CityArts Rock Camp Sponsors
The CityArts Toronto Rock Camp is grateful for the support of our sponsors such as Gibson Guitars, Epiphone Guitars and Amplifiers, Ernie Ball Strings and Accessories, Long and McQuade, Gretsch Drums, Fender KMC, CB Drums, LA Percusson and Toca. Our corporate sponsors are providing equipment and expertise through their professional musicians and clinicians.
Gibson Guitars and Epiphone Musical Instruments
Part of the Gibson Family of Brands, Epiphone is all things to all players. Working musicians prize the company for its Gibson replicas, offering the quality of the most famous US models at competitive prices. Collectors of vintage guitars snap up the authentic Elitist reissues of the Emperor, Casino and Excellente (and many more). Recording artists turn to the Epiphone US range for quality that rivals any guitar manufacturer in the world, while rock 'n' roll fanatics delight in the company's signature models, which include everything from the Nick Valensi Riviera to the Zakk Wylde Les Paul Customs. Regardless of budget, ability or musical leaning, today's Epiphone line has it covered.
Ernie Ball
One of Rock and Roll's iconic brands, Ernie Ball was been an innovator in all facets of modern music, whether its Strings, Accessories, and Music Man Guitars and Basses, or Sterling Guitars. CityArts is proud to welcome Ernie Ball as a sponsor of the CityArts Rock Camps.
Ernie Ball endorsees include: Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Slash, Keith Richards, Angus Young, Eagles, John Mayer, Jeff Beck, Steve Vai, Aerosmith, Kirk Hammett, Green Day, System of A Down, Avenged Sevenfold, Pete Townshend John Petrucci, Jack White - The Raconteurs, Maroon 5, Deftones, Peter Frampton, Nine Inch Nails, Chris Broderick-Megadeth, Paul Gilbert, Genesis, Steve Morse, Blink 182, Brad Paisley, Albert Lee, Steve Lukather, Buckcherry, Iron Maiden, Rick Savage-Def Leppard, Sonic Youth, Mars Volta, Sevendust, Glenn Tipton-Judas Priest, Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Counting Crows, MGMT, Bullet For My Valentine, Dave La Rue, Don Felder, Guns And Roses, John Fogerty, Limp Bizkit, Nickelback, The Edge
Long and McQuade
Long & McQuade is the largest chain of musical instrument retailers in Canada, with 28 locations from British Columbia to Ontario. This means that if you're a touring musician, you'll have the benefit of dealing with a familiar store with consistent sales, supply, service and support no matter where your home base is.
Long & McQuade Limited began in 1956 when Jack Long became a dealer for King Band Instruments. He set up a small store on Carlton Street in Toronto on the second floor of an old house which had been divided into music studios, and taught trumpet lessons on the side. About six months later he acquired a partner, Jack McQuade, who was teaching drum lessons in one of the young company's two small studios.
The original storefront was opened the following year on Yonge Street at Yorkville Avenue. It was during these early days that Yorkville Sound was created -- when Peter Traynor began building speaker cabinets and then amplifiers on the second floor of the store, to meet a growing need for amplifiers and PA systems in the budding rock and roll industry.
Many of the existing Long & McQuade customer service policies sprang from the store's early days: the rental program began because many of the partners' friends kept asking to borrow instruments; in-house financing developed out of what was originally a casual arrangement to sell equipment and spread out the payments to make it easier for the customer.
Over the years, Long & McQuade has grown to a company which employs over 700 people throughout 28 locations.
Fender KMC Canada
Kaman Music Canada / B&J (a division of Fender Musical Instruments) is sponsoring the CityArts Toronto Rock Camp through its percussion brands, Gretsch Drums, CB Drums, Latin Percussion and Toca. They will also offer several half day drum and percussion clinics.
Gretsch Drums
CityArts is proud to be sponsored by Gretsch Drums. Designed for the touring drummer who requires "That Great Gretsch Sound" the Renown series offers incredible tone by retaining classic Gretsch features. Attributes include USA Rock Maple shells, 30-degree bearing edges, die-cast hoops, GTS suspension systems and Silver Sealer interior finishes. Gretsch Renown projects a warm, distinctively Gretsch sound with an added contemporary punch.
CB Drums
For over a quarter century, CB Educational Percussion's team of educators and percussionists has engineered reliable products for the educational community. Offering quality workmanship, superior tone, response and projection, CB products stand up to heavy use yet remain surprisingly affordable. CB Educational Percussion from Kaman Music is supported by readily available replacement parts and uncompromising service.
Latin Percussion
Passion. It is the force which drives all human beings to achieve, to strive and to make their dreams come true.The story of Latin Percussion is the passion of one man. A passion which drove him to create, innovate and unmistakably change the face of percussion forever.
From the beginning, LP has let those who play their instruments do most of the talking. The company's first endorser was Afro-Cuban and jazz drummer Willie Bobo. Today, LP has over 500 endorsers, a list which reads as a veritable "who's who" of the music world. Musicians like Tito Puente, "Patato" Valdez, Carlos Santana, Giovanni Hildago, Armando Peraza and many more all use LP products. Because they are the best, their equipment must be the best as well.
The company that started in the Cohen garage now has a staff of research, design and product developers that keep an ongoing stream of new products coming out. In addition, over 250 people are employed at the manufacturing facility in Thailand. What started as a small family operation has grown to become Latin Percussion, the world's largest producer of hand percussion instruments.
Toca Percussion
During the early 90's, the music scene began to bustle with new trends. A new craze called drum circles began making headlines in the news, around the same time a new Latin sound called "Afro Cuban" was hitting the pop charts with the Miami Sound Machine's hit "Conga". Hand drumming was receiving a great amount of press as more people began to take up hand drumming as a recreational hobby. People wanted to drum for a variety of health and wellness reasons, along with pure enjoyment. All the while, the Latin sound became more popular and mainstream.
At this time, there was only one dominant brand in the percussion/hand drum market manufacturing hand drum instruments. Kaman Music decided to introduce Toca Percussion as an alternative choice in hand percussion instruments and accessories. Toca was designed and developed to have a different look and provide the "Afro Cuban" sound. This made Toca different from the dominant brand thus giving new players and percussionists an alternative choice when looking for hand percussion instruments.
The CityArts Toronto Rock Camp is also sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Education's Focus on Youth Program. Through the generous contributions of Focus on Youth, we are able to offer twenty-four (24) one week scholarships to the camp. Scholarships are granted for eligible students on the basis of financial or social need. To apply for a scholarship, please fill out our scholarship application form.
Ontario Ministry of Education: Focus on Youth Program
About Focus on Youth:
"Focus on Youth" is a partnership between the Ontario Government, school boards and local community agencies. It provides summer programming for students in identified high needs urban neighbourhoods.
"This program allows for learning to extend beyond the classroom and the regular school year - we are providing opportunities to engage students year-round," said Education Minister Kathleen Wynne.
"Opening our schools to community programs is a significant part of the effort to set our youth on pathways to success. United Way is proud to be part of an innovative program that will mean the world to youth in our city. Thanks to Focus On Youth, thousands of young people in neighbourhoods across Toronto will again be able to take part in recreational, leadership, and employment opportunities they would not otherwise have," said United Way President Frances Lankin.