MEET THE FACULTY
Dr. Christiaan Teeuwsen
Professor of Music
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For nearly 40 years, Redeemer has prepared the next generation of Christian leaders whose impact resounds in our culture and across the world.
Be captivated by music as you cultivate your talent and develop your skills. Study composition, performance, theory, and history under the guidance of experienced, practicing musicians. Excel in the classroom and share your talents with others on the stage with access to soundproof keyboard labs, recording studio, auditorium, and practice studios. Gain confidence and deepen your appreciation for music, putting everything into practice through lessons, practice, performance, written compositions.
The Music program requires applicants to do a music audition for proper course placement.
Applicants from Ontario will be considered for general undergraduate admission based on the following requirements:
All prospective music majors and minors are required to complete a music audition during the application process.
Below is important information to consider as you visit Redeemer for your music audition, including a description of the types of assessment we will do, as well as how you can prepare for them.
We will give you a short test that will assess your knowledge of basic theory including major and minor scales, key signatures, and intervallic relations. You will also have a basic ear training and rhythmic dictation test.
As a music student, you will choose a primary area of study (instrumental, vocal, or piano). You will be able to elect to take lessons in another area but we require you to choose one area that you focus on to achieve an artistic level of performance. If you are unsure of your primary area, please call Dr. Christiaan Teeuwsen at 905-648-2139 ext. 4252.
Please come to your audition prepared to sing or play two pieces (preferably memorized). The two pieces should be contrasting pieces from larger movements or works (Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic periods). Please note that an accompanist will not be provided for your audition.
Upon entrance to Redeemer’s music program, you must have a base level of keyboard proficiency. For students whose primary area of study is not piano, they should have at least Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Grade 4. If a student does not enter the program with Grade 4 RCM proficiency, they will be assigned to a keyboard class at the time of their audition. We have a sequence of 3 levels of keyboard classes to help students achieve this proficiency. Students with no piano background, for example, will be placed in level I. Please come with a piano piece to play at a level you feel very comfortable with.
For students whose primary area of study is piano, they should begin with a minimum level of Grade 8 RCM.
An opportunity will be available to you to audition for any of the following vocal or instrumental ensembles while you are on campus:
For some of you, your audition for the primary applied area will suffice as an audition for ensemble (e.g., a vocal audition will double as an audition for choir). We also host auditions in the first week of the fall term. Following are guidelines for your preparation for ensemble auditions.
Concert Choir
Instrumental Ensemble or Jazz Ensemble
" Music has always been a major part of my life, but I wasn’t sure if choosing it as a career was right for me. Enter Redeemer. I transferred in after my first year of feeling overwhelmed at a much larger university. The moment I stepped on campus, I was instantly welcomed. It was such a different vibe. Redeemer’s small class sizes and close-knit community allowed me to explore and express my creativity without feeling overwhelmed or lost. The caliber of staff in the music department was outstanding. They pushed me further and gave me the foundation I needed to succeed. I was also a part of the Concert Choir, one of the experiences I remember most. We performed beautiful works like Faure’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Tavener’s Song for Athene, all alongside some of my best friends who loved what they were doing. I remember watching one of the faculty concerts. The cello teacher performed the Bach Cello Suites, centre stage. In the dark. With his eyes closed. You could hear a pin drop. It was a simple, but a profound moment for me as a musician. Simplicity mixed with hard work and strong technique. Redeemer’s added bonus of being able to discover who I was as a Christian and a person really made the experience unique. One of the most influential parts of my time there was getting to work along side Syd Hielema and the chapel planning and worship team. He helped facilitate a safe environment and a place that felt like home. I’m now the assistant director and music teacher at a large performing arts academy. I run the music department and teach 70-80 private music students a week. There isn’t one specific experience that prepared me for this career. It was the whole package. The education mixed with the opportunities gave me the foundation and confidence I needed. I only hope I can do the same for my students. "
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