Testimonials
Euterpe: Music Is The Key exposes young children (and others) to different musical genres that pretty well all of them are not exposed to, like Classical and Jazz, played at a world-class level. This music is so important, and children are not getting opportunities in schools anymore, especially the kind of programs that Euterpe: Music is The key provides. Studies say that learning music like this makes you smarter, and I know this is true. Euterpe: Music Is The Key inspires children and opens their minds to the world of music and its enriching benefits. Music makes life way better. I am passionate about playing the drums. I love playing.
Adrian is a drummer, composer – long time touring/recording drummer with Drake. He has also worked with Jay Z, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Daniel Caesar, Stevie Wonder. See more here.
I was in grade 6 when I was exposed to Classical and Jazz music through Euterpe: Music Is The Key. I remember we were sitting on the gym floor and all of this experience was so fascinating to me – everything was just perfect – I remember feeling euphoric. I felt I needed to be part of this, this experience made me know that I needed to get into music. I was so inspired, and I needed to go to the pianist Catherine Wilson and ask her to help me. She helped me so much. Euterpe has been very supportive with my music. It inspired me and helped build my craft and shape my musical path.
Music has honestly changed my life so much. Music has helped me through so much, it helped me get through a lot of personal stuff and a lot of stressful things in my life. And I found that music brings people together. It helps people and helps them want to build together and to learn, and it really helps you mentally.
Dearest Catherine,
I received a wonderful message from the children on the 8th floor Oncology ward who could not come down to the Atrium main floor of SickKids because of their medical issues.
They heard Ensemble Vivant’s beautiful music spiralling up to the 8th floor and wanted me to let you know that it was heavenly and that they loved it.
You reached so many children sick in hospital today.
Ensemble Vivant performers: Catherine Wilson, piano; Corey Gemmell, violin; Norman Hathaway, viola; Sybil Shanahan, cello; Jim Vivian, bass
RE: Ensemble Vivant’s performance at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) on December 13, 2018. Sponsored by Euterpe Corporation
Dear Catherine,
The staff and students of Quaker Village Public School would like to thank you and your amazing musicians for bringing your extraordinary talent to our school. Your music opened the truly beautiful doors of imagination and inspiration for all our students, young and old. As Alexa, one of our Grade 3 students, said, “The music was like heaven.”
Ensemble Vivant performers: Catherine Wilson, piano; Corey Gemmell, violin; Norman Hathaway, viola; Mary Katherine Finch, cello; Jim Vivian, bass; Tara Davidson, sax
RE: Ensemble Vivant performances at Quaker Village Public School in Uxbridge, ON. Part of the Euterpe/telMAX initiative in Durham Region.
The effects of your performance last Wednesday before an enraptured audience in our Princess Margaret lounge are still being felt. So many patients have asked when you will play here again, and all of them want to hear your CDs all day long in the meantime. You “treated” our patients in ways that only extraordinarily exceptional music-making like yours can do. Each time you play for our patients your deeply sensitive, expressive piano playing feeds and nurtures their souls and uplifts their morales it is like the warmest most healing sunshine penetrating deep into the psyche, as well as the entire physical and spiritual being. Many fine artists have performed here for our patients, but your magical playing possesses qualities that go beyond even the exceptional; divine qualities that transform, enchant and stir the listener to the deepest levels of their mind, body and soul.
An exquisite experience, thank you so much. I cannot begin to express the range of feelings, thoughts, responses – physical, emotional, intellectual (cognitive) that this journey has evoked. The Euterpe musicians are brilliant and their depth of artistry is profound.
Beautiful, moving, soothing, profound – a truly wonderful experience of words and music. Today’s performance has inspired me and will have a deep impact on my life. I will re-evaluate the way I listen to music. Thank you so much.
Euterpe’s performance programs realize in action what cognitive psychologists and other researchers have determined to be very beneficial for children and others through ongoing experimentation whose results have been documented and widely disseminated.
The wonderful interactive high-calibre performances of classical and jazz music that Euterpe brings to our children and youth are of vital importance for planting the seeds of music in our lives and putting people on a path to be enriched by the benefits of music.
Dear Catherine and Ensemble Vivant,
“What a wonderful performance! Our students were in awe as they entered the gym upon first seeing the instruments up close: “How did they get the baby Grand piano through the door?”. This 1 hour presentation was informative, entertaining and engaging as students listened for repeated patterns, participated in rhythmic patterns and learned about the complexity of the string instruments while listening to classical and jazz music. The benefits of listening to these musical styles are numerous; exposing our students to new experiences broadens their knowledge and plants seeds of curiosity. A very valuable learning opportunity that I highly recommend for all schools.”
RE: Ensemble Vivant performances at Hillsdale Public School, Oshawa, ON. Part of the Euterpe/telMAX initiative in Durham Region.
Hello Catherine,
Thank you once again for your fantastic and moving performances here at E.B. Phin PS. You are gold!!! Ensemble Vivant’s brilliant, live, interactive performances of classical, jazz and related styles are of the highest calibre that one might hear at any major concert venue anywhere in the world, be it Frankfurt, Germany; Paris, France; London, England; Buenos Aries, Argentina; Toronto, Canada and on and on. Our students were so very fortunate to hear you at their own school!! What a tremendous lasting gift made possible by Euterpe, telMAX and Yamaha.
Many children have made further comments on the way they were able to close their eyes and be transported to an inner world of imagination and visual images. You are making a big difference in the children who are fortunate enough to hear you and Ensemble Vivant live in concert.
This opportunity to hear your music was greatly appreciated by the staff here at Phin as well. I wish you and the other marvellous musicians in Ensemble Vivant well in the future.
RE: Ensemble Vivant performances at E. B. Phin Public School, Pickering, ON. Part of the Euterpe/telMAX initiative in Durham Region.
I had the delightful and rewarding experience of working with Euterpe this past summer on an event that remains one of the highlights of our summer season. Although we receive regular feedback from our audiences on our programming, it is rare that internal technical staff feel compelled to remark on the beauty of our projects, and this was indeed the case with our collaboration. It was not only the substance of the work that was excellent, but the relationship with Euterpe that was equally exceptional.
What was particularly rewarding was the commitment to artistic excellence that Euterpe maintained and their attention to detail helped ensure that the outcome was successful and well received. I believe that this stems from a genuine commitment to effectively bring the positive power of music to people of all walks of life, free of charge and in new and creative ways. This was definitely a hallmark achievement of our collaboration, as we had thousands of people participate.
Some specific endorsements from the project include the quality of the music of Ensemble Vivant, composer John Burke and the relationship with the Labyrinth and its facilitators. The combination was enough to send chills up my spine and make my hair stand on end, it was remarkable. Both audience members and staff stayed unusually long to watch our site transform and experience this work.