MEET OUR TEACHERS!

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!

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.”

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.

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 M

Paul has been playing guitar and bass for many years as well as playing in bands. He has taught students of all ages with success. He likes all styles of music especially Rock, Blues, R&B and Funk.

Teaching is very rewarding and he is looking forward to being a part of Niagara School of Music.

Paul is also a painter who specializes in abstract paintings.

Paul S

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.

Carter

Carter teaches guitar, bass, and ukulele.  He was educated privately on guitar, but found a true love for the bass, and has also studied violin.  Carter has played in many bands and performed many shows of varying genres.

Carter’s musical palate is very diverse, ranging from traditional music of varying cultures to the contemporary music of today.  He is a well-mannered individual who is always willing to help and develop new skills in the world of guitar.

Scotty

Scotty Blake is a drummer and percussionist with over 20 years playing experience. He first hit the stage in high school and since, has toured across Canada, Japan, has played the Budweiser Stage in Toronto and has recorded on many different tracks in different bands and studios, accumulating hundreds of hours of recording experience. 

Scott’s always had a soft spot for teaching drums as well. Starting in high school and continuing independently throughout the years, he’s found ways to relate to the students and teach the foundation of drumming through theory and notation. 

“Once we know how to read the drum music, we can apply that and start playing basic beats that evolve into more complex beats and patterns, turning into full songs where we learn about song structure, drum fills & more.”

Drumming is a fun, thrilling musical journey that I would recommend to anyone. Scotty looks forward to rockin’ with you!

Amanda

Amanda is a third year university student currently studying teaching! She loves art, technology, music, and watching students grow! Her favourite thing to play is ukulele, and she’s been playing guitar for 13 years.

Join Amanda for private or group ukulele and guitar lessons where you will gain a better understanding of the music basics.  No experience necessary!

Catherine

Catherine grew up listening to her mother play and teach the piano. She studied under various internationally renowned pianists and examiners with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She completed her studies at R.C.M. and performed in several recitals in Toronto. She was a part-time Church organist and also played the clarinet in a band.

Catherine studied at the University of Toronto and went on to receive additional training through the Canadian Bureau for the Advancement of Music obtaining certification as a Piano Class Teacher. In the past she taught group classes in elementary schools through the Boards of Education in Toronto and Mississauga. Catherine has taught private and semi-private lessons in her home studio and at various other music schools before moving to Niagara.

Catherine has years of teaching experience and creates individualized lesson plans that are appropriate for each student’s ability and interests. Her goal is to educate and to inspire students to be the best musicians they can be and to help them develop a lifelong appreciation for music and the arts.

Nigel

Nigel began teaching professionally during his second year of music studies at Lakehead University where he received his degree in music.  Encouraging each student to be the best they can be, he bases his teaching style on such texts as ‘Teaching with the Child in Mind’ and ‘Teaching towards Musical Understanding.’

As a performer, he has played in various venues including the Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas.

His desire, as a teacher, is to teach all the ‘good music fundamentals’ within the context of his students’ musical interests.

Nigel says, “I absolutely love my teaching! It gives me a deep sense of fulfillment and satisfaction when I can aid students to be enthusiastic and gain a deeper understanding of music and guitar playing.”

Joy

Joy’s love of piano began at 12-years-old and led her to teach piano for over 15 years. She holds a combined Bachelor of Music and Visual Arts from Brock University, a Grade 10 Piano Certificate from the Royal Conservatory of Music and a Visual Creative Arts diploma from Sheridan College. She has worked in the capacity of a music therapist for patients with brain injuries, as well as with seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s. She believes music heals and enriches lives.

Joy is also an artist and works as an illustrator and has worked on the Micromusicals with Christopher Norton, as well as with his company 80 Days Inc.

Emmanuvel

Emmanuvel is a skilled violinist with 13 years of experience and is known for his emotive performance, often seen at Indian functions. Not only a performer, Emmanuvel is also a dedicated teacher, having taught at a school for violin in India. His journey is one of passion, dedication, and a profound love for the violin, leaving a lasting impact on both his students and audiences alike.

Luke

Luke has been passionate about music ever since he can remember, even before he picked up his first guitar over 20 years ago. As a child, he spent time singing and playing guitar in church. With a nurtured interest in passing on musical knowledge, Luke is the third generation of music educators in his family.

Luke has been part of many bands where he’s played bass, guitar, as well as lead vocals. When he’s not playing in a band, you might find Luke out at a restaurant or at someone’s birthday party providing the entertainment with his solo acoustic act.

Apart from music, Luke enjoys going on adventures with his daughter Freya, wife Lisa, and two dogs Odinn and River.

Esther

Esther was gifted with perfect pitch and started to learn piano at the age of 4 in South Korea. She deeply enjoyed playing piano and learning music theories and in 2014 she moved to Canada. Moving to a whole different environment could not stop her passion for music and led to her interest in violin lessons. Her knowledge about music from piano lessons helped a lot to fast track her violin lessons, and she was able to receive one-on-one masterclass-like lessons.

She loves to share her love and experience of music, which originated from abroad, and led her to continue to love and play instruments and sing in her free time.