Thompson Thompson Egbo-Egbo
Thompson Thompson Egbo-Egbo has been playing piano from the tender age of six. The Nigerian born pianist started his studies at the Dixon Hall Music School and continued them at Regent Park School of Music. This is where he learned the basic piano skills to start what has been an incredible journey for the young man. Now only twenty years of age, he has graced the presence of figures such as Quincy Jones, H.R.H. Prince Philip and many others. Thompson Thompson currently is studying at Humber College.
Thompson Thompson was the only student invited to perform at the Toronto Olympic Bid Gala Fund-raiser. He performed for H.R.H. Prince Charles at a Celebration of Canadian Artists, and evening hosted by Galen and the Hon. Hillary Weston, and for H.R.R. Prince Philip of Edinburgh Award reception and once again at the Carlu for another evening hosted by the Weston's. He was also invited to play for H.R.H. Prince Edward at a dinner/reception held at a private Forest Hill residence. Thompson Thompson was the 1998 inaugural recipient of the Hagood Hardy Protege Award and was a recipient of a bronze and silver Duke of Edinburgh Award. In addition, he won the Alliance for Canadian New Music, Clifford Elliot Scholarship for his composition Improv in Variations, and received another scholarship from the Cabbagetown Arts Association to continue his education at Humber College. He received an additional scholarship from the Minstrel Foundation to also continue with his studies at Humber College.
Wendy Ma
My name is Wendy Ma, and I was born on October 19th, 1985 in Toronto, Ontario. I am proud to say I was part of the Regent Park School of Music before it was established, when it was still part of the former Dixon Hall Music School. My experiences at both have shaped my life in unimaginable proportions I will now try to describe.
I began taking lessons in violin and voice, as well as joining the choir when I was 10 years old. Since then, I had also taken drum and French horn lessons, which have enriched my life in both a musical sense and personal growth. The people I have met while undertaking my musical endeavours have become my mentors, my friends and family. I was able to visit numerous recital halls and boardrooms across Ontario, including a performance at the Governor-General’Äôs Arts Awards at the National Arts Centre, and many at such venues as Roy Thompson Hall. I was given the opportunity to audition for an opera by Tapestry New Opera Works to gain experience in auditioning in the real world, and I was even able to stick around behind the scenes to eventually see the opera go to stage on opening night. I was a part of the musical theatre productions put together by the director of the Music School at the time, gradually building up my stage confidence until I starred in the leading role of Maria in The Sound of Music. Through generous contributions to the School, I was permitted to attend many music camps to further my training, such as National Music Camp, Interprovincial Music Camp, and Music at Port Milford; an international chamber strings music camp. As the Music School began to grow, I was offered a position as a junior camp counsellor, slowly working up until I was an administrative assistant, a music librarian, and a student violin teacher. I loved working with these children, and their incredible desire to make music. I believe that few people my age could say that their students, within six months of picking up an instrument for the first time, score 94% on an internationally recognized music exam. At this point in my life, music was the most important thing in my life, as it consumed me wholly at school, work and play. In high school I joined all the musical ensembles that were open to me, including Symphony Orchestra, String Ensemble, Women’Äôs Chorus, Chamber Choir, Jazz Choir, and others. It was because of my involvement in these groups that helped to determine my decision to study music and German at the Musisches Gymnasium in Salzburg, Austria, for one year after graduating from North Toronto Collegiate Institute. In this time, I have had the most influential experiences of my life. I learned German, I lived independently, I made international contacts as well as building up my music repertoire. I was involved in three choirs overseas (including the Mozart Chor and Jazz Chor of Salzburg), as well as the Sinfonie Orchester of Musisches Gymnasium, who was invited to play at the International Mozart Festival in Italy. When not in school, I visited numerous European countries during my stay, as many as ten to twelve. The decision to study in Salzburg was based on the fact that I wanted to make music where it originated, and with my musical background, I was highly successful.
The decision to come back to Ontario for university was difficult. The decision to study towards an Honours degree in Languages at Sir Wilfrid Laurier was even more difficult, as I was torn between that and a vocal jazz degree, which I was seriously considering while overseas. My vocal training has given me options in both performance and languages, as it is desirable to have a singer who can sing in languages other than English. However, the fact that I chose not to major in music does not mean much ’Äì I am still involved in two choirs. Unfortunately, I was too late in auditioning for an orchestral group for violin, but I am hoping to next year. Music will always be a large part of my life, and I am glad that the Regent Park School of Music is still offering many special, young children to develop the same level of love for music that was fostered in me when I was there.