Cops & Kids Rock for Healthy Communities

Broadcast time: 
Thursday, May 13th, 2010

14 Division
416.808.1428

MUSIC! Not Mischief is a Toronto Police lead youth out-reach program partnering police officers from 14 Division with students from 2 area high schools in weekly guitar lessons. On Thursday, May 13th at 7pm, some of those kids will take the stage with Cambridge, Ontario based recording artists TraceNine. The goal of the program and of the show is to raise community awareness to the drug and violence associated risks faced by youth today.

Students from St Mary’s Catholic Secondary School and Central Commerce Collegiate Institute will play on stage in a friendly competition with each other to win the guitar that they are playing. The performances will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges including film actors, musicians and music industry reps. But this is not just another high school musical! Top notch, professional production values including light shows, smoke machines and full concert hall audio engineering will be supplied by Bates Audio Engineering of Hamilton, Ont. All the guitars in the program are supplied by Carparelli Guitars, a local GTA based guitar manufacturer and distributor and concept partner in the program.

MUSIC! Not Mischief has been the subject of much media attention in the past, including print, radio, web based and television media. This exposure gained the attention of Carole McGill, mother of Tyler McGill, a 22 year old aspiring musician, who was murdered in the summer of 2007. Carole McGill has since held 2 annual charity concerts and raised a total of $13,500 to support MUSIC! Not Mischief and its funding partner, ProAction Cops & Kids (http://www.copsandkids.ca/), a charity that funds other police/youth initiatives. MUSIC! Not Mischief’s web page, http://www.musicnotmischief.com/ has had response from as far away as India, Indonesia, South Africa and the United States. The program is set to expand to other Toronto Police Divisions when it moves into its third year this fall.

This event is open to the public.

MUSIC! Not Mischief Year 2 Finale Concert:
Thursday, May 13th, 2010, 7 pm
St Mary’s Catholic Secondary School
66 Dufferin Park Avenue, Toronto
Tickets $2/ea

For further information on MUSIC! Not Mischief and this event, please contact:
Constable Robert Tajti
14 Division Planning Officer
416.808.1428
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www.musicnotmischief.com

*ProAction’s goal is to build mutual trust and respect between cops and kids, breaking down stereotypes and improving the safety of our communities for everyone.

Rock ‘N’ Rollers Bail Out Cops & Kids

Broadcast time: 
Monday, March 22nd, 2010

14 Division
416.808.1428

In the summer of 2007, Tyler (T-Lar) McGill, a 22 year old Scarborough native and avid guitar player, was fatally stabbed to death in an east-end restaurant parking lot.

To bring public attention to the need to end “Senseless Acts of Random Violence”, Tyler’s family and friends started the Tyler McGill Memorial Benefit. The now annual event brings local musicians together to perform a charity rock concert, the proceeds of which go to ProAction Cops & Kids, a charity that funds programs developed and run by police officers, to help at-risk youth. * Last year’s concert raised $8,500, part of which went to MUSIC! Not Mischief, a program run out of Toronto Police’s 14 Division.

The Toronto Police and it’s corporate partner, Carparelli Guitars (a GTA guitar manufacturer and retailer) engage students in 2 west-end area high schools in both the public and separate school boards. Once a week, police officers attend these schools to give guitar lessons to kids and promote an anti-drug, anti-crime, pro-community message. The MUSIC! Not Mischief program culminates in a finale rock concert where some of those students will play with Cambridge, Ontario recording artists “TraceNine” in front of a panel of celebrity judges in the hopes of winning their guitar to keep.
(Finale concert event details TBA)

In a celebration of Tyler’s life and to convey the message that “The Violence Has to Stop!”, the 2nd Annual Tyler McGill Memorial Benefit will be held as follows:

2nd Annual Tyler McGill Memorial Benefit:
Sunday, March 28th, 2010, 3pm – 11pm
Cactus Pete’s/The Birchmount Tavern (Directions)
462 Birchmount Rd.
Tickets $20
Proceeds to ProAction Cops & Kids and the MUSIC! Not Mischief program.

Download PDF 

This year’s benefit includes music from great talent such as Country Music Radio’s “Big Break” Contest winner Marshall Dane, recording artists Pat Kelly, Streamlined and others. A silent auction will also be held for items such as a Team Canada hockey jersey signed by Sidney Crosby, guitars donated by Carparelli Guitars CEO Mike Carparelli and other items. A hot buffet is also included.

For more information on the Tyler McGill Memorial Benefit, please contact:

Carole McGill                                   Randy Baker
TMMB Event Mgr                            TMMB Production/Entertainment Mgr
416-816-7875                                  416-587-0039

For further information on MUSIC! Not Mischief, please contact:
Constable Robert Tajti
14 Division Planning Officer
416.808.1428

www.musicnotmischief.com

*ProAction’s goal is to build mutual trust and respect between cops and kids, breaking down stereotypes and improving the safety of our communities for everyone.

PC R. Tajti for Supt Ruth White
Unit Commander
14 Division

MUSIC! Not Mischief set to Rock Year 2

Broadcast time: 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009

14 Division
416.808.1428

MUSIC! Not Mischief (www.musicnotmischief.com) is a Toronto Police led, youth out-reach initiative in partnership with ProAction Cops & Kids* (www.copsandkids.ca) and Carparelli Guitars (www.carparelliguitars.com). Police officers use guitars lessons and the universal medium of music to mentor students in a safe, pro-community and anti-drug setting.

During the 2008/09 school year, members of 14 Division spent lunch hours in guitar jam sessions with students from one area secondary school. On May 7th, 2009, students played a live concert with Cambridge based recording artists “Tracenine” (http://www.tracenine.com/). Students were able to keep the new, electric guitars they had played in the concert which were supplied by the owner of Carparelli Guitars, Mike Carparelli.

On Wednesday, November 4th, the Toronto Police Service will officially kick-off Year 2 of MUSIC! Not Mischief by announcing the two new schools which will participate in the program. Three students from each school will eventually be selected to play in an end of season concert, once again backed by Tracenine.

This year, students will not only compete against each other for prizes which include guitars and concert playing opportunities, but the two schools will also promote a healthy sense of friendly competition, school pride and community to support their students. School Principals Robert Merolle (St Mary’s) and David Buhler (Central Commerce) will be at this press conference with students to answer questions and promote their involvement.

Mike Carparelli and members of Tracenine will also be available for comment.

This year’s finale concert is scheduled for Thursday, May 13th, 2010 at 7 pm at St Mary’s Catholic Secondary School, 66 Dufferin Park Avenue (Dufferin/Bloor), Toronto. Ticket availability TBA.

MUSIC! Not Mischief has been featured previously in print, television and radio media. Members of the MUSIC! Not Mischief team will appear on B105fm Radio Caledon (www.radiocaledon.com) on Wed, Nov 4th from 8 – 10 pm. MUSIC! Not Mischief will also be a subject of an episode of the TVO documentary series on social innovators “Get Involved” to air in 2010.

*ProAction Cops & Kids is a charity that funds programs, developed and run by police officers, to help at-risk youth. Their goal is to build mutual trust and respect between cops and kids, breaking down stereotypes and improving the safety of our communities for everyone.

For further info, contact:
Constable Robert Tajti
14 Division Planning Officer
416.808.1428

MUSIC! Not Mischief Finale Show – May 7th,2009 @ 7 pm
Parkdale Collegiate Institute, 209 Jameson Ave, Toronto

Broadcast time: 

14 Division
416.808.1403

MUSIC! Not Mischief is a youth outreach program partnering the Toronto Police with Dot On Shaft Guitars, ProAction Cops & Kids and the Toronto District School Board. Since September 2008, police officers from 14 Division have engaged students from Parkdale Collegiate Institute (PCI) in a regular lunch time jam session, imparting a pro-community, anti-crime, anti-drug message while practicing the guitar.

On Thursday, May 7th at 7 pm, 5 students from PCI will play a concert, backed by Cambridge based recording artists “Tracenine” (http://www.tracenine.com/). Those student performances will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges and students will compete for prizes including guitars from Dot On Shaft (http://www.dotonshaft.com/).

Those judges are scheduled to be:

1. Jamie Robinson – 2007 North American Rock Guitar Champion
2. Nick Walsh – Juno Award winning lead vocalist for Slik Toxik and Revolver
3. Joe Polito – Lead guitarist for littleSUNDAY
4. Nick Sinopoli – Lead vocalist for Bachman/Cummings backing band The Carpet Frogs
5. Jeff Jones – Bass player for The Carpet Frogs and Red Rider
6. Supt Ruth White – Unit Commander of 14 Division
7. Scott Penfold – DJ, 94.9 The Rock FM radio
8. Alan Marginean – Producer, Composer, Key creative for Killer Audio
9. Marshall Dane – Recording Artist

Event particulars:
Thursday, May 7, 2009 – Doors at 6:30 pm, show at 7 pm
@ Parkdale Collegiate Institute
209 Jameson Ave (Queen W/Jameson Ave), Toronto

Tickets are only $2/ea and available at the door. Limited seating still available

For other MUSIC! Not Mischief related events, please visit http://www.musicnotmischief.com/ or http://www.dotonshaft.com/.

For further info, contact:
Constable Robert Tajti
14 Division Crime Analyst
416.808.1403

PC R. Tajti for Supt Ruth White
Unit Commander
14 Division

Tyler (T-Lar) McGill Memorial Benefit Concert for "MUSIC! Not Mischief"

Broadcast time: 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

14 Division
416.808.1403

On July 29th, 2007, 22 year old Tyler McGill, known to his friends as “T-Lar”, was repeatedly stabbed in the drive-thru of a Scarborough fast food restaurant. He succumbed to his injuries 5 days later in hospital. Tyler was a self taught guitar player and lover of music.

Seeking to make sense of Tyler’s senseless death, his family and friends led by his mother Carole McGill, will host the Tyler (T-Lar) McGill Memorial Benefit concert. Proceeds of this event will be made payable to ProAction Cops and Kids, a charity that funds police led, youth outreach programs for at risk kids (www.copsandkids.ca). ProAction is the funding partner of the MUSIC! Not Mischief program (www.musicnotmischief.com), which partners Toronto Police, Dot On Shaft Guitars (www.dotonshft.com) and Cambridge recording artists “Tracenine” (www.tracenine.com).

It is the wish of the McGill family to spread a message to both youth and parents of youth to “Stop The Senseless Acts of Random Violence”, in the hope that other families will not suffer the tragic loss that they have. Using Tyler’s love for the guitar and music, the Tyler (T-Lar) McGill Memorial Benefit has partnered with the team behind MUSIC! Not Mischief to use the universal medium of music to reach the widest possible audience.

Carole McGill will address the media in this regard at a press conference in the Press Gallery of Toronto Police Headquarters, 40 College St, Toronto on Wednesday, February 4th, 2009. Members of the MUSIC! Not Mischief team will also be in attendance in support of Carole and her message.

Dot On Shaft has donated new, electric guitars which will be autographed by leading Canadian rock stars and will be available to the public through a silent auction at the event. A number of musicians have also donated their efforts to the concert which will be headlined by Tracenine, the musicians who will also perform with Toronto students involved in MUSIC! Not Mischief at the program finale show in May.

Event particulars:

Tyler (T-Lar) McGill Memorial Benefit Concert
Sunday, February 15, 2009, 3pm – 11pm
@ Cactus Pete’s/Birchmount Tavern
462 Birchmount Road, Scarborough
416-698-4115

Tickets - $20 at the door
Includes buffet 5:30-7 pm
Door Prizes and Silent Auction
Proceeds to ProAction Cops & Kids and MUSIC! Not Mischief

Tyler’s 24th Birthday Candle Light Vigil
Pine Hills Cemetery, Section 21
625 Birchmount Road, Scarborough
Monday, February 16th, 2009
5:30 pm – 6:15 pm

For further info, contact:
Constable Robert Tajti
14 Division Crime Analyst
416.808.1403

PC R. Tajti for Supt Ruth White
Unit Commander
14 Division

Media advisory, Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 10:30 a.m., Headquarters, media gallery, News conference,"MUSIC! Not Mischief," 14 Division

Broadcast time: 05:00 Tuesday, November 25, 2008

On Tuesday, November 25, 2008, at 10:30 a.m., in the headquarters media gallery, the Toronto Police Service will announce its newest youth outreach initiative, "MUSIC! Not Mischief."

This initiative is led by 14 Division Constable Robert Tajti, in partnership with Dot On Shaft Guitars and the Toronto District School Board.

It is funded by ProAction Cops & Kids, a charitable organization that provides funding for TPS programs for youth at risk.

"MUSIC! Not Mischief" uses guitars and equipment supplied by Dot On Shaft, a Toronto−area−based guitar manufacturer, distributor and retailer, to engage students at Parkdale Collegiate Institute in an adventure in music.

Police mentors play music with students in a safe environment, where a pro−community message is fostered, with an anti−drug and anti−violence tone.

The goal is to have the best of MUSIC! Not Mischief's participants play in a stage show with a backing band of professional musicians. The musicians for the performance will be Cambridge−area recording artists "Tracenine."

It is an attempt to directly influence the youth of Toronto by emphasizing to the "leaders of tomorrow" that communities are made of strong, healthy individuals and that the best way to combat the cycle of drug addiction is to encourage youth to never start.

For more information about "MUSIC! Not Mischief", please contact Constable Robert Tajti at 416−808−1403.

To learn more about or partners, please visit them at:

1) Click here for MUSIC! Not Mischief.

2) Click here for Dot On Shaft.

3) Click here for the Toronto District School Board.

4) Click here for ProAction Cops and Kids.

5) Click here for Tracenine

Constable Tony Vella, Public Information, for Inspector Bryce Evans, 14 Division ID: 15425 2 / 2