Jamie Ruddick

My love of making music began when I was five years old. I would sit at our family organ and muddle my way through recreating the songs from my favourite movies.

Throughout my childhood, I studied with the amazing Patricia Miller in Nanaimo BC. She guided me toward many 1st place positions at the Upper Island Music Festival, as well as the long road toward my Grade 10 RCM certificate. Pat was endlessly impactful to my life, both inspiring my music career and my passion for teaching.

Throughout high school, I applied my technical skills in bands with friends, writing original music and covering artists we loved – like MGMT, Radiohead, and Vampire Weekend.

After a few years teaching privately in student’s homes, I began teaching at Arbutus Music in Nanaimo. I then moved to the ‘big city’ (North Vancouver) where I taught at Long and McQuade for six years. In 2020, I started my own teaching practice, initially online, but then moved into my Lower Lonsdale studio in North Vancouver - which is where you’ll find me!

Outside of teaching, I play in a jazz trio and write, mix, and release solo pop music!

I feel so lucky to have been supported to pursue my passion for music throughout my life. Music informs the way I view the world and is infused into every part of what I do. Now, I get to pass along that passion and the joy that music brings, and watch how it manifests in wonderful ways in the lives of my students.