Almonte’s Centre for Creative Living (CFCL) is delighted to announce that Shanti Sivarulrasa, composer and violinist working in classical and contemporary music, will be the speaker for our annual meeting on October 26.
Shanti recently completed her Bachelor Music at Dalhousie University with a focus on composition. While there she served as the Concertmaster of the Dalhousie Symphony Orchestra and received more than a dozen academic and artistic scholarships from the University and beyond. She has now returned home to pursue a Master of Music degree at the University of Ottawa on a Special Merit Scholarship with a concentration in composition, and is living here in Almonte. She has a teaching studio here and teaches violin, music theory and Royal Conservatory of Music methods using a flexible blend of the Suzuki and RCM methods. Shanti will speak about creativity and her creative process as a violinist and will perform a movement of Bach on violin at the end of her presentation.
The purpose of CFCL is to foster creativity in a friendly and inclusive environment, so we very much look forward to hearing what Shanti has to say. We currently offer opportunities to pursue creative writing and the visual, textile and performing arts with the support of volunteer mentors who enjoy sharing their insights and their expertise in their chosen field. We are dedicated to inclusiveness, affordability, and cooperative learning. Regardless of their level of experience, people participate primarily to develop their creative side alongside friends and neighbours.
CFCL has existed for ten years and now has about 60 members. Given our success and the challenges this brings, CFCL incorporated in June 2025 to enable us to seek some supportive funding — hence the requirement that we hold annual meetings. The meeting part itself will be very brief, so come hear a highly creative young person speak about her experience as a composer and musician and learn about CFCL and our activities. Each of the groups will be providing examples of their activities for your enjoyment.
The Annual Meeting and Open House will take place at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Almonte on Monday, October 26 from 2–4pm. More information can be found at stpaulsalmonte.ca/centre-for-creative-living.