio

by Mikaela Brewer, ​for The 44 North

Senior Editor

A bright yellow Modern Music Studio logo with black letters

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“We see it time and time again in our studio. The kids who come to see us often have this perception that music is magic, that it can’t be understood. Learning about melody and harmony, chord progressions, and just how simple the construction of their favourite music is, a lot of the time, helps to break down that mysticism, making learning the language of music more accessible. ”

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Editor's Note: I had the absolute privilege of chatting all things learning music with Bob Cole, founder of Modern Music Studio—a community-focused group of musicians & teachers emphasizing student-directed lessons & learning as fun. Please enjoy our discussion!

Mikaela Brewer (MB): Modern Music Studio provides a space for everyone to “discover their musical passions on their own terms.” I love how this implies an inherent potential & possibility in a world that teaches us we can't approach music without ‘talent’. What does this mean to you? How have you seen this discovery happen at the studio?

Bob Cole (BC): This is a really important philosophy, or foundation of our studio. We truly believe that EVERYONE has music inside of them. Nothing irks me more than someone saying, “I wish I could play an instrument, but I just wasn’t born with it”. There is this myth that musicians are created at birth, and that truly isn't the case. We just have to find what music connects with you, and allow that music to flow through you. Anyone who loves music, anyone who loves to dance, anyone who loves to air drum or air guitar, anyone who lip syncs their favourite songs—truly, anyone can learn to play an instrument. 

We see it time and time again in our studio. The kids who come to see us often have this perception that music is magic, that it can’t be understood. Learning about melody and harmony, chord progressions, and just how simple the construction of their favourite music is, a lot of the time, helps to break down that mysticism, making learning the language of music more accessible. The adult students are a totally different case altogether. I’ve seen many adult students who wanted to learn an instrument but were unsure because they’d never done it before, or believed the “born with it” myth. Breaking down those barriers can be difficult; we all become a bit more stubborn in our older years. But for those who are willing to put in the work, stop believing the myth, and instead believe in the music inside of them, it can be tremendously rewarding (not just for them, but for us as well). We have students who came to us with no musical knowledge in their 50s and 60s and are now playing open mics or jams regularly around town. Watching students begin to believe in the music inside of them is perhaps our greatest source of joy. 

MB: On student leadership: because part of the magic is discovery, choosing an instrument, style, repertoire, and pace of learning offers creative control that's supportive for anyone, but perhaps especially for young people! Tell us more about what this looks like—what if a student doesn’t (yet) know what makes them special? 

BC: Such a great question. All of our instructors focus on positivity and building a love of music first and foremost. So the focus isn’t really on accomplishment (though that’s often a nice by-product), but on building a positive relationship with their creativity. It is a very vulnerable position that students put themselves in when they come to see us. We are asking them to share something that is a very personal connection: their personal taste in music. Initially, it can be difficult for them to share what it is about music they love. Our instructors are versatile and understanding in a way that makes kids feel comfortable and ready to share what music makes them feel special. We focus on positivity and listen to music through our students' lens to find their joy and help foster their connection to music in that moment. And it can often be in the least expected places! We have taught music from movies, video games, and even a radio jingle! Teaching songs that kids (and adults) recognize and connect with allows them to feel that connection and understand that what they love about music is distinct and unique to them alone. The benefits for self-esteem and confidence building with kids have been incredible to see. 

MB: On having fun: how have you seen the joy of growth/learning impacted—or maybe shifted from the way we think about learning at school—by empowering students to learn music they love?

BC: Fun is such an important part of learning in our view. By focusing on loving music first, we sort of create that carrot on the stick. The goal isn’t to learn ‘this’ scale so that you can play ‘this’ song. We teach it a bit backwards. We teach the song and then, once they’ve grown some confidence and connection to that piece, we start to show them maybe what scale it’s using, or what a score of that song looks like and how to read it, or perhaps how to transpose that song to another key so that it matches their voice. This resonates in a huge way with students. Not only can they learn their favourite songs, but they can start to understand the theory behind how these songs are constructed. By starting with fun, we sort of “trick” students into learning the nuts and bolts of music. So much of education is focused on learning a concept or a theory first, then it moves to how that theory is applied. Some educators came along and disrupted this idea (think Bill Nye or Mark Rober). They start with the application, then work backward to the theory. It’s a much more fun way to learn, in our opinion. The added benefit is that the student gets to choose the “application” (the song) that allows them to learn the theory, which makes them that much more engaged and connected to their learning. 

MB: On building community: we all know that tending connection is community care. Modern Music Studio has such a dedicated group of skilled, supportive teachers, but part of your goal is to connect students to their peers to learn songs together, form bands, and make friendships. The studio is located in a warm, cozy house in downtown Barrie, but what does community look like outside of sessions?

BC: We have so many students, for whatever reason, who seem to have difficulty fitting in with other walks of life, or difficulty with confidence in other areas. But when they walk through our doors, they get to feel like a rock star. And we’ve seen these kids’ confidence soar beyond our walls, to the performances we put on (Five Points Theatre, Aqua Theatre Orillia, and the Barrie Legion), and to the weekly jams we host. We’ve watched friendships grow and provided a sense of belonging for some kids who really needed it. As the years have gone on, we’ve watched kids graduate to university or college arts programs (one was even accepted to Harvard!). It's been super rewarding to help these kids find their footing and build their sense of belonging along the way. I think our approach—focusing on fun, encouraging a multi-instrumentalist approach, encouraging students to play music with their peers, to perform and to write and record songs—it’s given students a sense of belonging that maybe they didn’t have before they began lessons.

When I first had the idea for our studio, I wanted first and foremost for it to be a place where students who love music would find others like them and to bond over that love. I wanted to build a community of young musicians. The mutual passion for music we see in our students is incredible, and we love knowing that we’ve helped to create friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. 

MB: How can folks reading this spotlight support the musicians at Modern Music Studio—teachers & students alike?

BC: First and foremost, support the arts in our community in any way you can! The knock-on effects of that will benefit all of us who are trying to enrich our beautiful city through the creative arts. 

If you are interested in finding out more about music lessons with us, please go to modernmusicstudio.ca or email modernmusicbarrie@gmail.com to ask us any questions you might have. 

And finally, keep an eye out for all the amazing things our students and teachers are doing in our community, from working with at-risk or underprivileged youth (Glowing Hearts Charity, Orillia Youth Centre), to bi-annual performances at the Five Points Theatre and other venues around town, where you may find one of our students or teachers playing. We also have the amazing band Jupiter Hollow, who have members teaching with us, and then there is Sammy Johnston, who is an incredible blues/rock musician. Alondra Vega-Zaldivar is working as musical director this fall with the South Simcoe Theatre. And we have our choir starting up this spring that will be led by the incredibly talented Gillian Seaman. So look for their performances as well, and be sure to cheer super loud for our float at the Santa Claus parade in November! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep track of all the cool things we are up to. And a vote for us in the Reader's Choice Awards in October would be really great too!