We're Proud of Our Past and are Presently Working Hard to Assure Even Greater Success in the Foreseeable Future

Dedicated to our 40th Anniversary of The Royans Professional Vocal School

We just arrived at our 40th anniversary of what was originally (in 1984) called "The Royans School for the Musical Performing Arts" and in 1987, it was renamed (more so to the point) "The Royans Professional Vocal School".

 

On this same date (February 15th) in the year 2000, my book titled Vocal Science™ - Flight to the Universe, saw the light of day. 
Today this book is 24 years old!


As time passed by, another new title was added (in 2002), and it is now well-known as, "The Royans Professional Vocal School, Division of The Royans Institute for Non-Surgical Voice Repair." 

In the same year, my program Vocal Science, became trademarked by the Government of Canada and now it is called Vocal Science™.
Also in the same year 2002, our corporation was born which remains to this date which was named 4 A.M. Talent Development & Artist Management Group Inc. 
Yet again, in the same year, our indie record company named Royans Universe Records, was also born! 

However, with all of the above said, looking back and assessing our past, as the owner, president and master voice/vocal coach and etc., I have to say that I'm proud of what we achieved over the last four decades. A fair amount of well-known singers today in Toronto and some other cities and provinces of Canada, US and Europe, have come through our doors.
The estimated amount of students and clients who had come through our doors is estimated (to date) to be over 30,000. 
That is not to account for all group sessions, workshops, seminars and presentations - conducted not only locally, but around the world. 

Nevertheless, the people back then (in the 80s and 90s) were much more conscious and definitely more present. Not to mention, much more alert, more active and balanced (intellectually and, nonetheless, physically) and thus, they had more goals, and possessed at least some aspirations and desires.
Immigration in those years was pretty active, especially from countries like Russia, Italy, Greece, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and etc. and other civilized societies, where the present and future parents of immigrants who were arriving to this land with the agenda to give their children and grandchildren the best - and mainly and most importantly, the best of education.
They worked really hard in construction, factories, plants and what have you and with all the money made, they directed it towards the betterment of their offspring.

They were picking up the phones, prior to looking us up in the Yellow Pages directory and various print publications, which, needless to say, today unfortunately are non-existent. No, they did not have any access to the internet yet, thus they did not waste their valuable time staring at the screen and also acquiring a fair amount of radiation for that matter. That is, not to mention, they were not bombarded by a billion choices, but rather they were relying on their intuition, their common sense and the word of mouth.

Respectively, their kids were given more love, care and attention. In fact, a lot of them also had a love for music (in a real, genuine understanding of that word) and thus, they strived to achieve the goal and the dream to become somebody in the music industry or maybe even become a pop or rock star.
Their motives though were by far more authentic and genuine then, as they did not have one and only agenda to make "financial success" and "help their families"!!! There is nothing wrong with that per se, but in my opinion, the latter should not be the main goal.
It should be the true calling for the love of music and a calling has to come from within their hearts and souls...

I personally loved those times and enjoyed my business of making stars far more and greater than today.
Needless to say: I'M PROUD OF WHAT I'VE DONE!

Since February 15th, 1984...
40 Years and Counting...

Today, I continue to "carry the torch". However, "THE TORCH", so to speak, has become extremely heavy to carry, "which is nearly breaking my back", in a manner of speaking and almost literally (Since I just turned 67). 
Before the school was opened on February 15th, 1984, on February 3rd, I turned 27...

Needless to say, people today are bombarded with various (right or wrong) information and now are practically unable to exist, live or think without their 24/7 access to the internet. They're confused about the numerous choices presented to them at every given minute of the day.
Therefore, they now doubt everything and everyone, as their trust in all of that is completely dissipated. Today, at best, it takes quadruple the energy to achieve a quarter of the desirable results.

The economy today also dictates that it is the market for the consumer. Don't you worry, they know about it and they interrogate me and my staff to the fullest. Finally, and with great difficulty, "the sale" has been made...

However, as it appears to be, a lot of our clients today have learning disabilities, speech impediments, lisp, ADD/ADHD.
With that said, they have no attention span whatsoever, not to mention, that they can hardly read and definitely cannot write without spell-check.
They refuse to speak on the phone, even to discuss their appointments. They have to text or e-mail with extremely incoherent language skills, which at times it is indeed impossible to make "heads or tails" of.

When we, occasionally, acquire some children in our studios, they quite often possess some musical talent.
On that premise, we naturally assume that that's exactly what they want to do - TO SING!
When we ask them that question, if singing is their passion and perhaps may become their future profession, we often get a rather unexpected answer, especially when it came from our 10-year-old quite talented student, "No, I never said that I want to become a professional singer, I just said that I like to sing". This little girl was sent to me by a very well-known platinum producer, who knows about me and thus, is very appreciative of the results I have been achieving with my students for many years.  

Go figure! It must be parents who are trying to instill in their children's minds that music is not a profession and they will not be able to rely on it to make a living (I agree that there is some truth to it). However, a child/teenager with artistic tendencies should not be discouraged from their love, passion and talent, just because the parents might think that it might not be a lucrative profession for them down the road.

Some years ago, I was running a vocal interactive workshop where I had 11 strangers and also, at that time the future winner of Canadian Idol 2007 - Brian Melo, was attending along with his band member. He "saved the day", as the rest of them were sitting there like complete zombies and telling me during the introductory interview, that all of them (young girls primarily) wanted to become opera singers...?
All of the previous years, when I asked young girls who they would want to become, the answer was premeditated - Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and before that, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey.
Now, these parents, evidently, were afraid of "Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll", so to speak, and thus, they have been instilling in their youngsters' minds (who obviously did not know any better), that opera is the only genre they can embark upon, as in the parent's minds, this is the "safest" field for their children/teenagers and whatnot.

So, needless to say, I saw the seeds of destruction being planted some time ago in those children's minds. In my opinion, no doubt, by now, they have fully blossomed (nevertheless, we are "enjoying" the consequences of the above said).

So, by the law of averages, given the very good beginning of this school (from 1984 to approximately 2004), that, to say the least, it came to a not-so-very satisfying present.
I'm hoping that the future will be that much more fulfilling, based on the experience of the past and the present. I just wish that my staff and I would not have to work so hard in our present time to:

ACHIEVE A BEAUTIFUL FUTURE!

                HOWEVER...

           WE   DO  BELIEVE!!

Needless to say.... We are proud to always provide exceptional voice/vocal instruction and, when needed, natural holistic and alternative treatments.
And most importantly, we are proud to provide personalized care for each and every individual coming through our doors.