Learn, enjoy, and perform great music, with friends!
The mission of the TSSO is to learn, enjoy, and perform great music, with friends.
We rehearse and perform a broad range of music, ranging from Baroque and Classical, to the mainstream repertoire of the 20th Century. Our repertoire includes: Corelli, Bach, Handel, Telemann, Stanley, Borowski, and Holst.
Chamber groups for any experience and any age.
Chamber Music – Junior group
We are very happy to set up chamber groups that are appropriate for the experience and age of the players.
We have a large library, and a central location for coaching / rehearsing.
We offer opportunities for performing. …→
Personalized lesson plan for each year of instruction
We offer instruction in Violin (traditional and Suzuki Violin), Viola, Cello (traditional and Suzuki), Double Bass, Guitar, Electric Bass, Theory, Ear Training, and Jazz Piano.
Students have a personalized lesson plan for each year of instruction which may include preparation for Music Festivals, Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Examinations, Solo Recitals, Workshops, Ensembles and Orchestra, Musicianship. …→
Concerts at TSSP
We offer Solo Recitals, informal Salon Concerts, Suzuki Group Concerts, and also performances featuring the Junior Orchestra, Chamber Groups and the TSS Adult String Orchestra. …→
Violin, Suzuki, Piano, Orchestra, Chamber Music and more.
Fill in the Registration Form
A high quality matching service, for players and coaches, both for our students and for members of the local community. Register Now!
In response to many inquiries, the Toronto School for Strings and Piano would like to facilitate Chamber Music by providing a high quality matching service, for players and coaches, both for our students and for members of the local community. Chamber Music is both challenging and fun. It is the best way to encounter truly great music. We have an extensive library, along with coaching expertise built over the last 25 years, and we want to put it to use! As a community and as a school we can assist in helping ensembles to be formed and to nurture their progress. Ultimately, we also can provide venues for performances.
Please feel free to complete our online form, or call us at the school to get more information.
The teachers at TSS have an unusual breadth and depth of experience. Some are young people flush with the excitement of launching their careers, others are parents themselves, and understand the joys and stresses of being involved in their child’s musical education firsthand. Still others have nurtured and supported their students with caring, a sense of humour and inspiring playing. At TSS, we believe in taking the long view, that while there may be ups and downs, both the journey and the goals achieved along the way are totally worthwhile. Character traits like perseverance, patience and self-discipline last a lifetime.
At TSS/P we are very happy to report an exceptionally low turnover rate. Students tend to stay and develop their skills through the teen years and beyond, even coming back with their own children! We are developing more and more programs for students of all ages to join that will develop their performance skills, creativity and sense of camaraderie. Many TSS students take on leadership roles in their school music programs or audition successfully for select Regional Youth Orchestras.
Whether you are an adult, or a parent with young children or teenagers, we want to help you experience all that music has to offer!
Music is for growth!
Contact TSSP: address, phone, locations, maps.
Toronto School for Strings and Piano
1585 Yonge St.
Toronto ON M4T 1Z9
(416) 968-0303
All telephone messages will be relayed by email to us to ensure a prompt reply.
info@torontoschoolforstrings.com
1585 Yonge St., Toronto
FAQs
The Toronto School for Strings and Piano was founded in 1999 by Julian and Mary Fisher to provide their students with a positive and stimulating learning experience. We have been in our present location for almost ten years and have recently expanded and renovated our facilities.
We offer a wide variety of musical enrichment and education programs. Private lessons on violin, viola, cello and double bass are available, but we also offer other instruments such as piano, guitar, electric bass, flute and jazz programs.
We also teach theory for all grades.
Additionally, group enrichment programs are available, such as chamber music programs, orchestra programs and many performance opportunities at our recitals and salon concerts. We will also be offering summer programs.
The Toronto School for Strings and Piano takes great pride in the quality of our teachers. Every teacher at our school has a minimum Bachelor of Music degree or equivalent. Many of our teachers are active performers in professional ensembles in Toronto and the GTA.
The Toronto School for Strings and Piano is a proud member of the Suzuki Association of Ontario, and the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
Yes, we offer lessons using the Suzuki Method, as well as the Suzuki supplementary group classes. Julian Fisher, the principal of the Toronto School for Strings and Piano, is an active member of the board of the Suzuki Association of Ontario.
Our main studio is located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Yonge St. Just north of St. Clair
Please click on Contact Us and you will find maps showing both our location and close, convenient and inexpensive parking. We are within a five-minute walk from the St. Clair subway station.
Of course! We are more than happy to teach any student who has a love and desire to pick up an instrument. Often, adults have an easier time picking up an instrument because they are responsible for their own results and practice patterns.
We do not offer in-house instrument rentals. If you do not currently have an instrument, we recommend the following stores for instrument rentals:
We do keep keep supplies such as strings, rosin, metronomes and music books on hand and are happy to order items in, as a convenience to teachers, parents and students.
Very handy for busy families who might find it tricky to get to the music stores.
Please call/email ahead of time.
Julian is happy to help you get set up with SmartMusic, the Amazing Slow-Downer or any software to help enhance your practicing and lesson experience.
Every child is different and unique. If the child has expressed an interest and is able to hold their attention to be able to have a lesson and have reasonable practice time during the week, then there is no “minimum age” for music lessons.
Lessons are usually taken once per week as a private, one-on-one lesson with one of our teachers. Lessons are possible every other week, but are not encouraged due to less consistency and slowing the rate of student progress.
The Toronto School for Strings and Piano is open seven days a week and have teachers during daytime and evening hours. Daytime lessons are encouraged as they are often less disruptive of student schedules and allow for family time in evenings.
New students are always welcome to begin anytime.
For those who are unsure about their ability to commit to a specific time, FlexPlan lessons are available for a small premium. These lessons are purchased as a block and are taken by appointment with the teacher at a mutually-convenient time. Lessons canceled with less than 24 hours notice will be charged, and a minimum of one lesson must be used per month. FlexPlan lessons are valid for one school year (September to June). Summer FlexPlan lessons are also available.
We have a wide range of teachers for every student need and budget. Please read the “Fees” page for more information.
We do our very best, to run our school with a minimum of overhead, to keep fees reasonable for students, and pay the teachers decently. The registration fee, though very modest, helps to offset the cost of providing high-quality service to our students. The presence of a registration fee helps people to recognize that there are administrative costs involved in providing music lessons.
The Toronto School for Strings and Piano adheres to the Ontario Registered Teachers Music Studio Policy. If students do not appear for their regularly scheduled lesson, then they are marked as absent. Make-ups can be arranged at the teacher’s discretion. Naturally, for extenuating circumstances, adjustments will be made.
If you have any questions about this policy, please call the school at (416) 968-0303 and speak to Julian Fisher for more information.
Absolutely. This is highly encouraged, as it ensures that students do not fall behind in their progress.
There are many performance opportunities with the Toronto School for Strings and Piano. Along with our semi-annual group performances, we have an annual solo recital. During the rest of the year, we have frequent, more intimate salon concerts that allow all students to perform in a low-pressure, more intimate setting. More performance opportunities are coming soon, as well.
Yes. We have been doing this for quite some time already. We are currently making inquiries as to how this can become a tax-deductible donation. One hundred percent of your gift to the Toronto School for Strings and Piano is directed either to the fund or to an account of a student, as per your wishes. It can be made anonymously or named, as you wish. We will not circulate your information to others.
Please call (416) 968-0303 or e-mail us at info@torontoschoolforstrings.com and we will be happy to answer any other questions you may have.