CBY Music & Performing Arts

Transcript of our interview with Amy, Parent

What’s unique about CBY Music & Performing Arts?

CBY offers a performing arts experience that is very well-rounded. It has voice and music, musical theater, acting, and voice acting all under one category. What do I mean? Kids who are interested in the arts, or moving into the performing arts, can work on their performance and on the behind-the-scenes production for musical theater, film, and TV.

CBY is very unique in that it doesn't just offer your typical voice, piano, guitar, and things like that. It educates kids about the actual industry and offers opportunities to kids interested in pursuing an area further to work with agents who have connections in the industry. 

How did you know CBY Music & Performing Arts was the right fit?

We started off here because my daughter wanted to sing. So we did a trial and we really loved how Christian [the owner] was with her. He was really supportive, warm, friendly, just a great teacher. And then we met Karen, his wife, and she was also just amazing. They were so supportive, so nurturing. They build confidence in the kids and are just great people. As we continued down the path of performing arts, each teacher my daughter had has been just as warm and friendly.

CBY is such a great academy. Its staff and faculty are warm, friendly, supportive, very approachable, and open with communication. They're also very inclusive of all kids, which is a wonderful environment to be in. 

For my son, Christian taught him piano for a little bit. And it was also a great fit. My son is a teenager ... with teens there's lots of bringing them back to focus, and Christian was really good at helping my son do that. CBY was a really good fit for both my kids. 

Was there any noticeable personal growth in your children after their time CBY?

I'll answer for both my children. My oldest absolutely had never touched an instrument before, so we started him on piano. We saw some growth for him, which was great. It introduced him to the world of music. He got to learn notes and read sheet music.

My youngest started at the age of 7 and she's 10 now. She started off having never sang before, outside of singing at home along with the Disney princesses. This year she was cast in a musical theatre production in Toronto with Mirvish Productions, and she's doing a show for the next three months. 

There was significant growth for my youngest. It's just been a wonderful experience. 

How can a parent support their child to get the most out of CBY?

Christian and Karen, and the rest of the team, are really great in terms of sending home notes, practice notes, or sheet music. I would just say make sure your child practices every day if possible. Make sure they have the tools available, such as some sheet music they might need to print off at home. Go to your lessons with your scripts, your music, and your books prepared. 

The team is great. They're very open, they communicate a lot with the parents. You're always in the know of what's going on, upcoming events, and upcoming opportunities. But just at home, I'd say prepare your children for lessons by practicing and making sure that they come to CBY with the tools that they need for that lesson.

What do your children say about CBY?

My oldest really loved his piano lessons with Christian. He loved that Christian was so open and how he listened to him when he just wanted to talk. It was a great experience and he really liked his time at CBY. 

My youngest, she just loves everything about CBY. Everything that they offer, every teacher they have, she just loves it. She's currently not in some of the programs because they conflict with rehearsal for her, but she has no problem on a weekly basis telling me how much she misses certain programs. But she's very excited to be involved with CBY. She's very much looking forward to being back in the programs in March.

Any final thoughts?

The arts community is a wonderful community. We come from a very athletic background and my kids have transitioned over to the arts community. We are embracing it and it is a wonderful community. So anybody who's on the fence about trying singing, an instrument, acting, dance, voice acting, musical theater, anything they offer, I would say just do the trial lesson and embrace the community because it is a wonderful inclusive place that accepts everybody. They welcome all families and kids with open arms. So it's something that I would highly recommend to every family. If you're on the fence or you're looking for something great, just jump in with both feet.