ABOUT ME
17-year old, independent artist, singer-songwriter and producer, SENAIDA is a two-time national finalist of the Canadian Music Competition and has received 2nd place at the International Elite Music Competition. Her music incorporates classical, indie pop, jazz, funk and electronic music to create a unique sound.
She has performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City as well as Roy Thompson Hall, Koerner Hall, Meridian Arts Centre, Nathan Philips Square, the Burdock, Free Times Cafe, Open Tuning Fest, nookFest and was one of the fifteen finalists out of 150 contestants in the Markham Star Search. She is the founder of the Youth Showcase Concert Series in Downtown Markham, an annual summer music festival that promotes local musicians under the age of 25. In July 2019, she participated in Berklee College of Music’s Two-Week Summer Performance Program in Valencia, Spain. In February 2019, she won the Markham Teen Arts Council ‘48 to Create’ competition with her original song, “Honest”, which was about victims of bullying finding the courage to stand up for themselves. As well, she was a finalist in the WE REPRESENT 2019 Creative Competition with her original song, “Dream”, which was based on the story of Chinese-Canadian activist, Jean Lumb.
She currently studies piano at the Royal Conservatory’s prestigious Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists and jazz at Humber College Community Music School. She has studied with numerous teachers including Joe Johnson, Michael Berkovsky, Li Wang, Brian Rudolf, Lorne Lofsky and Spiro Kizas. She also participates in local competitions and music festivals, where she has earned numerous first and second prizes. In 2018, she received her ARCT Performance Certificate from the Royal Conservatory of Music with honours. She currently attends Havergal College, a private all-girls school in Toronto, where she has received the Ancerl Prize for Leadership in Music as well as several Awards of Academic Distinction, and is the co-head of the senior choir. She is a Horatio Alger Canadian Scholar. She was previously the principal alto saxophone and is now the principal pianist for the Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra. She has performed with renowned musicians including Jens Lindemann, Larnell Lewis, Shawn Desman, the Shuffle Demons and the Canadian Brass. Her music has gained the attention of famous artists such as Alec Benjamin, Birds of Bellwoods, and Tony Ann.
Senaida has appeared on Salt+Light television as a host and guest artist and enjoys performing at many community events, receptions, and weddings. She is a strong advocate for taking risks and has spoken about her experiences with stage fright.
In addition to piano and singing, she also plays the Roli Blocks, alto saxophone, guitar, ukulele, trumpet, percussion and is currently learning erhu. Her YouTube channel, which features many of her music videos and covers, has over 50 000 views. Her sound is inspired by artists such as Alec Benjamin, FINNEAS, Anomalie, Lido and Sasha Sloan. She currently has two singles out on all streaming platforms and is working on her debut EP, "First Love" which is set to be released in 2020. She also has a music review blog, Tea n’ Tunes, where she writes music and bubble tea reviews.
