it means "in pursuit". It's about searching... the journey... the questions that drive us. Formerly a studio engineer, and underground rave and club night promoter in Toronto, CIQ has worked in every corner of the music industry and played in live electronic and rock-hybrid bands. After a few years hiatus and some world travels she's back in the studio producing her own music.... also known for her studio moniker GSYNTH. More about CIQ http://ciqstories.wordpress.com/

Electronic Musician & Producer, Model & Actress, Charity

from http://ca.linkedin.com/in/gsynth

Shana Christine Gray is a 7th generation Canadian of French Huguenot & part Scottish descent. She grew up in cottage country & traveled worldwide since a young teenager, staying in Europe & Central America summers, & two years in USA, before studying modern music in Toronto Canada. Her first love was playing in live bands, keyboards & vocals, often other instruments. She once taught herself bass guitar in an hour before playing live on stage. Her musical training was classical piano & violin since childhood, followed by Fine Arts Music keyboards performance, with a focus on electronic music & free improvisation, at York U in Toronto. She also studied producing engineering at Harris Institute for the Arts. Her adventurous life has included many non-profit ventures, working with youth from a Central American orphanage to inner cities in North America. Currently she lives near Toronto Canada & travels to Europe & USA from time to time.

Her resume is extensive & reflects her diverse interests. Working with top companies in Canada's music industry to nonprofit youth charities. Independent projects like live bands & promoting electronic music events. Experience working with media & writing articles on electronic music culture. Downtown Toronto's keyboard & synthesizer shop. The youngest violinist in an orchestra at 13. Studio engineering projects & record label promotion. Working with festivals & events that interest her. Playing in bands day in & day out, designing artwork & sets for live shows. Organizing an international creative scene networking DJs & promoters when the internet was new.

She enjoys creating websites, cooking, traveling, music & arts, planting trees, nature, beaches & exercise. She's lived in different neighbourhoods in Toronto & cities in USA & Europe & travelled extensively. She has a taste for finer artistic things in life & knows the difference between making a living & making a life. She follows her heart & plays as she likes.

Specialties: electronic musician, producer, performer

studio demo http://soundcloud.com/CIQ

CIQ Discusses Her Lifestyle Career

from http://ciqstories.wordpress.com/

CIQ has a recording studio in Canada where she spends her time working on her own creative projects. A lot of the skills she uses now she learned on the job working for major labels and media and recording studios, not to mention the trades that run the industry in Canada and USA. “I worked for BMG major label promotion department, MuchMusic in the recording studio, some of these jobs only a few days really, paid internship work,” she added. “A lot of other studios and record labels, the keyboard shop downtown… I wrote the gear section for Contact Industry directory, and a few times working with CMJ Music Marathon in New York. And plenty of other freelance work.”

The music industry was a fairly easy experience for her considering she was trained in classical piano and violin since the age of six. She attended York University for keyboards performance in the modern music fine arts program, and Harris Institute private arts school for producing engineering. During that time she worked for a lot of companies to pay her way through school (and some worldwide travel after that!), but ironically it was her social life that first put her on the map worldwide. “On the weekends, my friends and I were promoting events in the rave and club music cultures in Canada and USA. We were in contact and promoting our events through the internet, and through that I became known worldwide,” she says, laughing. “Probably a lot of people didn’t even know I was a performer, going to school, or a studio engineer in those circles. In fact most the companies I worked for probably didn’t really know either, they just knew what I did when I was working for them.” This focus enabled her to work a lot more jobs and get more done, she explains, and maintain a sane social and personal life, not to mention, finish her education.

But on a personal level she has been motivated more by making a difference in the world than by any career or even the perks that come with fun jobs. In high school she volunteered in a youth drop-in centre for school credit that was run by Youth for Christ. This was her first experience working with young people. “Hanging out with my friends really,” she describes it, “and making a difference, which is what I am motivated to do.” Before that she had also spent her summers volunteering on overseas missions construction projects in poorer communities, like a Central American orphanage, and Eastern Europe in the early nineties. Following high school she spent two years in USA, in Master’s Commission programs, working with inner city youth and communities, and making a difference through the arts and working with people. “It’s a lifestyle, really,” CIQ explains. “Excellence, being a role model, making a difference.”

More about CIQ

http://reverbnation.com/CIQ

http://twitter.com/gsynth

http://twitter.com/CIQsongs

http://facebook.com/CIQmusic

http://ciqstories.wordpress.com

http://gsynth.com/ciqfashion