2010

Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association (ORMTA) – Spring Auditions
Date: April 2010
Where: The Music Gallery
Special congrats to scholarship Recipient Kate Sublett (voice, Nicole Bower), Outstanding Music Performance and to Laura Ferguson (piano, Daniel Tsang) who will be continuing on to GTA Zones.

NYCO Music Festival
Date: April 2010
Where: Toronto
Music Theatre (13 & Under): First Place-Alexandra Weintraub
Music Theatre (13 & Under): First Place-Sarah Anderson
Music Theatre (Teen): Second Place-Erin Gallagher
Grade 5 Voice: First Place-Alexandra Weintraub
Grade 5 List A & B: First Place-Allie Hafner
Grade 6 List A & B: First Place: Katie Alonso
Grade 6 Voice Scholarship: Chelsea Clark
Folk Song: First Place-Amelia Banville

Davenport Music Festival
Date: April 2010
Where: Toronto
A number of voice students participated in the Davenport Fesitval this in the categories of music theatre and graded vocal classes!
Music Theatre: Second Place-Kate Shaw
Music Theatre: First Place-Kate Sublett
Grade 5 Voice: Second Place-Kate Sublett

Kiwanis Music Festival
Date: February 2010
Where: Toronto
Special congratulations to the following students:
Music Theatre (11 & Up-Tempo): Second Place- Place-Rachel Myers
Music Theatre (11 & Under Ballad): Second Place- Place- Rachel Myers
Music Theatre (12 & Up-Tempo): First Place- Place-Hayley Goldenberg, Third Place-Alexandra Weintraub
Music Theatre (12 & Under Ballad): Second Place- Place-Hayley Goldenberg
Music Theatre (14 & Under Ballad): Second Place- Place-Mikaela Holder
Music Theatre Duet: Third Place-Katie Alonso/Mikalea Holder

2009

Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association (ORMTA) – Fall Auditions
Date: November 22, 2009
Where: The Music Gallery
We are pleased to share that piano students from the studio of Daniel Tsang and voice students of Melissa Bencic moved on from the ORMTA Fall Auditions to the ORMTA Honours Recital.
Piano Students of Daniel Tsang: Adin Chan and Ethan Gan
Voice Students of Melissa Bencic: Katie Alonso, Kate Shaw and Kate Sublett

Special congrats to scholarship Recipient Katie Alonso (voice) – Outstanding Music Performance

Ontario Music Festival Association (Provincial Music Competition)
Date: June 9, 2009
Where: Peterbourogh, ON
Bravo Academy is pleased to announce that voice students Kasey Brown, Elizabeth Polese and Michael Smith advanced to the OMFA. All students are voice students of Melissa Bencic and were accompanied on piano by David McCartney. The students did an excellent job and received great success!

Elizabeth Polese – First Place in Vocal Solo
Michael Smith – First Place in Music Theatre

North York Concert Orchestra Festival (NYCO)
Date: June 6, 2009
Where: Grace Church on-the-hill
This is the first year that the NYCO Festival took place and it was a fabulous success! Special congratulations to Elizabeth Polese (voice student of Melissa Bencic) who was awarded scholarship as Most Promising Vocalist!

Michael Smith is accepted to Tanglewood!
Voice student Michael Smith (studio of Melissa Bencic) has been accepted to the Prestigious and world renowned Tanglewood Classical Summer Music Program. We wish Michael a wonderful experience as he will work with some of the world’s leading artists!

University Acceptance
We wish the following Bravo Academy students much success with their post-secondary education!
University of Toronto, Voice Performance: Elizabeth Polese
University of Toronto, Drama Major: Mitchell Roberts
University of Western Ontario, Voice Performance: Kasey Brown
Dalhousie University, Voice and Science Double Major: Ariana Sauret

Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association (ORMTA) – Spring Auditions
Date: April 5, 2009
Where: The Music Gallery
A number of piano students from the studio of Daniel Tsang and voice students of Melissa Bencic moved on from the ORMTA Spring Auditions to the ORMTA Honours Recital. Bravo to all those who performed!

Congrats to Michael Smith (voice) – Outstanding Music Performance

Davenport Music Festival
Date: April 2009
Where: Toronto
A number of voice students participated in the Davenport Fesitval this in the categories of music theatre and graded vocal classes!

Music Theatre (10 & Under): First Place-Rachel Myers
Music Theatre (11 & Under): First Place-Kate Shaw, Second Place-Veronica Coles
Music Theatre (11 & Under): First Place-Hayley Goldenberg

Kiwanis Music Festival
Date: February 2009
Where: Toronto
The Kiwanis Music Festival is always a fun and enjoyable festival for students. This year a large number of Bravo Academy students participated in either voice and/or piano and placed really well. A large number of students placed gold, silver and bronze placed students. It was an enjoyable festival and filled with lots of fun!

Special congratulations to the following students who received scholarships from the festival:
The David Ouchterlony Memorial Scholarships
Elizabeth Polese (voice student of Melissa Bencic)
The Louise Tandy Murch Memorial Scholarship (Musical Theatre)
Michael Smith (voice student of Melissa Bencic)
Scottie Robinson Memorial Scholarship
Michael Smith (voice student of Melissa Bencic)
Adelmo Melecci Centenary Scholarship
Chelsea-Theresa Clark (piano student of Daniel Tsang)

RCM EXAM
Special congratulations to Daniel Tsang being awarded the Silver Medal for his grade 10 voice exam. Daniel is under the tutelage of Melissa Bencic.

2008

The Sound of Music
Michaela Snoyer was cast in the role of Louisa in the Mirvish production of The Sound of Music. Michaela is a musical theatre student at Bravo Academy and studies voice with Melissa Bencic.

Fall 2008 ORMTA Auditions
Congratulations to all Bravo Academy students that performed at the Honours Recital held on November 23, 2008. It was a fabulous afternoon and the following participants were awarded scholarships:

· Katie Alonso, Erin Gallagher and Elizabeth Polese (students of Melissa Bencic)

Congratulations to all Kiwanis Music Festival Participants 2008 (Voice Students of Melissa Bencic):

• Katie Alonso: 2nd Musical Theatre Up-Tempo and Ballad, 2nd Gr. 3 List A and B
• Kasey Brown: 2nd Musical Theatre Ballad
  
• Chelsea Clark: 1st Musical Theatre Up-Tempo, 3rd Musical Theatre Ballad, 2nd Gr. 4 List A and B
  
• Erin Gallagher: 1st Musical Theatre Ballad, 2nd Musical Theatre Up-Tempo, 3rd Gr. 3 List A and B
  
• Hayley Goldenberg: 1st Musical Theatre Ballad, 2nd Musical Theatre Up-Tempo
  
• Holly Jamieson: 3rd Musical Theatre Up-Tempo
  
• Mary Murrill: 3rd Musical Theatre Up-Tempo
  
• Beth Polese & Michael Smith: 2nd Musical Theatre Duet
  
• Beth Polese: 1st Musical Theatre Ballad, 3rd Musical Theatre Up-Tempo, 2nd
• Baroque Opera, 2nd Operetta, 3rd Gr. 9 List C and B
  
• Kasey Brown & Holly Jamieson: 3rd Musical Theatre Duet

Bravo Academy voice teacher Neema Bickersteth stars in the world premiere opera of Stitch, March 12-16, 2008

2007

Congratulations to all Bravo Academy students that participated in the ORMTA Honors Recitals on Nov. 24, 2007!! Scholarship Recipients:

Juniors: Kate Sublett, Katie Alonso and Chelsea Clark
Seniors: Beth Polese, Nicole Strawbridge and Sam Moffatt
(All students are voice students of Melissa Bencic)

Congratulations to Bravo Academy students Beth Polese, Michael Smith, Nicole Strawbridge and Sam Moffatt for making it to the finals at the CNE Rising Star Competition!

(Beth, Michael, Nicole and Sam are voice students of Melissa Bencic)