Tori Smith

 

Tori Smith has been teaching at Lowe's School of Music for over five years, and strives to make music class a fun and positive experience, with lots of laughter and positive encouragement!  Her goal is to inspire a love and appreciation of music in all of her students. 

 

While growing up Tori was drawn to a wide variety of musical genres, and was greatly inspired by her older sister and grandmother, who both played piano.  Tori's parents soon noticed her interest in music, and enrolled her in piano lessons at the age of six. 

In her teens Tori studied piano, theory, and voice with opera singer Alison Moodie.  This period greatly influenced Tori’s life, and it was then that she decided to pursue a future in music. During that time Tori completed her grade 8 practical RCM and grade 2 rudiments in theory.  As a teenager she also performed with the children's entertainment group Art In Motion productions. 

Tori first caught the teaching bug while working at Thorne Lodge Public School for her high school co-op program, which placed her as an Assistant Music Teacher to Mrs. Heather Emerson.  Tori’s duties included private tutoring, creating assignments, grading papers, and towards the end of the semester she was given the opportunity to run several of the classes.  This hands-on experience was invaluable and helped to solidify Tori’s decision to pursue a career in teaching.

After High school Tori enrolled at Sheridan College in the Early Childhood Education program.  There she took courses in early childhood development and psychology, effective communication techniques, the different learning styles of children, and how children interact and learn through play.  

Tori was then accepted into the Mohawk College Jazz Performance program where she studied jazz harmony, ear training, classical and jazz history, composition, and much more.  She also gained a great deal of performance experience by participating in ensemble classes, workshops, and with the Mohawk College Jazz choir.