I have taught for the past 15 years, founded and taught at one music school for the past six years and am now the proud co-owner of the West Kelowna Academy of Music (shared with partner/daughter Julia). I teach 70 plus students and our Academy's ‘Music4life!’ philosophy sums up my joy for guiding students to experience their own musicality through the development of well-rounded musicianship and artistry. My fascination with and extensive knowledge of instrumental technique, music theory, analysis, harmony, composition and improvisation, greatly benefits my students, helping them evolve into confident music makers happy to share their beautiful sound. I am a medalist with a Canadian conservatory and my piano and violin students consistently score First Class Honours and First Class Honours with Distinction in RCM and (other) conservatory examinations, plus several students have achieved conservatory and community music awards, including RCM and conservatory medalists.
Instrument / Discipline
- Piano
- Rudiments
- Violin
- Clarinet
- Guitar
Specialized in
- Youth (7-17)
- Adults (18+)
- Beginner/Elementary
- Intermediate
Teaches At
- At a school
- At own studio
- Online
Specialist designation
- Piano - Elementary
- Piano - Intermediate
Credentials
- 2017 - Level 10 Harmony and Counterpoint - Royal Conservatory of Music
- 2017 - Level 6 Violin - Royal Conservatory of Music
- 2015 - Basic Harmony - Royal Conservatory of Music
- 2012 - Grade 8 Piano - Canadian National Conservatory of Music
- 2012 - Level 4 Violin - Royal Conservatory of Music
- 2011 - Grade 8 Piano - Royal Conservatory of Music
Professional development
- 10 hour masterclass festival - Celebrating Canadian Composers Music Festival and rhythm workshop with Catherine Bundt - 2015
- 10 hour masterclass festival - Celebrating Canadian Composers Music Festival masterclasses with composer and adjudicator Lynette Sawatsky - 2018
- 10 hour masterclass festival - Celebrating Canadian Composers music festival with adjudicator and composer Christine Donkin - 2017
- 10 hour masterclass festival - Celebrating Canadian Composers Music Festival with adjudicator Laurel Teichroeb - 2013
- 10 hour masterclass festival - Celebrating Canadian Composers Music Festival with Janna Olson - 2014
- 2-Day Piano Teacher Conference - Alberta Piano Teachers Association. 2 days of pedagogy workshops, classes, seminars and concerts - 2013
- 3 hour pedagogy observation - Pedagogue Joseph Fridman teaching students a level 10 piece, level 6 exam piece, and a level 3 exam piece - 2019
- 4 hour Student Lessons Observation - Virtuoso Pianist Joseph Fridman, observed him teaching several of my students, kept notes for students and Joseph - 2018
- 8 hour masterclass festival - Celebrating Canadian Composers Music Festival with adjudicator Tracey Garvin - 2016
- Celebrating Theory - in Teacher Portal, PDF download - 2017
- Classical Guitar Course - Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's School of Music, 2 hours daily for one week in July - 2018
- Composition from Micro to Mactro Introduction to Harmony - Christine Donkin on RCM Teacher Portal - 2017
- Creating Harmonic Progressions - Christine Donkin on RCM Teacher Portal - 2017
- Dale Wheeler Piano Teacher Workshops - 6 hour course in West Kelowna with guest pedagogue Dale Wheeler - 2014
- Examination and Theory Resources - 3 hours viewing in Teacher Portal - 2017
- Guided Composition Part 5 - Christine Donkin on RCM Teacher Portal - 2017
- Introduction to RCM 2015 Syllabus - at Wentworth Music in Kelowna, 3 hours. - 2015
- Managing Performance Anxiety - Seminar by Catherine Bundt, hosted at our West Kelowna Music School - 2016
- Private classical guitar studies - with Louise Southwood (Vancouver) from November 2018 ongoing - 2018
- Private Piano Studies with RCM ARCT Mary Reynolds - personal private piano lessons from 2006 though to 2018 - 2018
- Private Violin studies with Okanagan Symphony Orchestra's Sarah Anderson - personal private violin lessons from 2008, ongoing - 2018
- RCM Examination Workshop - Hosted by Dale Wheeler at the Kelowna Community Music School on October 6 - 2014
- Rhythm Workshop - with Janna Olson - 2014
- Strings The Thing Violin Program - July 2013, 2015 and 2016, attended the week long (July) violin program, led by OSO maestra Rosemary Thompson (2015, 2016) in Penticton, BC. 6 hours per day of ensemble and orchestra sessions - 2016
- Teacher Portal Violin Videos - Viewed and took notes on all of the violin videos on the RCM Teacher Portal - 2019
- Teacher Workshop with Joseph Fridman - Styles and Expectations of different musical periods; technique challenges; how to teach various grade level pieces - 2019
- Wholistic Piano Approach - 4 hour Teacher Wokrshop by Joseph Fridman of the Alberta Academy of Music - 2017
School Associations
- Alberta Piano Teachers' Association - Provincial / State