Our Oakville Music Teachers

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  Ewa was born in Warsaw, Poland, where she studied harp and piano, before receiving her Master of Arts Degree in Music Education from the Music Education and Eurhythmics Faculty of the Academy of Music in Gdansk. She came to Canada in 1991 and completed courses in Music in Early Childhood, Kodály Pedagogy and Orff Pedagogy at the Royal Conservatory.

Since 1996 Ewa has been teaching music in early childhood, music and movement, theory and music enrichment classes at private music schools, Montessori schools and Suzuki Talent Centers as well professional development courses for adults.

Ewa is a recipient of the Robert and Donna Wood Scholarship (The Early Childhood Music Association of Ontario, 1998), The Brigg’s Family Teachers’ Development Fund Scholarship (The Royal Conservatory, 2017), and the prestigious The International Kátalin Forrai Award (The International Kodály Society, 2017)

A tireless advocate of the importance of music in lives of young children Ewa has served as the President of the Early Childhood Music Association of Ontario for 15 years.

Ewa believes that young children experience music in a stimulating and positive environment, using the two most natural instruments they have – their singing voice and their body. Musical growth develops through participation in singing, active play, musical games and playing instruments. As the curriculum follows principles of child development the wide range of musical activities matches the children’s cognitive, psychomotor, and social-emotional developmental levels. In her teaching, Ewa blends Dalcroze, Kodály and Orff approaches to music education and focuses on joyful music making with an underlying emphasis on the art of music itself.

 Dionne was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) and started her formal piano education at the age of 6, under the tutelage of Mrs. Freda Soares, a Fellow of Trinity College, London. She has been studying the piano for 26 years and has completed an Associate of Trinity College, London (ATCL) Diploma in piano performance which is equivalent to the Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Music (ARCT). 

Dionne has been preparing students for music exams for the last 10 years and is currently pursuing her Diploma in Early Childhood Education due to her fondness for working with children. She has been a church pianist for over 20 years and is currently the pianist at a local GTA church.  Dionne has worked extensively with school and church choirs in Mumbai where she trained children to sing in 3-part and 4-part harmony.  She has also trained and accompanied professional choirs like the Vocal Point alongside conductors like Mr. Alfred D’Souza, the conductor of the Stop-Gaps choir. 

Dionne believes in holistic music education and encourages her students to develop good sight-reading skills along with their aural abilities and a grade appropriate understanding of music theory. She has familiarized herself with the RCM piano exams and is ready to teach RCM Grades with the same expertise she applied to the Trinity College exams. 

Music is an integral part of Dionne’s life, and she considers it a joy to be able to share her musical gifts with others!

 Sebastian is a guitarist based in the Greater Toronto Area. Since having picked up a guitar just over a decade ago, he has played in multiple bands, is a sought out session guitarist and spends a lot of time writing original music for his most recent project, The Cruz Control. Currently Sebastian is in his third year at Toronto’s one and only, Humber College Bachelor of Music Program and has studied with local greats - Rob Bulger, Tony Zorzi, Kim Ratcliffe and Emile D’eon just to name a few. Always looking to progress as a guitarist, Sebastian aside from writing his own music is currently working on classical guitar repertoire. Sebastian is a passionate and creative guitarist who is always willing to share his passion with others. 

 Gretchen has performed across Canada in Theatre and Music Theatre, Operatic Works, (including original works), Symphonic concerts and has also been seen on television, feature films, and has also performed for CBC Radio. Originally from Toronto, Gretchen has extended her musical and acting studies to include New York, where her training was mostly Classical there, but she feels equally at home in Music Theatre, folk, pop and light jazz. 

Her singing performance beginnings, were folk and rock, but she believed in the power of classical training. She is one of the original members of the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA company, and also the MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER concert series, as well as having starred and originated many roles for Canadian Music Theatre. 

Gretchen is also well known for her role of 4 years playing Mrs. Jeremiah, the mother of the series star Joey Jeremiah, in the award winning television series DEGRASSI JR. HIGH. Her roles in standard Music Theatre repertoire include Kate, in KISS ME KATE, Alexandra in ALEXANDRA THE LAST EMPRESS (original), Bertrande in THE HOUSE OF MARTIN GUERRES (original), Iolanthe in IOLANTHE, as well as many others that also include Anne of Green Gables, The Boyfriend, The Picture of Dorian Gray (original work, by the award winning composer of the recent DROWSEY CHAPERONE Greg Morrison), and The Desert Song for Shaw Festival. She has appeared many times in concert with the Conductor and Operatic Star Mark Dubois, and has enjoyed singing with full symphonies on numerous occasions. 

Gretchen is please to have founded the quartet QuattroVoce. Gretchen has also Music Directed, Conducted and Directed in the Panasonic Theatre’s production of CABARET. Gretchen has also co-hosted a radio show for CBC called Basic Black, with the infamous Danny Marks. She has also trained several movie stars for their singing and musical roles in feature films and television. 

Gretchen is a renowned vocal instructor, and spends much of her time training her well known roster of students, who’ve gone on to Broadway, and L.A. in movies and stage, and are all known for their excellence at their craft. (Some call her their “best kept secret”.) She also directs and writes shows 2 - 4 times a year for them, and produces these, at theatres in Ontario. 

Gretchen is also responsible for for forming and producing for “SAY YES TO OPERA!”. A group that brings opera to “urban” spaces. CBC RADIO has been a great support of this event, and Gretchen has done a full 12 minute interview for Ing Wong Ward on her radio show. Gretchen has also been interviewed on the internet based radio show LIQUID LUNCH. You will find her on occasional Saturdays, with her group performing for folks at the ST. LAWRENCE MARKET at Front and Jarvis in Toronto.   

Jessica is a multi instumentalist with 10+ years of extensive experience implementing music-play based programmes in public and private Toronto daycares including Waldorf and Montessori schools.    

Jessica has achieved her Early Childhood Diploma from Humber college, a Bachelor of Arts from Ryerson in early childhood studies, and also completed her diploma  - Primary (3-6) at the AMI Foundation for Montessori Ed.  She currently runs many very successful early childhood music programs in and around the GTA.    

Jessica's early childhood music experience allows her to inspire fundamental music concepts by using multiple disciplines including singing/vocal and aural development, creative movement, dance, dramatization, storytelling, puppetry, selective listening skills, literacy enhancement and more.  

 She loves all genres of music and is very excited to specialist in vocal and piano at Addison Music Learning Centre. 

Music has always been an integral part of Peter's life!

Peter has been playing the guitar for close to 30 years and is ALWAYS learning! He has been teaching the guitar professionally (for all ages) for close to 20 years and the ukulele for almost 5 years.

He remembers fondly, that he picked up a violin for the first time (while snooping around in his gramma's bedroom; under her bed – it's a great story!). This first violin was originally owned by his grandfather. It was actually repaired and used all through his public-school years (and he still has it – many years later!). And, so they say, the rest is history...

He transitioned into playing the guitar in high school (when his Music Teacher gave him leadership to teach his whole class!) and hasn't stopped since...His tactic? He comes as a student! He's always found that his engagement and desire, first, to connect with his students, guiding the process to learn from his students as he teaches, ALWAYS helps the process!

His favourite part of teaching? When he gets the privilege to experience the glow on a student's face when they GET music and discover they can communicate in that 'language' themselves - with their very own voice! It's like nothing else on the planet!

"Let's enjoy the journey of Music discovery together!" Sincerely, Peter

 Lewina was happy to move from Hong Kong and return to live in Canada in 2019 with her husband and her two children. Although she is a licensed Professional Engineer, and has been designing her own line of consumer electronic products for over 20 years, she never put her love for music aside.

Lewina has been a part-time piano and xylophone teacher for over 10 years. She has also taught hand bells to over 700 Grade 3 students in Hong Kong, and she has trained the KTBWCS school hand bell team to perform regularly in school Christmas Mass, Open Days, and Graduation Ceremonies.

After learning to play the pedal harp in 2018, Lewina instantly fell in love with the beautiful and elegant instrument. 

Lewina is also the Music Faculty of a renowned Ballet School. She enjoys piano accompanying ballerinas in their daily training and in their Royal Academy of Dance examinations.

Lewina is working towards her RCM ARCT at the moment. 

From the early age of four, Mathew was immersed in music, taking piano lessons at the Ontario Conservatory of Music. At twelve, he attended the Ontario Conservatory of Music in Hamilton for guitar. He has been playing guitar for over ten years and has performed in several guitar competitions, winning first place. At fourteen, Mathew played in his first band, 4 AM, where he played lead guitar. 

Mathew is currently studying in the Contemporary Guitar Music program at Mohawk College. He has already been teaching music at a well known school in Hamilton for the last few years. 

Mathew brings a fun and fresh approach to his teaching, ensuring his students leave their lessons inspired and excited about expanding their love of music. His musical influences include Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Metallica, to name a few. 

Mathew is elated to be part of the Addison Music Learning Center and looks forward to teaching and watching his students excel in music. Mathew teaches guitar and ukulele. 

Andrew attended McMaster University starting in the  Bachelor of Music Degree program and also ultimately achieving his Honours B.A. Degree in Political Science.  Andrew is a busy guy, as not only is the executive editor of McMaster University's student lead newspaper, Silhouette,  but also is the current band director for McMaster’ show choir Absolute Pitch, where he writes and arranges all of their arrangments and music.  

Despite his busy schedule, he reserves time for his true passion, which is playing and teaching piano.  He likes to incorporate fun and enjoys teaching and learning all genres including movie music, pop, and musical theatre.  He can also teach up to grade 8 RCM.  

Although not a singer, Andrew also loves to sing and has recorded many videos of him playing and singing.  You can clearly see his passion and fun for music in everything he records and shares.