I started taking piano lessons when I was 9 years old, and started composing not long after that. I entered competitions and usually took home first or second (it wasn’t a huge community but it was still an achievement!). I also took all of the required Practical, Theory, and History examinations from the Royal Conservatory of music – I was lucky to have a very supportive and wonderful teacher to help me through it all!
I began teaching at age 14 after I had completed grade 6 with the Royal Conservatory of Music. This was such a new experience for me! My own teacher invited me to her studio with my student so that she could observe me teach, but I was so nervous I froze up! My teacher ended up teaching my student and I ended up watching. As my lessons progressed, I had to allow parents in occasionally to observe, and my fears of being watched and critiqued disappeared. When I graduated high school in 2004, I had my first recital for my studio that had grown to 8 students, and it was a wonderful culmination. Sadly, I left that all behind when I went to university.
I moved to Lethbridge in 2004 to do a Bachelor of Music in piano and had to take a break from teaching as I had no teaching space, no piano, and no vehicle to drive to a teaching space. After completing my Bachelor of Music in 2008, I decided to pursue a Bachelor of Education, majoring in music. I gained a wealth of knowledge about teaching that I could also relate to teaching piano. Upon completion of my Bachelor of Education in 2010, I moved to Quebec to teach English for 9 months. When I returned, everything fell back into place for teaching – I had a teaching space, I had my pianos, and I planned on staying for a long time! So I started back up again.
It’s been a fun process! I’ve had a great time meeting new students and growing my studio. Watching my students grow and succeed it what keeps me motivated to teach, and I have seen a lot of growth and success so far.