Merriam Keystone Projects
Keystones
Projects you take on in your lessons. Pick one, make something you’re proud of, earn your Keystone and share it with the whole school.
Any level
Any instrument
2 to 12 weeks
Collect them all
10
Keystones to start
The strongest builds have a keystone.
Cap your journey off each year with one of your own.
Pick your Keystone
The Keystones
Ten to start, with more on the way: eight creative projects, shortest first, plus an exam or a festival performance. Every Keystone fits into your regular lessons, and your teacher will help you choose the right one for your level.
01
Concert Review →
2–4 weeks · Any instrument
Going to a concert or show? Watch the pros, then write a review like a real music critic.
02
Song Arrangement →
4–8 weeks · Any instrument
Take a song you love, figure it out by ear and write your own arrangement.
03
Duet →
6–8 weeks · Any instrument
Team up with your teacher, a friend or family. Rehearse together, then perform.
04
Mixed Media →
6–8 weeks · Any instrument
Turn a painting into music, or a piece of music into art, photos or video.
05
Artist Research →
6–10 weeks · Any instrument
Learn a song by your favourite artist, tell their story and build a poster, slideshow or shadow box.
06
Musical Impact →
8–12 weeks · Any instrument
Plan and play a 30-minute community performance, and earn volunteer hours.
07
Original Music →
8–12 weeks · Any instrument, including voice
Write your own piece or song, then record it, maybe in Merriam’s Recording Studio.
08
Choir Arrangement →
8–12 weeks · Voice
Be the whole choir. Learn every part of an arrangement and record them all yourself.
09
Exam →
Keyfest or RCM · Prepared in your lessons
Prepare a Keyfest or RCM exam with your Merriam teacher, then sit it and earn your standing.
10
Festival →
January–February · Any instrument
Perform in the MSM Festival or StudioFest. Take the stage, play a piece you’ve worked hard on and hear what the experts think.
How it works
Four steps
01
Choose
Look through the Keystones and pick one that sounds fun. Not sure? Ask your teacher.
02
Plan
Agree on a finish date with your teacher. Most projects take 2 to 12 weeks.
03
Create
Work on it a little each lesson, and at home when you can. No marathon practice needed.
04
Share
Perform it for your family, submit it, and collect your Keystone from reception.
Keystone details
Steps & what to hand in
Open a Keystone to see exactly what to do and what your finished project needs to include.
01 · Concert Review
- Pick a concert or show with professional musicians playing live. Any genre counts: the TSO, your favourite pop or rock artist, jazz, a musical.
- At the show, keep your ticket stub and program, and photograph any merch. Notice the instruments, the venue, the sound and how the music made you feel.
- Write a 500 to 1,000 word review, by hand or typed. Include the date, time and venue; the performers and their instruments; the style of music; the staging and lighting; your opinion with at least three reasons; and how the concert inspired you as a musician.
- Your ticket stub, program or a photo of you at the concert
- Your review as a PDF
02 · Song Arrangement
- Pick a song you love and learn the melody by ear. Your teacher can give you the key and first note. Part of a song is totally fine.
- Write it down two or four bars at a time: clap the rhythm, count 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +, and write a note on every clap. Beginners can write a letter-name mystery tune, or anyone can make a chord chart of the intro, verse and chorus (see a sample). Staff paper or free flat.io both work.
- Play it for your family, record it, or perform it at a Sign Up Recital or Year End Recital.
- A video of you playing your arrangement
- Your written arrangement or chord chart as a PDF
03 · Duet
- Choose a duet with your teacher: from your method book, a duet version of a song you love, or a part written for a piece you are learning.
- Pick a partner: your teacher, family, another student or a friend. Piano, guitar and drums can pair with any instrument. Singers, flute, sax, clarinet and violin need two separate melody lines (being accompanied doesn’t count).
- Learn your own part first, then rehearse together at least four times with a metronome. Pick a performance date.
- Perform it for family in a lesson, on video, or at a recital.
- A video of your duet
- A rehearsal log as a PDF: date, time and length of each rehearsal
- Optional: the sheet music
04 · Mixed Media
- Choose a direction: make music inspired by an artwork (a painting, photo, film or your own art), or make art inspired by a piece of music.
- Making music? Try different scales and chords with your teacher, and ask: is the picture dark or bright, warm or cold? Imagine you are inside it and tell the story in sound.
- Making art? Listen for chord changes and loud and soft moments. Doodle, write a short story, or take a photo walk with the song on repeat and turn your photos into a collage or short video.
- A video of your improvisation with the artwork that inspired it
- A photo of your artwork with the music that inspired it
- A video you made with the music that inspired it
05 · Artist Research
- Learn a song by your favourite artist. Your teacher will help you find a version at your level.
- Write their biography by hand: full and stage name, hometown and birthday, genre, how they started, two or three big hits, their impact on music, and fun facts.
- Make a poster (8.5 x 11 in or bigger), a slideshow (5+ slides) or a shadow box (5+ items, 8 x 8 in or bigger) in your artist’s style, with photos, album art, merch and ticket stubs.
- Record yourself playing the song.
- A video of you playing the song
- Your handwritten biography, scanned as a PDF
- A photo of your poster or shadow box, or your slideshow as a PDF
06 · Musical Impact
- With a parent, find a venue such as a retirement home, hospital, coffee shop or local business. Ask about the space, piano or sound, music style, any volunteer application, and how long to play (30 minutes or more is recommended). A few spots are also available at Studio C in Oakville and the Vaughan and Toronto piano showrooms; ask your teacher.
- Build and time your set list. Background music: a mix of styles that aren’t too loud. Formal performance: a theme, a title, and short introductions for each song.
- Dress professionally, arrive early, finish on time, and thank the venue afterwards.
- A video with clips of at least three songs
- Your set list or program as a PDF, with your name and the date, time and place
07 · Original Music
- Write your song in your lessons: pick a style and form (like ABA, or verse, chorus and bridge), a key and time signature, then write each section, lyrics if you want them, dynamics, a tempo and a title. Expect a few rewrites.
- Practise until it’s ready to perform.
- Record it in your lesson, at home on a phone, at a recital or Open Mic, or at Merriam’s Recording Studio (studio inquiry form; Keystone students get promotional pricing, email Adam Parkinson at aparkinson@merriammusic.com).
- Your song written out, as a chart or on staff paper
- A recording (.mp3 or .WAV) or a performance video
- Optional: cover art
08 · Choir Arrangement
- Choose an arrangement. Ask your teacher before buying so every part fits your range. JR and INT singers: try two- or three-part versions (SA or SSA). ADV and up: something more complex, or write your own in free MuseScore or flat.io.
- Learn every part: rhythms and notes, dynamics and phrasing, diction and vowels.
- Sort out the piano part. A YouTube accompaniment works only if it is the same arranger’s version.
- Record each part: in your lesson, at home with a program like Reaper (free trial; learn it before you start), or at Merriam’s Recording Studio.
- The written arrangement as a PDF
- An audio file (.mp3 or .WAV) with every part sung by you
09 · Exam
- Choose Keyfest or RCM with your teacher, and check that you are ready for the level and the session.
- Register. Keyfest exams are booked on the Exams page, where Exam Stream families just choose their session. RCM exams are booked directly with RCM.
- Prepare your pieces, technique and theory in your Merriam lessons. The exam needs to be prepared with your Merriam teacher to count as a Keystone.
- Sit the exam.
- A photo or scan of your exam results or certificate
- Optional: a video of one of your exam pieces
10 · Festival
- Choose your stage with your teacher. The competitive Festival has an outside adjudicator, a mark and a possible placing. StudioFest is relaxed, with feedback and no marks, and one entry is included in your tuition. The Festival page has the categories, dates and approved pieces.
- Register and pay in the festival portal before the deadline.
- Prepare your piece in your lessons, and send your sheet music and any backing track through the portal at least one week before you perform.
- Perform. The competitive Festival runs from January to February, and StudioFest from January to March.
- A photo of your adjudicator’s comment sheet, ribbon, medal or certificate, or for StudioFest a photo or video of your performance
Finished your project?
Earn it.
Share it.
Submit your finished project and collect your Keystone from reception to keep. Every submission is also entered into a prize draw.
- Digital screens and displays at school
- Merriam’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube
- Merriam Music Spotify playlists
- School emails and newsletters
Keystone submission
Submit your Keystone
- Finish your project with your teacher first.
- Have a link ready (YouTube, Google Drive, Spotify or similar), or upload your files here.
- Parents and teachers can submit for a student.
- Every finished Keystone earns a collectible keystone from reception, and every submission is entered into the prize draw.
Helpful tools
Resources
Song Arrangement
Sample chord chart →
See what a finished chord chart looks like, with intro, verse and chorus mapped out.
Arranging & songwriting
Free notation: flat.io →
Write your music online so it looks professional. MuseScore is another free option.
Choir Arrangement
Free recording: Reaper →
Record and layer each vocal part. Free trial for PC and Mac.
Original Music & Choir
Merriam Recording Studio →
Grand piano recording, mixing and mastering, and video. Keystone students get promotional pricing.
Students & parents
Questions
Who can earn a Keystone?
Every Merriam student, at any level. Most Keystones work on any instrument; Choir Arrangement is for singers.
Does it cost anything?
No. Projects happen during your regular lessons. A few optional extras have a cost, like concert tickets, exam or festival entry fees, or booking Merriam’s Recording Studio, where Keystone students get promotional pricing.
Do I have to practise a lot at home?
No. Most of the work happens in your lesson with your teacher, and the timelines are built for busy schedules.
Does an exam or festival count?
Yes. A Keyfest or RCM exam you prepare in your Merriam lessons earns a Keystone, and so does performing in the MSM Festival or StudioFest. If you aren’t taking exams, a creative project gives you a goal to work toward. If you are, a project is a fun extra.
Do I have to share my project online?
No, sharing is optional. If you’d like your project showcased, talk it over with your family first, then submit it. You can submit as many projects as you like, any time of year.
What if my news isn’t a Keystone?
Share it anyway. Performances, awards, competitions and other big moments can go through the Share Your Music page.
How many Keystones can I earn?
We encourage one Keystone each year to cap off your year of lessons, but you can earn as many as you like. Every finished Keystone earns a collectible keystone from reception, and new Keystones will be added over time.
Not a project? Share it anyway.
A performance, an award, a big moment?
Students and teachers can send Merriam any music news worth celebrating. We may share it with the whole community.