Hamilton Music Collective

Kid's Morning Program - March Break Tech Week
2025-03-10 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Toronto) | 141 Park Street North, 141 Park Street N, Hamilton, ON, L8R 2N4, Canada
This March Break, dive into the world of music with our exciting new morning program! Designed for kids ages 8–12, this week-long adventure (9am–12pm) lets students explore the art of songwriting and music creation.
Students will get hands-on experience in our state-of-the-art music tech lab Soundhaus Studio, composing original movie scores on iPads and experimenting with a variety of traditional rock band instruments in a fun, daily jam-session. Working in groups with instructors Mr. Garrett in the beats lab and Mr. Andrew in the jam room, students will develop their skills, learn how to create music solo and together, and leave with a song of their own to cherish forever. No prior musical experience is required—just bring your creativity and enthusiasm!
By the end of the week, your child will have made new friends, learned to express themselves through music, and gained the confidence to jam with others and create new material. It’s a fun, educational, and unforgettable experience that will inspire young musicians of all levels.
Daily Schedule:

9:00 – 9:15am: Drop off
9:15 – 10:15am: Session 1 (Beats Lab / Jam Room)
10:15 – 10:30am: Snack break
10:30 – 11:30am: Session 2 (Jam Room / Beats Lab)
11:30 – 11:45pm: Clean up, Group Activity
11:45 – 12:00pm: Pick up

Cost: $155 for five mornings (March 10 – 14)

Location: The HMC Centre for Performance and Education at The Gasworks (141 Park Street North, downtown Hamilton)
Dates: Monday March 10 – 14, 2025

Intro to Digital DJing with DJ Realistic (Workshop)
2025-03-10 13:00 - 14:30
Intro to Digital DJing with DJ Realistic
Aaron Sakala aka DJ Realistic (he/him)
Ages 13 – 19
Monday, March 10 – 1:00 – 2:30 pm

Join Aaron Sakala aka DJ Realistic and get your hands on the decks with DVS (digital vinyl systems). DVS combines easy-to-use DJ software and your digital music collection with physical turntables and vinyl records. Dive into the basics of mixing and scratching with Serato in this hands-on workshop!

Join us for the second annual March Break Tech Week, offering something for youth of all ages! Kids ages 8-12 can create their own movie score and pick up a new instrument every day in our new Monday-Friday morning program. Teens ages 13 – 19 can choose from a variety of 90-minute workshops. Learn the basics of Digital DJing, explore electronic music with Ableton, or get hands on with effects pedals. Co-write with pro songwriters and producers, and get a taste of the Musical Futures Production Program from HMC.
All programs take place at The HMC Centre for Performance and Education at The Gasworks. Register now on our website!
https://hamiltonmusiccollective.ca/programs/march-break/
About DJ Realistic:
Born and raised in Hamilton, DJ Realistic (Aaron Sakala) has been a cornerstone of the local music scene celebrated for his exceptional mixing, blending, and scratching techniques for over thirty years.
REALISTIC’s collaborative highlights include Eklipz, Peoples Republic, Lee Reed, and WARSAWPACK, with whom he released two albums and toured Canada. He has also shared the stage with renowned artists such as Xzibit, DJ Krush, Alexisonfire, Roots Manuva, Saukrates, and Souls of Mischief.
Co-founder of Live N Direct, Hamilton’s pioneering hip-hop radio show on 93.3 CFMU, REALISTIC helped shape the city’s soundscape by supporting and promoting local talent.
A skilled sound engineer, he provides sound tech for musicians, sound design for theatrical productions, and records and produces music for EMCEEs.
REALISTIC privately mentors emerging and established DJs through custom tailored lessons and loves his time helping the upcoming generation cultivate their voices and hone their craft.

How to Collaborate and Write Great Songs (Workshops)
2025-03-11 13:00 - 14:30
How to Collaborate and Write Great Songs

Melissa Dutch (she/her) & Sasha Szlafarski (he/him)
Ages 13 – 19
Tuesday, March 11 – 1:00 – 2:30 pm

Join songwriter Melissa Dutch and producer/composer Sasha Szlafarski as they demonstrate tips and tricks to collaborate with others and write a great song. Experience the process and write lyrics and melodies together! Back by popular demand!

Join us for the second annual March Break Tech Week, offering something for youth of all ages! Kids ages 8-12 can create their own movie score and pick up a new instrument every day in our new Monday-Friday morning program. Teens ages 13 – 19 can choose from a variety of 90-minute workshops. Learn the basics of Digital DJing, explore electronic music with Ableton, or get hands on with effects pedals. Co-write with pro songwriters and producers, and get a taste of the Musical Futures Production Program from HMC.
All programs take place at The HMC Centre for Performance and Education at The Gasworks. Register now on our website!
https://hamiltonmusiccollective.ca/programs/march-break/
About Melissa Dutch:
MELISSA DUTCH is an ARTIST/PERFORMER/WRITER, and VOCAL COACH, specializing in contemporary pop, rock, soul, and indie genres, with a technical background in jazz, classical voice, musical theatre, and opera. She offers students a diverse and all-encompassing music education, or a specific focus on almost any genre.
She has been running her registered private studio, MELISSA DUTCH MUSIC STUDIO, from 2016 to today, with a community of dedicated voices. Melissa has an active career as a solo gigging, writing and recording artist in Hamilton and the GTA. Melissa has been recording and releasing original music as a powerful vocalist and an honest poet & lyricist since 2020.
Melissa’s dedication to holistic artistic growth has made her a passionate coach who believes in caring for the whole artist. She approaches instruction with a spirit of healing, acceptance, growth, and inclusivity (particularly for those who are neurodivergent and/or those on a mental/spiritual health journey with their art). The voice is our instrument, an extension of our natural body, the language of our heart, and an expression of our soul.
About Sasha Szlafarski:
Sasha is a multi-disciplinary musician, producer, audio engineer, and composer based in Hamilton, Ontario. His work is marked by a strong emphasis on both sonic and emotional honesty, with a balanced appreciation for both complexity and understatement in music.
Sasha began playing guitar at age 10 and quickly developed an interest in music production, teaching himself recording techniques. By middle school, he was engineering and mixing EPs for his bands. By high school graduation, he had released six EPs and toured internationally as a professional musician. He later pursued Film Scoring studies at the Berklee College of Music.
After completing his studies, Sasha built a career as a composer, engineer, and producer for film, television, and commercial music, working with various filmmakers and studying under Toronto composer Donald Quan. His work expanded into sound recording on film sets and post-production mixing.
In addition to his commercial projects, Sasha quietly produced music on the side for his close friends and colleagues who shared his passion for emotive music, unconventional orchestration, and layered storytelling. At the same time, Sasha advanced his engineering skills by working as a repair technician, specializing in guitars, amplifiers, recording studio equipment, and pedals, while also building his own gear. In 2021, he would eventually open Everything Hz, a professional recording studio, in Hamilton, Ontario.
In 2023, Sasha joined the Hamilton Music Collective, where he designed and outfitted their new recording studio and music tech educational facility, Soundhaus, at the iconic Gasworks building in Hamilton.

From Song Idea to Produced Track (Workshop)
2025-03-11 15:00 - 16:30
From Song Idea to Produced Track

Melissa Dutch (she/her) & Sasha Szlafarski (he/him)
Ages 13 – 19
Tuesday, March 11 – 3:00 – 4:30 pm

Join producer/composer Sasha Szlafarski and songwriter Melissa Dutch as they show how to produce a high quality track using a microphone, midi instruments and your own computer! Learn how to record and layer vocals, virtual instruments and effects to turn your song idea into a finished track. Back by popular demand!

Join us for the second annual March Break Tech Week, offering something for youth of all ages! Kids ages 8-12 can create their own movie score and pick up a new instrument every day in our new Monday-Friday morning program. Teens ages 13 – 19 can choose from a variety of 90-minute workshops. Learn the basics of Digital DJing, explore electronic music with Ableton, or get hands on with effects pedals. Co-write with pro songwriters and producers, and get a taste of the Musical Futures Production Program from HMC.
All programs take place at The HMC Centre for Performance and Education at The Gasworks. Register now on our website!
https://hamiltonmusiccollective.ca/programs/march-break/
About Sasha Szlafarski:
Sasha is a multi-disciplinary musician, producer, audio engineer, and composer based in Hamilton, Ontario. His work is marked by a strong emphasis on both sonic and emotional honesty, with a balanced appreciation for both complexity and understatement in music.
Sasha began playing guitar at age 10 and quickly developed an interest in music production, teaching himself recording techniques. By middle school, he was engineering and mixing EPs for his bands. By high school graduation, he had released six EPs and toured internationally as a professional musician. He later pursued Film Scoring studies at the Berklee College of Music.
After completing his studies, Sasha built a career as a composer, engineer, and producer for film, television, and commercial music, working with various filmmakers and studying under Toronto composer Donald Quan. His work expanded into sound recording on film sets and post-production mixing.
In addition to his commercial projects, Sasha quietly produced music on the side for his close friends and colleagues who shared his passion for emotive music, unconventional orchestration, and layered storytelling. At the same time, Sasha advanced his engineering skills by working as a repair technician, specializing in guitars, amplifiers, recording studio equipment, and pedals, while also building his own gear. In 2021, he would eventually open Everything Hz, a professional recording studio, in Hamilton, Ontario.
In 2023, Sasha joined the Hamilton Music Collective, where he designed and outfitted their new recording studio and music tech educational facility, Soundhaus, at the iconic Gasworks building in Hamilton.
About Melissa Dutch:
MELISSA DUTCH is an ARTIST/PERFORMER/WRITER, and VOCAL COACH, specializing in contemporary pop, rock, soul, and indie genres, with a technical background in jazz, classical voice, musical theatre, and opera. She offers students a diverse and all-encompassing music education, or a specific focus on almost any genre.
She has been running her registered private studio, MELISSA DUTCH MUSIC STUDIO, from 2016 to today, with a community of dedicated voices. Melissa has an active career as a solo gigging, writing and recording artist in Hamilton and the GTA. Melissa has been recording and releasing original music as a powerful vocalist and an honest poet & lyricist since 2020.
Melissa’s dedication to holistic artistic growth has made her a passionate coach who believes in caring for the whole artist. She approaches instruction with a spirit of healing, acceptance, growth, and inclusivity (particularly for those who are neurodivergent and/or those on a mental/spiritual health journey with their art). The voice is our instrument, an extension of our natural body, the language of our heart, and an expression of our soul.

Bring On The Bass with DJ Ade (Workshop)
2025-03-12 15:00 - 16:30
Bring On The Bass with DJ Ade

Adrian Duzyer aka DJ Ade (he/him)
Ages 13 – 19
Wednesday, March 12 – 3:00 – 4:30 pm

Put on your bass face for this sound design workshop, where you’ll create bass tones of such awesome power they’ll shake buildings and turn heads at traffic lights. Whether you want bass that pounds, thumps, wobbles, wubs or roars, this Ableton workshop will give you the strategies and techniques you need to create your own unique sounds, regardless of your skill level or software.

Join us for the second annual March Break Tech Week, offering something for youth of all ages! Kids ages 8-12 can create their own movie score and pick up a new instrument every day in our new Monday-Friday morning program. Teens ages 13 – 19 can choose from a variety of 90-minute workshops. Learn the basics of Digital DJing, explore electronic music with Ableton, or get hands on with effects pedals. Co-write with pro songwriters and producers, and get a taste of the Musical Futures Production Program from HMC.
All programs take place at The HMC Centre for Performance and Education at The Gasworks. Register now on our website!
https://hamiltonmusiccollective.ca/programs/march-break/
About DJ Ade:
Adrian Duyzer (DJ Ade) has been making beats since he fell in love with techno in the 90s. He’s produced dozens of tracks but, sadly, he’s still not famous. Over the past few years he’s been focused on producing deep dubstep and hip-hop, as well as performing live at underground parties that tend to get a little out of hand.

Wired for Noise: Pedals & Beyond with Nim
2025-03-13 13:00 - 14:30
Wired for Noise: Pedals & Beyond with Nim

Nim (they/them)
Ages 13 – 19
Thursday, March 13 – 1:00 – 2:30 pm

What’s with all that noise?! Join synth, bass, and live sound engineer Nim (Basement Revolver, Sound of Separation) for an electrifying exploration of noise music. Learn how to manipulate sound with effects pedals like reverb, delay and distortion to create wild soundscapes. Great for guitar/keyboard players and those interested in sonic experimentation!

Join us for the second annual March Break Tech Week, offering something for youth of all ages! Kids ages 8-12 can create their own movie score and pick up a new instrument every day in our new Monday-Friday morning program. Teens ages 13 – 19 can choose from a variety of 90-minute workshops. Learn the basics of Digital DJing, explore electronic music with Ableton, or get hands on with effects pedals. Co-write with pro songwriters and producers, and get a taste of the Musical Futures Production Program from HMC.
All programs take place at The HMC Centre for Performance and Education at The Gasworks. Register now on our website!
https://hamiltonmusiccollective.ca/programs/march-break/
About Nim:
Nim is a musician and audio engineer based in Hamilton. Their experience in the field has allowed them to approach music from all angles. From performing and writing to recording and mixing (both live and in the studio) Nim brings over a decade of perspective to the table, weaving it all together in their work creating experimental noise music.
