Congratulations to the 2025 Teachers of Distinction
Congratulations to the 2025 Teachers of Distinction
Published on September 26, 2025
RCM Teachers of Distinction are leaders in the field of music and arts education, recognized for their contributions of creativity, dedication, innovation, and passion.
This award is given to teachers across North America who are recognized as leaders in the field of music and arts education. Through their years of teaching experience, they provide mentorship to other teachers and instill a lifelong love of music and the arts in their students. RCM Teachers of Distinction are an inspiration to others and are influential in creating a brighter future.
We are thrilled to announce the 2025 recipients of this distinguished award and all will be celebrated at their respective regional Celebration of Excellence events in
Canada and the
United States.
Canada
Alberta, Northwest Territories & Nunavut
Jennifer Orr
As both an educator and administrator, Jennifer Orr has inspired countless students and cultivated excellence in speech arts curriculum and program design, transforming and elevating the practice and experience of teachers and students across Canada. Jennifer has worked at Calgary’s Mount Royal University Conservatory for more than three decades, serving as both an instructor and program facilitator. Through her unwavering perseverance, innovative teaching, and visionary leadership, she has built a program that is a cornerstone of the Conservatory’s offerings. Jennifer was honoured with the Teaching Excellence in Lifelong Learning Award in May 2025, recognizing her outstanding contributions to MRU. Jennifer has a long-standing affiliation with The Royal Conservatory, serving as Speech Arts and Drama specialist and senior member of the RCM College of Examiners, supporting and encouraging teachers and examiners across Canada. Jennifer has taken a leadership role in developing concurrent revisions of the Speech Arts and Drama syllabus, including the upcoming version to be released in 2026. Jennifer lives by her belief that speech arts is a vital art form, and her students consistently credit their speech training as “the thing that made the difference” in their road to success. She is delighted to be named as an RCM Teacher of Distinction!
Atlantic
New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island
Anne Marie McIntyre
Anne Marie McIntyre is a seasoned voice and piano educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. A graduate of Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, she has cultivated a distinguished career as both a performer and pedagogue. Her recital work has taken her across Canada and the United States, including notable appearances at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Anne Marie has coached vocalists across a wide range of genres, including music theatre, opera, and pop. Many of her voice students have gone on to successful performing careers in music theatre and opera in North America and Europe, while her piano students have consistently achieved top honours in numerous competitions, including the National Music Festival in Canada and the American Protégé Competition in the U.S. Both her voice and piano students alike have achieved gold medal standings in their Royal Conservatory of Music examinations. In addition to her teaching and coaching, Anne Marie has music-directed over 30 theatrical productions. Her collaborative and versatile approach to music direction has made her a sought-after leader in both educational and professional theatre settings. In recent years, Anne Marie has continued her own artistic development by taking classes at the Golandsky Institute in New Jersey and the Juilliard School in New York.
British Columbia & Yukon
Teresa Ho
Teresa Ho’s passion for music began as a child in Hong Kong, where she was inspired to learn piano by her elementary school music teacher. At age 17, she and her family immigrated to Canada in pursuit of better opportunities for higher education. She achieved her ARCT Performer’s and Teacher’s diplomas from The Royal Conservatory with Edward Parker, her first piano teacher. Teresa graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from UBC in 1983 under the tutelage of Professor Jane Coop. She started teaching at the Vancouver Academy of Music in 1982 and has guided her students to successes in RCM examinations as well as local and national competitions. In addition to teaching, administrating, and mentoring, Teresa has actively pursued professional growth by attending national conferences and master classes led by world-renowned pianists and pedagogues. Teresa is dedicated to nurturing every young student, instilling a love of music from the first piano lesson, and her students have learned to pursue excellence in both music and all areas of life. She has demonstrated exemplary dedication throughout her 43 years of service at the Vancouver Academy of Music. Building on the legacy of her mentors, she has made lasting contributions to the music community.
Ontario
Daniel Temnik
Daniel Temnik is an Israeli-born Canadian violinist, arts administrator, and educator. He has worked with illustrious artists including Pinchas Zukerman, Yefim Bronfman, Vadim Gluzman, Miriam Fried, and Donald Weilerstein, and has been featured at festivals such as Keshet Eilon, the Banff Centre, and the NAC Artists Program. Daniel has appeared with leading Canadian ensembles such as the Toronto Sinfonietta, Kindred Spirits Orchestra, and the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, and has distinguished himself at major competitions, including the Paganini, CMC, Schoenfeld, and Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competitions. He is the recipient of notable prizes such as the VIMF (Vaughan International Music Festival) Scholarship and the Benjamin Steinberg Music Legacy Award. Deeply committed to education, Temnik’s students have won top prizes, gained admission to leading institutions, and performed internationally. As the artistic director of Leah Posluns Theatre’s inaugural chamber concert series, Daniel continues to inspire through performance, teaching, and cultural leadership.
Ontario
Kelly Xu
Kelly Xu was born into a musical family in China, where her gift for music was discovered at an early age by her mother. She began piano lessons at the age of five and later earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto before devoting herself to teaching. Over the years, she has inspired hundreds of young musicians, nurturing not only their technical skills but also their creativity, confidence, and love of music. Her students have earned top prizes and scholarships at the Peel, Hamilton, and Kiwanis Music Festivals. In 2025 alone, they achieved 78 awards, including 32 first prizes and 9 provincial awards at the Ontario Music Festivals Association (OMFA). In 2024, one of her students won first prize in Level 8 at the OMFA, a success story featured in Oakville’s local news. Believing that music is a lifelong journey, Kelly continuously seeks opportunities to grow as both a musician and a teacher. As an advanced RCM teacher, she deeply values the structure and resources that the RCM curriculum provides for students. Kelly’s dedication shines through every lesson as she patiently guides each student with passion and care, helping them discover and reach their fullest potential. She strives to instill a spirit of curiosity and perseverance in her students, encouraging them to embrace challenges, express themselves fully, and grow not only as musicians but also as individuals.
Quebec
Caroline Derome
Caroline Derome is a dedicated musician and educator known for her artistry, versatility, and commitment to nurturing musical excellence. She holds a Master of Music degree in Performance from the Université de Montréal and Bachelor of Music degrees in both Performance and Music Education from McGill University. In addition to performing regularly, she teaches flute and piano privately and previously served as a flute instructor and examiner with the McGill Conservatory of Music until its closure in 2022. Her students have received multiple RCM gold medals, earned top placements in prestigious Canadian and international competitions, performed as soloists with youth orchestras, and graced the world stage in venues such as Carnegie Hall. Caroline is also a full-time music teacher for the English Montreal School Board. She presents annual school concerts of ensembles involving over 200 children, and her student groups have won several CBC Music Class Challenge Awards. A passionate educator, Caroline instills a "growth mindset" in her students, cultivating curiosity, resilience, and artistic development. She is dedicated to creating a supportive and inspiring learning environment and to sharing her love of music with others. With a firm belief in the transformative power of music, Caroline continues to inspire both audiences and students through performance, mentorship, and lifelong artistic exploration.
Saskatchewan
Allison Luff
Allison Luff is a passionate pianist and dedicated music educator based in Regina, Saskatchewan. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Alberta and dual Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance and Music Education from Western University. With over 15 years of teaching experience, she fosters musical growth through her expertise in piano performance, solfège, music theory, and ear training—approaches shaped by her pedagogical studies at the Kodály Institute in Hungary. A frequent adjudicator for music festivals, Allison brings both discernment and encouragement to young performers. Winner of the Regina Musical Club Recital Competition in 2012, Allison is also an active conductor and community leader. She formerly taught with the Toronto Children’s Chorus and currently, she directs the Conservatory of Performing Arts Prairie Kids Chorus and serves as production manager for the Regina Music Festival. She has also been managing director of the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto and contributed to the strategic planning committee of the CFMTA. Her teaching philosophy blends technical mastery with mindfulness, empathy, and expression.
United States
California/Hawaii
Jude Weirmeir
Dr. Jude Weirmeir is a guitarist, conductor, educator, and composer who earned his PhD in music from the University of California, San Diego. He has taught extensively across diverse musical traditions, including the music of Africa and Asia, popular culture and film, music theory, musicianship, and guitar performance. For more than two decades, Dr. Weirmeir has maintained an active teaching studio in San Diego and has directed the Villa Musica Classical Guitar Ensemble since its founding. His beginning-guitar method book, Guitar Play, serves as the foundation of Villa Musica’s guitar curriculum. In addition, Dr. Weirmeir has been deeply involved with the RCM Certificate Program’s guitar exams for the past 13 years, successfully guiding his students through well over 100 examinations.
North Central
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
Tristan McKay
Dr. Tristan McKay, NCTM, is a pianist and educator based in Detroit, Michigan. He holds a PhD and Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from New York University and a Master of Music in Contemporary Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. Celebrated for his “dramatic” and “assertive” playing (The New York Times), Tristan has premiered dozens of solo and chamber works at iconic venues across the United States and abroad. As a guest lecturer, Tristan has presented at institutions such as Columbia University, the University of Chicago, the University of Colorado at Boulder, Nova University (Lisbon, Portugal), and Queensland Conservatorium (Brisbane, Australia). He is currently on faculty at the State University of New York at New Paltz, where he has taught courses on music theory, piano performance, music history, and music criticism. Tristan works with dedicated students of all ages in his online piano studio. As a Royal Conservatory of Music Certified Teacher, his prize-winning students have received state awards and regional gold medals as well as outstanding marks from local competitions and festivals. Tristan serves on the board of the Metropolitan Detroit Musicians League and the Michigan Music Teachers Association.
Northeast
Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia
Jongsun Lee
A native of South Korea, pianist Jongsun Lee began piano studies at age six and has performed internationally as both soloist and collaborator. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Ewha Womans University, graduating early with a Certificate of Excellence, and completed her Master of Music in Piano Performance degree at the University of Michigan with a full scholarship. Passionate about contemporary music, Jongsun presented an innovative master’s recital featuring George Crumb’s Makrokosmos with projection mapping and was a featured speaker at TEDxSNUSuwon, discussing the relationship between composer and performer. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2014 and is a prizewinner of the Korea Music Competition, Donga Music Education News Concours, and the Italy Verbania International Music Competition. Now based in New Jersey, she is on faculty at the Lindeblad School of Music, serves on the annual piano competition committee for the Music Educators Association of New Jersey, and is an active member of the New Jersey Federation of Music Clubs. Jongsun continues to inspire students of all ages while maintaining an active presence as a performer and advocate for contemporary music.
Northwest
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington
Claire Marshall
Claire Marshall, based in Bainbridge Island, Washington, earned a degree in psychology and a diploma in music from McGill University and successfully completed a practicum at the Gesell Institute of Child Development at Yale University. Claire has worked with patient and insightful piano teachers, including Dorothy Morton at McGill University, John T. Moore at the University of Washington, and Jeffrey Gilliam at Western Washington University, and is now an active member of the RCM College of Examiners. Claire is most grateful for the rich tapestry of pianists, mentors, and experiences that have influenced her as a teacher and holds true the philosophy that teachers continually learn from their students.
South Central
Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
Vadim Timinsky
Vadim Timinsky was born in Estonia and began his musical studies at the Georg Ots Tallinn Music High School with guitarist Tiit Peterson. He later earned a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance from the Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music and Dance and a Master of Music in Guitar Performance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, studying with Joseph Urshalmi and Robert Guthrie. Vadim is a founder of the Classical Guitar Studio at Coppell Conservatory (2002) and the McKinney Classical Guitar Studio (2008). He has guided students through private lessons, workshops, and ensembles for over two decades. Since 2015, he has also participated in The Royal Conservatory Certificate Program, where his students earn consistent recognition in this comprehensive and demanding curriculum. Known as a dedicated and patient teacher, he emphasizes beautiful tone, musical taste, and selects repertoire suited to each student, inspiring them to reach their full potential. His students regularly receive praise and artistic distinction through recitals, workshops, and RCM guitar examinations.
Southeast
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
Mary Wendelken
Mary Wendelken received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Piano Performance, Magna Cum Laude, from SUNY Purchase, studying with Tung Kwong-Kwong. Through Ms. Tung, the last protégé of Artur Schnabel, Mary received training stemming from the direct teaching lineage of Beethoven. She pursued postgraduate studies in the Master of Music in Piano Performance program at the Royal Academy of Music in London under the tutelage of Piers Lane. Mary has appeared in notable performance venues such as the Cincinnati Palace Theater, the Westchester Performing Arts Center, the Juilliard School of Music Recital Hall, and St. Martin-in-the-Fields. She has taught piano at Pace University in Manhattan, Bournville College in Birmingham, England, and at the University of South Florida. Mary began teaching the RCM curriculum in the late 90s, traveling from Tampa to Toronto each summer with her students to take the exams. An early advocate of bringing the RCM program to the U.S., in 2003, Mary was invited to attend a conference of six American teachers to plan the “Royal American Conservatory Exams.” Wendelken Piano Studio was the first RCM-affiliated school in Florida and, in 2016, was named an RCM Founding School. Mary is the RCM center representative for Tampa Bay and has guided hundreds of students through successful RCM examinations, with many achieving first-class honors and above, including many gold and silver medals for the highest score statewide. In addition to her work in Florida, she has founded private studios in New York City, London, and Birmingham, England. Outside of teaching, Mary is especially fond of chamber music and composing.
Southwest
Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
Amy Lee
Amy Lee received both her Bachelor and Master of Music in Piano Performance degrees from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Since completing her graduate studies, she has continued her professional development through a study with Kenneth Thompson, executive director of the Musical Arts Centre of San Antonio, and ongoing studies with Brenna Berman, certified master teacher of the Taubman Approach and associate faculty member of the Golandsky Institute. Amy has been a nationally certified teacher of music through MTNA since 2009 and is an active member of the MTNA, CSMTA, BMTA, and FMTA. She served as an adjunct instructor in music theory and piano at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Texas, from 2009 to 2010 and has been an affiliate faculty member at Colorado Christian University’s School of Music since 2022. She chaired the CSMTA Rising Stars Festival, a statewide competition, in the 2023–2024 season and currently serves as Vice President of Conferences for CSMTA (2024–2026). Amy began teaching piano in 2003 while pursuing her master’s degree and currently maintains an active private studio, working with students of all ages and levels. Her students regularly participate in both local and state-level festivals and competitions, earning numerous honours. Amy emphasizes technical excellence, expressive artistry, and lifelong musicianship in her teaching.