2009 Rock Camp Details to be Posted

The Toronto Rock Camp is coming back in 2009. Bigger and Better that ever, we'll be ready to publish details during the last two weeks of January. Pre-registration will open by the end of February at the latest. If you have any questions prior to that time, contact us through our Contact Page.

Audio Mastering for CD Launch

We've started mastering the multi channel recordings of the 2008 Summer Toronto Rock Camp summer series concerts!

Summer 2008 Wrap Up! Photos, Videos, Audio and More!

We have thousands of pictures and well over 100 audio and video samples from the Summer 2008 edition of the Toronto Rock Camp. We'll be posting the photos and uploading the video to our YouTube channel over the next week.

Note that each TRC Rock Camp will have its own set of pages, including a Photo Gallery and inline streaming video samples of its concert performances. Watch this space for more details!

Week Six Concert ends TRC Summer 2008 in style!

The Toronto Rock Camp came to a close with a great concert on August 15th, 2008. Four new rock bands, formed earlier in the week, played three songs each at the week ending concert. You can listen to Elephantom, 25 Cent Lemonade, Charge and The Synnics (who played two originals written this week) in our Concert Recordings section.

Mike McAvan and Chris Lesso Jam with TRC students

The TRC was fortunate to have both guitarist Mike McAvan and drummer Chris Lesso lead a clinic on Thursday August 14th, 2008. The two talented musicians were supported by the TRC's own Chuck Majic on bass. The power trio performed Van Halen's "Panama" and the Jimi Hendrix hit "Fire". Mike and Chris also led a drum, guitar and career clinic.

Left to Right: Chuck Majic, Elijah, Carmen, Chris Lesso, Mike McAvan and Kameron

The highlight of the event was a jam with TRC students. Elijah (guitar) performed with the trio on Stevie Wonder's Superstition. Elijah was joined by Kameron (guitar) on an original 12 Bar blues number improvised on the fly by Mike McAvan and titled "Greek Town Blues". As it was getting close to lunch time, Mike sang about coming down to Greek Town (Danforth and Pape) in search of Greek cuisine, only to be thwarted in his quest. The song only ended when Mike exhausted his knowledge of Greek dishes!

Carmen North joined Elijah and Kameron and sang lead vocals on Road House Blues (The Doors). You can listen to MP3 recordings of the jams in our Concert Recordings section.

Week Five Concert Audio Ready for Download

Four Toronto Rock Camp bands put on an amazing performance this past Friday (August 8th, 2008). With only four days to prepare (because of the Civic Holiday on Monday) the four bands (Abandoned, Chuck's Magic 5, Duble + 2, and Frets on Fire) put on a super show. You can listen to the Live Mix mp3 recordings on our Concert Recordings page.

TRC Band Duble + 2 Jams and Records with Mike McAvan

Left to Right: Miles, Graham, Nick, Elijah, Max and Susan

Toronto Rock Camp band Duble + 2 jammed with award winning master guitarist and super nice guy Mike McAvan after Mike's August 7th clinic. Without the benefit of any preparation, Duble + 2 members (from left to right) Miles (Bass), Graham (Guitar), Nick (Guitar), Elijah (Guitar), Max (Drums) and Susan (Keyboards) recorded four tracks with Mike.

You can listen to Duble + 2 and Mike McAvan's versions of Red House (Jimi Hendrix), Superstition (Stevie Wonder), Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (Van Halen) and Rock and Roll All Night (Kiss) in our Concert Recordings section. Simply a super impromptu performance by Mike and Duble + 2!

Week Four Concert Audio Ready for Download

The Live Mix MP3 recordings from our Friday August 1st, 2008, concert are ready for download. Visit our Concert Recordings section to hear the TRC campers in action!

Week Three Concert Audio ready for download!

Four new Toronto Rock Camp bands put on a fantastic show on Friday, July 25, 2008. Listen to their performances in our Concert Recordings section. The audio files are in MP3 format and were recorded in Stereo.

Week Two Concert Audio is ready for download!

Eight fresh concert recordings are ready for online listening and download. Four new Toronto Rock Camp bands put on a fantastic show on Friday, July 18, 2008. Listen to their performances in our Concert Recordings section. The audio files are in MP3 format.

First Scholarship students attend Toronto Rock Camp!

Our first three scholarship students are attending the Toronto Rock Camp this week. The Toronto Rock Camp scholarship program was established to give budding musicians, aged 11 through 17, who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend the camp, a chance to attend a full week session. Twenty-four scholarship positions have been offered for the Summer 2008 program. For more information about the scholarship program, contact Seraphim Marcopoulos and/or submit an application through our Scholarship Form.

Week Two at the Toronto Rock Camp features four new Rock Bands!

Week two of the Summer 2008 edition of the Toronto Rock Camp has gotten off to a super start. Four new bands have formed and are getting ready to write, rehearse and perform their songs for the week ending concert on Friday. Our first scholarship winners are also attending this week.

Summer 2008 Week Two Toronto Rock Camp Musicians are ready to rock!

"Live Mix" recordings of Week One Concert ready for download!

We've posted the "live mix" audio files, in MP3 format, in our download section. Listen to the Summer 2008 camps Week One rock bands as they were recorded during their live performance on July 11th, 2008. You can access the audio files in our Concert Recordings section.

Fair Apparel to supply Toronto Rock Camp Official T-Shirts

The Toronto Rock Camp is pleased to announce that Fair Apparel will be providing the Official T-Shirts for Summer 2008. The T-Shirts are Fair Trade certified, made of reclaimed cotton by a women's co-operative in El Salvador. Take a look at a design mock up of the Summer 2008 edition below!

About Fair Apparel:

Fair Apparel works exclusively with suppliers that are either Fair Trade certified, pursuing certification, or use ethical and sustainable business practices. Becoming certified can be an expensive and difficult process and is only open to developing countries. While we strongly support this system, we feel it is of equal importance to also support local ethical businesses and those who may not yet qualify for Fair Trade labelling under the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations (FLO). All of our policies and business practices are built upon equitable and sustainable practices, and environmental respect.

Toronto Rock Camp Summer 2008 Kicks Off with Four Rock Bands!

The Summer 2008 edition of the Toronto Rock Camp kicks off today! A group 22 of talented young musicians are joining together in four rock bands. Look out for photos, audio clips, and video clips to be posted on the TRC website over the next week.

D'Addario Canada Offers Prize Packs for Guitar, Bass and Drums

D'Addario Canada will offer prize packs for Guitarists, Bassists and Drummers attending the Toronto Rock Camp Summer 2008 Edition. Each guitarist and bassist will receive a D'Addario pack with strings, picks, keychains, lanyards, instruction sheets for the care, stringing and setup of their instrument, and other great promo items.

Toronto Rock Camp Announces 24 Scholarships for Summer 2008

The Toronto Rock Camp is pleased to announce a program to award twenty four (24) scholarships for the Summer 2008 session. Each scholarship will be for a one week camp session. Scholarship information has been distributed to a number of Toronto public schools (TDSB and TCDSB). Interest applicants can apply online through the Toronto Rock Camp website's Scholarship Application Form.

Long and McQuade Sponsors the Toronto Rock Camp

The Toronto Rock Camp is proud to announce that Long and McQuade will be sponsoring the camp this year.

About 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.

D'Addario Canada Sponsors the Toronto Rock Camp

D'Addario Canada has generously agreed to sponsor the Toronto Rock Camp with three of its fantastic brands participating. Toronto Rock Camp campers will receive a selection of D'Addario (Guitar and Bass strings), Planet Waves (Music Accessories) and Evans Drum Heads (Drum Products) items as well as benefitting from special clinics presented by D'Addario representatives. More details to follow!

Toronto Rock Camp Audio Files Posted

We've posted Audio files in MP3 format which were recorded at during the the summer 2006 and 2007 sessions. To listen, visit the Info and Media Download Area.

Songs by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Eagles, and other great bands were performed and recorded by our talented campers!