Testimonials

Reviews of Creativity Workouts for Young Musicians Workshop

I remember taking a very similar composition class with Mr. Gassi in high school. It was easily one of the most rewarding experiences to come out of it with a couple compositions that I made (one of which I felt was pretty good!) Great teacher and great experience.! —Nicole White, Former Band Student

Thank you Vince!! The kids thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. There was so much energy in the room afterwards, it was clear how inspired they were!! —Lise Buelow, Bear Creek SS

I spent the afternoon with my kiddos from both my band room and their homes and Vince Gassi in a Google Meet, developing their creative process skills in his workshop. It was absolutely fantastic, and I'm so grateful for his generous offer to run this to help music programs out right now. I'd highly recommend booking him. He did great work with the kids and really dug into some great musical ideas that they will be able to expand on in the future! —Erin Elizabeth, Sir John A MacDonald SS

Just wanted to post about how great the composition workshop with Vince Gassi was today. He worked with all of the grade 8 students at my school and had a fantastic presentation. It was engaging, had nice variety, and left us with so much to work on. We can easily expand our usual composition unit much further and with more meaning. Highly recommend if you can book him. We look forward to bringing him in person one day to work with our upper school students as well. Thanks Vince!! —Danielle Kolenko, Villanova College

One of the many "advantages" of being in our Arts Advantage Music program is having experiences like this! Today, our senior music classes were engaged in a composition workshop with renowned Canadian composer and conductor, Vince Gassi. We "exercised" our creativity and explored composition techniques. We learned that we are already creative...we just need to "think" in sound! —Linda Ziemba, St. Michael SS

Hi Vince, thanks so much for a great workshop with our students. When we did a recap in the next class, it was clear that they learned a lot. If you ever do put together a video version, sign me up! —Nigel Evans, Sir Frederick Banting SS

Thank you so much for coming into my grade 8 class, Vince. The students loved it and are excited to move forward with the project of composing music based on a word. Students were totally engaged throughout and hope we get you back into the class! —Jane Taylor, Aldershot PS

Hi Vince! I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks once again for the fantastic workshop today! My students had a blast, and definitely took some useful tools and techniques away for later use. They were buzzing with excitement about the workshop for the rest of the afternoon. —Bethany Kannan, Holy Trinity CSS

I wanted to thank you so very much for attending our rehearsal through Skype yesterday. Every band member I talked to independently throughout the day said it was very cool and very helpful. I think they sat up just a little bit taller for the rest of the rehearsal! They realize that this was a very special and unique opportunity for them. I also know that they will happily learn and play any Vince Gassi chart in the future and they will feel like they already have a little insight into it. I love what I do and band is the highlight of my week. Skyping with you yesterday really reinforced that. I appreciated so much what you said to the students. —Jane Taylor, Aldershot Elementary School

I wanted to thank you again for your musical direction templates. I just finished up doing Mermaid with two different companies and it helped tremendously to wrap my head around the immensity of the cast. We found ourselves wrestling a cast of 55 young actors with our last production--I'm not sure how I would have stayed organized without these!

— Benjamin Leonard-White

Thanks for an incredibly informative and well prepared session this afternoon at the Midwest Clinic. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was clear and well presented. —Maina Makumi, Nairobi, Kenya

I find it incredible, when they play even one simple note all together, it’s breathtaking. You can feel the vibrations in your chest, then throughout your whole body. Then when they play a song, it moves me. Also, Vince is brilliant. He feels the music rather than hears it. —Gr. 10 student upon hearing TO CROSS THE SLEEPING GREEN

Phenom is an exciting piece that we were thrilled to hear premiered at the 2009 Ontario Music Educators' Association Conference, 'Con Brio'. Both the young performers and the audience were inspired by the piece. We all can't wait to hear it again! BRAVO to Vince for this amazing new work!

Jane Wamsley
Music Instructor, Preservice Teacher Education
Brock University
Member, OMEA Board of Directors

I've had a chance to give a few listenings and score readings and all I have to say is...WOW! I've always believed when my band plays one of your compositions that not only do they have fun playing it, but also that there is so much educational goodness hidden within the page. My 6th graders are licking their chops for a challenge, and this will definitely keep them busy. Thank you for writing this for us, Vince. —James Geiger, South Habersham Middle School

Vince has created many fine works in a wide variety of styles from large performing ensembles to much smaller chamber groups. Most recently, he was commissioned by the City of Brampton Concert Band...to write a large scale work to celebrate our 125th anniversary. Conducted by the composer, this eleven minute work, Genesis, was received with great applause by a large, and very enthusiastic audience at the Rose Theatre in Brampton. This work is now in publication, and I am confident that it will be received with great enthusiasm by performers and audience alike. —Darryl Eaton

In 2008, I had the privilege of opening a new school. To create a strong musical tradition for the school, I thought a commissioned piece would be the way to go. First of all, I had to get my principal on board. I told her I would fund raise to cover the cost and she trusted me and off we went. Vince came and met with us in June before our school was built and we discussed what the piece would reflect. When Vince had the piece written he shared it with me by e-mail and I tried it with my new band. Vince was great adjusting a part to suit my beginning drummer. Later, she was able to play the original part but at the beginning his other version worked well. That is the cool part about working with the composer on a piece for your school.

My students also enjoyed working with Vince. He came twice to our school and took the band practices so the students could work with the composer. They really enjoyed this experience. The commissioned piece is special for them and seeing it in print and hearing it has been fantastic. This past May, when my band competed at Music fest Nationals in Ottawa, we were proud to see our commissioned piece; Big Raven was the sight reading piece for the 200 Level competition. Two years later, our students at Emily Carr P.S. in Oakville are still excited to perform this work which Vince Gassi wrote for us. If you can, a commissioned piece is a lot of fun, for both the students and yourself. Thanks, Vince, for a positive experience.

Jean Barber

Emily Carr Public School

Vince Gassi wrote the music for a short film entitled Poesis, which was written, directed and produced by Ludek Bogner and myself. Working with Vince was a pleasure. His remarkable skill as a composer and his mastery of various instruments and technology meant that he could quickly adjust the music to suit each scene. He also gave suggestions and insights into the music for the film that showed his understanding and sensitivity for the work. I would not hesitate to recommend him.

Francis Joseph Dvorak
Producer, Director, Screenwriter

I was searching for a challenging and exciting piece for the Halton District School Board's Intermediate Wind Ensemble and was thrilled when I discovered Flight of the Intrepid by Vince Gassi. I loved the rhythmic writing, the gorgeous harmonies in the lyrical middle section, and the intense build up to an exciting ending. I knew the ensemble would love the challenges this piece had to offer. The best part was when Vince gladly accepted my request to come and work with the band. This group of young musicians was ectastic to have the opportunity to meet and learn from the composer! Vince worked masterfully with them and was able to provide unique insights into the music and composition. The students had a lot of fun and improved immensely during the rehearsal. What a wonderful opportunity for all of us and I know this experience will be considered a highlight for them this year! Thank you, Vince!

Carolyn Lewis
Alexander's P.S.
Halton District School Board
Burlington, Ontario, Canada

I first heard Tsunami on the internet while looking for a piece by a Canadian composer for the Kiwanis Music Festival in Toronto. I was immediately taken with the piece. When my students first read through it, they were too. About a month before the Festival, Vince came in on two occasions and worked with my band on Tsunami. The students really got a lot out of the experience. I felt that having the composer come in to work with the kids was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up. The insight that Vince was able to give them was invaluable. The students' playing improved considerably during the two rehearsals that he spent with them.

Elizabeth Monteith

North Toronto Collegiate Institute

I have been familiar with Vince Gassi's work for many years now. We have performed his concert band works at all levels -- from Beginning Band to our Senior Wind Ensemble. We have also performed a number of his jazz pieces. Vince's understanding of high school level band was made exceptionally clear during the three workshops he conducted at our school using his original works. Our students were thrilled to meet the composer of Tsunami in person. Vince answered all of their questions concerning the piece and offered an insight that students rarely experience. Another student favourite is Dante's Hot House, which also continues to be a favourite of the alumni I'm still in touch with. I watch the publishers' "new releases" closely in anticipation of Vince's new works.

Dan Horner
Bayview Secondary School

I had the pleasure of working with Vince Gassi as guest composer and conductor for the 20th annual Albemarle County High School Honors Band in 2007. Vince composed A Chesapeake Bay Adventure for the occasion and worked with our kids for two days to prepare for the concert that would feature the world premiere of the piece. He did a superb job of sharing his insights on composing and performing as he prepared a full concert program that featured a number of his own outstanding compositions. Many of our students paid him the highest of compliments following the concert program when they asked if we could have Mr. Gassi back again next year!

Steve Layman
Western Albemarle High School
Crozet, Virginia

For Pete’s Sake (commissioned March 2006) has been such a hit with the Jazz Ensemble at Western and word of its existence and performance has resounded throughout the faculty. I can’t imagine a more wonderfully appropriate way to honour the contributions that Professor Peter Clements has made to our lives. Your coaching at the rehearsal had a dramatic effect on the final performance. Having you work directly with the students helped bring the music to life quickly and resulted in a great performance. You worked well with the students and having you there was so much more effective than working only through the conduit of the written page. Thank you for being so generous with your time and for the great effort to make this project such a success.

Bruce Smith
Jazz Ensemble Director, University of Western Ontario
London, Canada