Sarah Lawton

Sarah Lawton is passionate about music and is committed to enriching the lives of her students through music education. Born and educated in Newmarket, Ontario, music has been a part of Sarah’s life since she began piano lessons at the age of nine with Lily Stiller. After moving to Barrie, ON she studied with fellow ORMTA teachers Margret Walker and Marc Widner. Sarah feels truly fortunate to have studied with mentor and principal teacher Cheryl Graham to earn the ARCT Piano Teacher’s Diploma. She also has a Hons. B.A. Specializing in Musicology and Music Education from York University. She has been teaching music for over twenty-five years, which included teaching Junior and Senior Band at a private Christian School in Barrie. Sarah regularly volunteers on worship teams, singing and piano accompanying. Sarah has been a strong supporter of all ORMTA Branch activities since joining in 2002. Her contributions to ORMTA have involved being President, Past Vice President, Convener of Concerts/Recitals, Notes article submitter for several years and a regular reviewer for the CFMTA Canada Music Teacher Magazine. Sarah has received the CFMTA Certificate of Recognition for Professional Achievement consecutively from 2010 -2018. Her special teaching was recognized in 2018 with the ORMTA Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award for excellence in Musical Achievement. As a RCM Certified Teacher, Sarah is an Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Specialist in Piano as well as Elementary and Intermediate Specialist in Theory. Many wonderful teaching ideas have been acquired over the years from ORMTA master classes by renowned teachers including Gwen Beamish, William Aide, James Anagnoson, Christopher Norton, and Dr. Thomas Green. Sarah maintains a thriving studio in Barrie where many of her students have received First Class Honours with Distinction standings in Royal Conservatory of Music Examinations in both Piano and Theory. Her students are consecutively honoured with scholarships by the Barrie ORMTA branch. Sarah enjoys supporting the Barrie Music Festival, where her students have received the “Outstanding Performer Award” and competed at Provincials. Sarah instills a love and respect for the beauty and artistry of music in the hearts of her many students.