October 25, 2025: Musical Building Blocks: Foundations for Structure and Idea Development in Improvisation

**THIS IS A FREE EVENT**

Are you looking for ways to structure your improvisations? Stuck "noodling" or "filling time"? This class explores basic forms and musical transformational techniques to give your improvisations coherence and musical unity. Suitable for all levels, this is a great way to start improvising or to refine your existing practice.

David Simon is an organ recitalist, liturgical musician, and music instructor. He is the Director of Music at the historic Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Toronto where he directs the Gallery Choir, accompanies the liturgy, and maintains the musical tradition made famous by the work of his predecessor Healey Willan. David also has the privilege of teaching organ, piano, and music theory at St. Michael's Choir School, having grown up there as a chorister himself. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Yale University and has studied with Thomas Murray, Jeff Brillhart, and Patricia Wright. David is a Fellow of the RCCO, winning prizes for top national achievement and is an examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music. 

A prize-winning recitalist and improviser, David won first prize in both the Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO) national competition and the University of Michigan's organ improvisation competition. He has performed across North America, the UK, Europe, and Russia as a recitalist and accompanist. David is in particular demand as an organ improvisation teacher, giving lectures for Organ Festival Canada, instructing at the RCCO Summer Organ Academy, and giving masterclasses for various centers of the RCCO. He also maintains a private studio which includes students from across Canada.