Students and Local Bands Electrify Eggplant at the Regent Park School...

8211;- The Regent Park School of Music (RPSM) fundraiser hosted by Eggplant restaurant and sound design proved to be a huge success! Despite the downpour of rain on Wednesday night, the outpour of support was not at all dampened.

RPSM graduate Thompson T. Egbo tickled the ivories to set the mood, and performances by students on string, piano, and vocal brought the house to their feet. CTV eTalk's8217;s Tanya Kim and Much Music's8217;s Robin Black fired up the crowd for the rest of the evening's8217;s festivities including thrilling performances by D's8217;ari from Nine Mile, The Salads, and a truly scorching grand finale by Goodness Gracious fire dancers. In addition to amazing food and drink generously provided by Eggplant, guests enjoyed songs from Eggplant's8217;s own Terry Tompkins and his wife Lisa, formerly of the music group Lost and Profound. Recording artist and entertainer Michee Mee, who grew up in the Regent Park neighbourhood, was among the influencers in attendance.

's8220;Music has been integral to all of us at Eggplant, and we felt that throwing an event like this -- intended to raise awareness and funds for the RPSM in the Toronto community 's8211; was our way to give back and help children continue to discover music not only as a creative outlet in their lives, but hopefully as a passion,'s8221; said Eggplant's8217;s co-owner Dave Conlon.

RPSM was started in the basement of St. Paul's8217;s Church in the 's8216;hood. Within a year, it moved to the nearby heritage building @ 534 Queen Street East. The school offers Royal Conservatory training to less fortunate, inner-city youth through affordable after-school music programs by renowned and professional music faculty. The RPSM teaches over 200 children a week, one-on-one. The students use 10 instruments, and participate in group classes in voice and theory. It runs a 24-person choir, and students perform monthly concerts and an annual gala at the Canadian Opera Company. There are 14 instructors, all of whom work or study full-time elsewhere and teach at RPSM on the side, for about a third of the usual private lesson fee. With a vast student body and more than 250 students on the waiting list, RPSM is already making a significant impact on the community, but is still in definite need of funding to keep going. It takes about $1,500 per student each year to keep the school running.

RPSM is one of Toronto's8217;s foremost independent, non-profit community music schools, and Eggplant hosted the RPSM fundraiser to assist the school in continuing to provide a safe and secure environment for inner-city youth to foster musical creativity. With the buzz generated from this phenomenal fundraising event, Eggplant and RPSM hope to get kids off the streets and into the music rooms.

About The Regent Park School of Music

Opened in May 1999, Regent Park School of Music is Toronto's8217;s foremost independent community music school. Our objective is to help inner-city young people learn music because the discipline of learning music helps instil discipline in everything these young people do. RPSM is a supportive setting where young people can build confidence, develop discipline, have positive mentoring experiences, develop sound life-skills, and also enjoy a music education based on excellence. The happy and fruitful years they spend here will teach them to explore appropriate lifestyles, setting them on the path to productive adult lives. Our graduates are a living proof of the significance of our program in this community.

About Eggplant

Founded in April, 2001, Eggplant 's8211; the company 's8211; is among the biggest commercial music companies and full service production house in Canada. They have served Emmy and Annie award-winning creative to television, advertising and gaming communities, and have produced music for clients such as Rogers, GM, Bell, Molson Labatt, Ford, Toyota and others. Eggplant has created several short films featured at The Just for Laughs Festival, which ran on the Comedy Network, as well as several new shorts in the works. Recent releases include a new video game, Full Auto, for X-box in February, as well as a new Snickers commercial launched in February in Prague. Today, Eggplant's8217;s music is heard in over 150 countries each day.

About Eggplant the Restaurant

The front section is geared towards the lunch crowd, boasting a casual, urban and airy feel. It's8217;s equipped with a view of the trendy King St. and offers patrons entertainment while they mange, whether it be the four piece band playing, or viewing a recording session taking place in real-time. The upstairs section of restaurant presents a cozy, sophisticated and fine dining atmosphere, with a menu to boot. The balance of the 11,000 sq ft building has various writers rooms, recording studios, lounges and office where you can catch a band recording, or see a commercial being produced. This lounge and studio concept offers a truly unique and inspiring experience, and is unlike any other place in Toronto.

For more information: Michelle Calvert @ 416.640.5675

Or Eggplant @ 416.971.6003

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