We Are Members!

Teresa

Teresa has been passionately and successfully teaching the Yamaha Music Education Programs to children and adults for over 35 years. She helped develop the curriculum for Tunes for Twos, an enriching music class for two year olds. After extensive training in Japan, Teresa also helped pilot and train teachers across Canada for Music Wonderland for three year olds.

She has been a consultant for teacher training and development with Yamaha Music and, at present is an examiner for the Yamaha Grade Exams, an unparalleled and internationally recognized music exam system.

Teresa’s extensive knowledge on the physical and emotional development of young children has been invaluable in her teaching and goes hand-in-hand with Yamaha’s unique and age specific courses – developing a child’s full potential, not only in music but in other aspects of life!

Abigail

Abigail is a piano teacher and is currently teaching private lessons with our school. In the future she will be adding group lessons.

Abigail has been playing music since she was four-years-old having taken private lessons and the annual exam with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has earned her Advanced Piano certificate and her Elementary Pedagogy Specialist certificate with them. She has taught piano at music schools in the Hamilton area for kids and adults ages four to sixty!

Abigail loves playing and teaching the piano, as well as experimenting with other instruments. We are happy to have Abigail on our teaching staff.

Carlina

Carlina has enjoyed teaching music in private and group settings for almost 10 years. She earned the associate diploma in piano Pedagogy with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She believes that playing music enhances cognitive function and boosts emotional health and well-being. When she is not teaching, Carlina enjoys spending time in nature, reading a good book, or improving and composing at the piano.

Chelsea

Since the age of three, Chelsea has been gifted with the ability to learn songs by ear on the piano. At age six, she took piano lessons to further develop her musical skills. At age ten, she started writing her own songs and learning how to sing. Throughout her adolescence, Chelsea produced a couple of recordings – a self-titled EP and a full album titled “Yesterday’s Innocence” – and performed at local venues. In 2011, she graduated from the Jazz Music program at Mohawk College. She also achieved Grade 8 in RCM Piano.

For over ten years, Chelsea has been successfully teaching vocal and piano lessons to students ages five and up. She teaches many styles of music including pop, jazz, and classical. She also enjoys helping students to create their own songs through improvisation. She is an active member at her local church as well as one of its participating cantors and pianists.

Chelsea is passionate about sharing the joy of music with others and composing her own music.

Dan

Dan has taught private guitar and group lessons for decades.  He has participated and performed at international guitar festivals and is willing to share his skills that he has mastered with his students.  He was formally taught by studio guitarists Gene Bertoncini, Martin Taylor and Frank Vignola, to name a few of his international teachers.

Over his career Dan has performed with various 18-piece big bands, quartets, trios, duos and as a soloist.  In 2004, he released his solo recording, “I Remember You.” In the summer of 2013, Dan released his second solo CD, “GAFIA.”

Gordon

Gordy’s musical career began at the tender age of three when he started playing piano.  At 14, he started his own singing group, “The Enchanted Ensemble,” which evolved into the current “N-Zanity MPC” (Musical Production Company). In 2015, he was summoned to start a new choir, “The Greater Good.” The two groups have sung together and even collaborated in a performance featuring Gordy’s own compositions.

Since 1995, Gordy Zanity-Donn has been composing his own music and producing musical performances at churches where he was employed. These two-hour finished productions featured choreography, costumes, piano and vocal solos, and duets, and other musical instruments including marimba, guitar, drums, flute, violin, and organ.  Fundraising efforts from these shows raised around $2,000 per year for the hosting churches.

Gordy’s dedication, hard work and motivation inspires everyone around him.

Karina

Karina is a voice/piano teacher with over 15 years of professional teaching experience. She discovered her love of music while watching Raffi videos as a young child and began taking piano lessons at the age of six. Just two years later, she started studying voice and found her love of singing as well. From that point on, she joined every ensemble and tried every instrument she could fit into her schedule. By the time she was 10 years old, she was already acting as a student leader for her church choir and music school, and her love of teaching was unlocked. She is a music graduate from Wilfred Laurier University.

Louis

Louis is a 30-year-old musician from the Niagara region. He has a bachelor’s degree in music from Western University. He specializes in guitar and ukulele. His favourite genres of music are folk, blues and classical. Louis also has experience as an ESL teacher. He speaks three languages and enjoys helping others.

Melissa

Melissa eagerly took on the position of piano teacher and Yamaha group teacher in September 2019. Prior to this position, Melissa taught piano (and vocals) for eight years to both kids and adults.

At a very young age she developed her love for music, started private lessons and annually completed grade exams through the Royal Conservatory of Music. Classically trained, Melissa has participated in many festivals and competitions. She continued her passion of music by attending Brock University and graduated with a bachelors degree majoring in music.

Melissa finds joy in teaching and plans on passing her love and passion for music to her students.

Paul

Choosing teaching as a career over playing bass professionally in a rock band years ago, Paul has had many years of experience teaching children and adults in the G.T.A.

Moving to the Niagara Region about 20 years ago, he taught piano and keyboard as well as playing piano gospel and popular music in churches and family restaurants.

Paul has his B.A., M.-Div., and A.R.C.T (Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto).

Sunny

Sunny is a piano major graduate from the University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. She has taught students from beginners to advanced, having students participate in piano competitions as well as teaching students accompaniment for churches and choirs. Sunny loves teaching and seeing her students enjoying and progessing in their music studies. Sunny is also a group teacher for the world famous Yamaha Music Education System.