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.

Kaitlyn is an accomplished classical singer and piano player.  

Vocal:  With more than eleven years of vocal training from some of Canada's most esteemed instructors, she has studied and performed repertoire in more than sixteen world languages and has therefore gained a deep understanding of diverse musical genres. 

As a twelve-year member of the internationally-ranked Oakville Choir for Children and Youth, Kaitlyn has participated in a number of nation-wide music festivals and has performed as both a soloist and an ensemble singer in several world-leading opera houses including the Harpa in Iceland, the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm and the Royal Opera House in England. 

Having recently received First Class Honours with Distinction on her Grade 8 voice and theory exams,  Kaitlyn is also a three-time finalist at the ORMTA Provincial Voice Championships and is a frequent soloist for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO).

Piano:  In addition to Kaitlyn's many accomplishments as a classical singer, however, she is also an experienced concert pianist and accompanist. With over six years of elite instruction from some of Canada's most revered piano instructors, she demonstrates proficiency in technique, improvisation, ear training and sight-reading and has developed strong technical skills across all predominant piano styles including classical, baroque, pop, contemporary, jazz, blues and more. 

Aside from the distinction of receiving the highest mark in her Level 8 piano exam across the province, Kaitlyn has also won a number of national titles in Canadian-wide piano competitions and has therefore had the privilege of performing at some of North America's most recognized concert halls including Roy Thompson, Massey and Koerner hall.

Despite Kaitlyn's many achievements as a classical singer and pianist, however, perhaps her biggest passion in life is sharing her love of music with aspiring musicians.  As music and performing have always played a pivotal role in her life, being able to teach, mentor and guide beginner-level musicians throughout their musical journeys has always held a special place in her heart. 

With the strong belief that "music can change the world because it can change people", Kaitlyn's goal is always to foster a positive, encouraging and fun learning environment that increases confidence and allows students of all ages to fulfill their musical goals. :) 

As a result, Kaitlyn is thrilled to be joining the team at the Addison Music Learning Centre and is greatly looking forward to helping students achieve their full musical potential!

 Irina Graduated from the Saratov State Pedagogical University with an Honours degree speacializing in Music for Elementary and Preschool.   Three years previous to this she obtained a Music Education diploma from Volgograd State Pedagogical College.  

Since 1995 she has held many positions in the field of music education including  an accompanist for a ballet company (piano), Elementary Music School teacher and Choral Conductor,  and a private voice and piano instructor at schools such as the Hamilton Conservatory and Mohawk College.  Irina specializes in classical but can perform and teach all styles .       

Alex is a drummer from Etobicoke, Ontario. He has many musical interests including Funk, Rock, Country, Latin and Jazz. Alex began playing the piano at age 4 and has his RCM Grade 6 certification. In Grade 8, his interests shifted to the drums and he has been a dedicated drummer since.

Throughout high school, Alex played in bands such as the Jazz Combo, Jazz Orchestra, and the Concert Band travelling across Canada to participate in the FCMF National Music Festivals. He also played percussion with the Hannaford Youth Band in Grade 12. 

Last summer, Alex was a Senior Staff member at Red Pine Camp and was co-in charge of running the Junior Program – a morning program offering engaging and stimulating activities for children 0-12 years old. He incorporated music into the daily planning through concerts, interactive playing and singing. 

Currently Alex studies at Humber College in the Bachelor of Music – Drums/Percussion Program.  He has studied with musicians such as Lorne Nehring, Mark Kelso, and Larnell Lewis. 

Throughout the 2019-2020 school year, Alex was a staff member at Humber College’s Community Music Program where he played the drums for various ensembles of students aged 8-17 applying the Orff and Kodaly methods of Early Childhood Music Education.

 Barrie-based drummer, composer, and producer, Brandon has been making noise in Barrie's musical community for the last ten years. Drawing inspiration from a variety of genres including rock, metal, pop, and jazz, his sound as a drummer and composer is most influenced by his desire for adventure, exploration, and curiosity. 

Brandon is a founding member of the Barrie-based rock-band "All My Life " and a variety of different projects including the Toronto-based metal band "Anneliese."

While attending Humber College, Brandon studied with renowned Canadian musicians,  Larnell Lewis, Mark Kelso, and Paul DeLong and he has recently built a recording studio where he records high-quality drum performances remotely during COVID-19.

 A founding member of the Canadian Musicians Co-operative Inc, Brandon is a mentor and Artistic Director for the Barrie-based organization which is geared towards helping independent musicians develop the necessary skills to succeed in the music industry.

Brandon is always looking to share his love and knowledge of music and the drums for anyone who wants to learn! 

 André has taught music his whole life ; supporting his performing and recording career since high school  years.  He has been performing live in the music industry since he was a teen with many different bands and musicians.  He also taught guitar and drum lessons for a very high profile music school in Port Credit for 12 years.

Andre attended Humber College where he attained his music diploma. 

André believes in the healing power of music and he also works as a music therapist for adults with disabilities.

André enjoys playing many instruments including  guitar, vocals, drums and also enjoys teaching theory and the fundamentals of music.  We have found him to be a very sensitive and amusing teacher who enjoys having fun in his lessons. 

And an interesting note you will find on his resume is he also has his   

· St. John Ambulance

· First-Aid , CPR Certificate

·  Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Certificate 

 Patty has been playing piano for over 35 years and teaching since 1993. She graduated from the prestigious Arts York program at Unionville High School and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts (Music) degree from the University of Western Ontario. Patty has a special interest in music theory, having studied with Joe Ringhofer, current Chief Examiner of Theoretical Subjects of the Royal Conservatory of Music. In addition, Patty is active as an accompanist for exams, music festivals, and other events.    

Sama is a passionate and dedicated certified Orff instructor and Early Childhood Music teacher who has worked for several musical institutions since graduating from Art University of Tehran with a Master in Music Education.  She has completed Orff Level I & II to further her knowledge in music pedagogy through The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, and also completed her Smart Start course at the RCM which concentrates on teaching toddlers music.

Focusing on cognitive, language, and social skill development using music in childhood, Sama uses voice, Piano, Recorder, Tar and her strong knowledge of music theory to provide young children with the tools necessary to succeed in life and music long-term. She works with early childhood centers and schools across Toronto in order to bring a love of music to as many children’s lives as she can.