Jacquelyn Payne

Administrator

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Jacquelyn will be that friendly face you see when walking in the door. Come on in and say hello!

Christian McKibbin

Guitar & Bass

Our most experienced teacher. A Tuesday legend.

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Christian is an established and highly sought-after guitarist in the Toronto music scene. With well over a thousand performances, Christian has played across North America and Europe with highly notable Canadian and international artists. From club dates to festival tours to TV appearances, Christian’s experience is highly regarded in the industry. He has recorded and produced major label releases both domestically and in Europe. In 2006, Christian received a Juno nomination for Best New Group. On top of his performance skills, Christian is an honours graduate in Performance and Arranging at Humber College. His teaching experience includes many years at one of Canada’s premier learning institutions. He is a respected educator whose knowledge and skills are ideal for all ages and interests.

Christee Palace

Voice, Intro Piano, & Musical Theatre Teacher

Authentic, talented, and ready to bring out the best in your child.

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Christee Palace is a pop singer/songwriter originally from Windsor, Ontario. Coming from a very musical family, Christee had the passion for music and singing instilled in her at a very young age.

Christee was trained in pop piano, guitar, and most prominently vocals at the Canadian Conservatory of Music in Windsor, later being a pop vocal instructor, and introductory piano instructor for 9 years.

A graduate from the University of Windsor’s Drama in Education and Community program, Christee has taken her passion for music, performing arts, and teaching, and combined them into one. Christee is a firm believer in connecting to her students through personal musical experiences, and creating a comfortable and fun atmosphere. From various roles in musical theatre, to being the lead singer of a touring wedding band, Christee has over 15+ years of performing experience in many different settings.

Her love for singing and songwriting influenced her to start her own band, performing original pop music. She went on to record her first EP “Alive Today”, with 2 tracks being played on over 60 stations across Canada. Her follow up single, “Light It Up” made it onto Canada’s “Most Active Indies Chart” in its first week at radio, and earned a semi finalist position in both the “International Songwriting Competition” and the “Canadian Songwriting Competition”.

Christee is currently working on her second EP in Toronto with producers and songwriters of Sony and Universal Music.

Jacqui Verellen

ONLINE - Voice, Intro Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, & STM Teacher

Teachers who love teaching, teach children who love learning.

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Ms.Jacqui teaches exclusively online.

Jacqui is a passionate music educator! She has 5+ years working with children and 20 + years performing. A singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and theory guru, Jacqui absolutely loves passing on the gift of music. She started her education at the University of Western, earning an Honours Bachelor of Music (Opera) and a minor in Childhood Psychology studies.

Jacqui’s passion for children, child development and song, led her to teach private music lessons as well as led her to Preschool teaching. Jacqui quickly discovered how important it was for young minds to enjoy the learning process, through play-based education. She designed a children’s music program to teach theory and song to young students, through musical games and activities. 

Jacqui is also passionate about teaching her students how to perform with both expression and confidence on stage! An avid performer herself, Jacqui is proud to say her original music is on Canadian radio, and has earned her top 15 in the International Songwriting competition for original work. Jacqui feels her performance experience greatly adds to what she can offer her students. She believes in a well-rounded approach to music and expression!

David Hollingshead

Modern Piano Teacher

Bright, Friendly and sure to bring a smile to your face

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David is a classically trained contemporary pianist. He has been working as a professional freelance musician and as a teacher for over a decade and brings that experience to every lesson. A graduate of Mohawk and Humber College David is always seeking the best from himself and from his students.

Having performed everything from Folk to Jazz to Rock’n’Roll, David has a true understanding an eclectic range of music, and where to find the magic in a song. He believes that music is about more than just reading, it’s about understanding the song, and learning to express yourself through it. David is always chasing that magic and loves nothing more than to share how each student can find their own magic in music.

William Lamoureux

Violin & Guitar Teacher

I'm a musician, a creative machine

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William studied classical violin for nine years at the Québec Music Conservatory under Christian Vachon and Alexandre Da Costa, before entering Humber College. He has experience teaching and playing many styles of popular music and has played in classical orchestras, rock, and country bands. He has opened for or shared the stage with artists such as Christian McBride, Shawn Phillips, Harry Manx, New Cities, Les Colocs, Loco Locas, Roch Voisine, The New York Voices, and others.

William is a multi instrumentalist, his primary instrument is violin, but he also sings, plays the guitar, mandolin, ukulele, and keyboard. He has taken part in numerous musical projects and is the founder of the francophone rock group, Billy Love Band.

At Orrett Music Academy we love William for his infectiously positive attitude and virtuosic playing ability. Come meet him to experience a fresh and passionate take on violin and guitar lessons.

Eric Gilson

Piano Teacher

"The joy of playing comes through in his teaching and in his enthusiasm for music and people who love music."

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Born in Winnipeg, Eric studied classical music in the Royal Conservatory of Music with renowned pianist Music Director and Conductor of Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Tadeusz Biernacki. At age thirteen Eric fell in love with Jazz music and began to study with local legends Michelle Gregoire and Earl MacDonald Director of Jazz studies at the University of Connecticut. At age sixteen Eric became the house pianist for the Winnipeg Art Gallery and at nineteen spent a year playing at the McPhillips Station Casino.

From a young age Eric’s father instilled in him the value of teaching and at eighteen Eric began teaching for the Academy of Music in Winnipeg.  At age twenty Eric left Winnipeg for Toronto to study Jazz in the Performing arts Program at Humber College with Canadian Jazz Greats Dave Restivo and Brian Dickinson. After Humber Eric began a career of performing on cruise ships, becoming a Musical Director and circumnavigated the globe several times.

In 2009 Eric retired his sea legs moved to Switzerland where he lived until 2019. Eric has taught students of all ages and skill level at the International School of Basel and has performed all around Europe.

From beginners to advanced learners, Eric loves sharing the joy of playing and making music. He is known to delve into every aspect of playing, technique, theory, composition, expression, and musicality.

Whether you want to play Jazz, Classical, Pop, or improvise and compose Eric would love to help you on your own musical journey!

Jaden Hellmann

Guitar, Ukulele, & Bass Teacher

"I pay no attention whatever to anybody’s praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings." - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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Jaden found the world of guitar in his early teens. With his natural affinity for the instrument, Jaden began teaching at the age of 16 and quickly attained advanced theory and rudiments with high honours through RCM by age 17.

Soon after, he attended the Music Industry Arts program at Fanshawe College, studying under a plethora of Canadian music industry talents including:

Moe Berg (Singer/Songwriter – The Pursuit of Happiness)

Dan Brodbeck (2010 Juno Award winner Recording Engineer of the Year)

David Martin (20 year veteran Staff Songwriter at Sony/ATV Publishing)

Terry McManus (Founder and ex-president of the Songwriters Association of Canada)

Mike Roth (Former Senior VP of Sony Records Canada)

After graduating in 2012, he taught in the Kitchener-Waterloo area for 8 years, before moving to Etobicoke at the end of 2019. He is currently involved in the writing and recording of two independent projects, both on track to release debut EP’s in 2020.

Jaden is a firm believer that there is talent in everybody. His charismatic and enthusiastic personality is infectious with students of all ages. We encourage you to come in and experience an exciting and rocking guitar lesson with Jaden.

Joel Toews

Modern Piano, Voice, & Intro Piano Teacher

"Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable." - Leonard Bernstein

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Originally from Edmonton, Joel has been playing and teaching everything from classical to pop to jazz for over ten years. He is passionate about teaching music with a multi-genre approach, inspiring students to work on music they love, and challenging them to discover exciting new music along the way. Joel studied at Berklee College of Music from 2012-13 and received a Bachelor of Music in Jazz and Contemporary Popular Music from MacEwan University in 2018.

As a musician, Joel has experience as a performer, songwriter and composer across Canada. His greatest passion is to understand and write compelling music. His composition work ranges from orchestra to choir, from jazz big band to piano solo. As an educator, Joel uses his composition expertise to help students truly understand the music they learn and the theory behind why they like the song they listen to. Whether a student wants to study classical repertoire, pop songs, or video game music, Joel is excited to help them discover the music in new ways and journey with them when the songs are complex and challenging.

In the studio, Joel is optimistic and outgoing. He is committed to knowing his students well and working every week to bring out the best in them and their music.

Sarah Maria Leung

Classical Piano, Intro Piano, & Voice Teacher

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." - Plato

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Sarah is passionate about nurturing a lifelong love for music in her students. She is dedicated in helping students develop musically, as well as making sure that students have fun and enjoy the process. She loves to see students grow in empathy, self-confidence, and discipline through the art of music-making.

Piano was her first love when Sarah set her eyes on the instrument at age 4, and was introduced by her loving parents to choral singing at age 6. Since then, she has been playing and singing her entire life. Classically trained, Sarah teaches voice and piano, and welcomes students of all ages and levels. She received her MMus in Choral Conducting from the University of Toronto and her BA in Music from the University of Southern California. She also holds ABRSM Grade 8 (UK) – the equivalent of RCM Grade 10 – in both piano and voice. An experienced performer, she is the co-founder and soprano of renowned Toronto-based vocal quartet Fonitika Vocal Ensemble, and is the music director of several GTA-based groups. She has also performed in many countries with various prestigious ensembles, including Austria, China, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea, and the US.

Susie Simmons

ONLINE - Early Childhood Music Education & Intro Piano Teacher

“A music teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, touches a heart"

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Mrs.Simmons teaches exclusively online.

Mrs. Simmons comes from a long line of musicians and educators and has shared that “music and teaching is in my blood.” Ever since she was young, Mrs. Simmons was drawn to working with children and used to dream of becoming a teacher. As a young girl, Mrs. Simmons took part in many activities to build her confidence, overcome shyness, and broaden her skills. Her childhood piano lessons turned into a passion for music performance and education. 

Mrs. Simmons loves to discover new musical experiences every day with young children as their sense of wonder, curiosity and desire to learn is inspiring. For the last 18 years, she has been a full-time preschool music education specialist and piano accompanist to 5 school choirs, performing multiple concerts and musicals each year. A highlight was playing the grand piano at Roy Thomson Hall to accompany choral performances at Independent Schools Music Festivals on 3 occasions. Most recently, Mrs. Simmons completed her Early Childhood Music Education certification from Ryerson University and The Royal Conservatory of Music. She adds these qualifications to her ARCT Piano Performer First Class Honours and ARCT Piano Teacher First Class Honours diplomas.

Mrs. Simmons looks forward to sharing her 31 years of teaching experience with her students. She believes that nothing is more rewarding than seeing the delight on a child’s face as they are thoroughly immersed in the joy of music making!

Beverley Rockwell

Intro Piano, Modern Piano, Voice, Ukulele / Sing-a-long, Musical Theatre, & Acting Teacher

“If music be the food of love, play on” - William Shakespeare

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Beverley has been a performer from a very young age, that all started when she crashed her mother’s voice studio recitals singing The Little Mermaid at 3 years old. After 10 years of piano lessons culminating into her Grade 9 RCM in piano,12+ years of dance classes, choir, and voice lessons, they pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Alberta and graduated with distinction. Throughout her life, Beverley has had the opportunity to teach students in musical theatre, dance, acting, voice, piano, guitar, and ukulele, both in a group setting, and in private one on one sessions. They also are an avid songwriter, and are currently teaching themselves how to play the accordion!

She has trained with many professionals and teachers, most notably Tara Laberge and Kim Mattice Wanat for voice, and David Ley, Sandra Nicholls, and Alana Hawley-Purvis for acting. Professionally, they have worked with National Youth Choir, directors such as Ann Hodges and Jan Selman, and have done multiple Shakespeare productions as well as musicals and modern plays.

New to Toronto, Beverley is so excited to pass on their lifetime love of music and performing to their students, and is grateful to be able to continue growing their passion in such a vibrant and new environment. She believes that every student has the potential for joy and success, especially when they are given autonomy over their learning, tailoring each experience to the individual. She is a bright and bubbly person, and always offers a warm and welcoming environment for everyone. Students can expect a multi-media and multi-faceted approach, as Beverley believes that a love for music can be fostered through a variety of ways!

Jim Toner

Drum & Guitar Teacher

"You can play a shoestring if you're sincere." - John Coltrane

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With one foot planted firmly in the world of classical/orchestral music, the other planted in the world of contemporary popular music, and his other limbs flailing through all other genres and styles in between; Drummer/Percussionist Jim has amassed a diverse skill set spanning many genres and eras.

Jim earned his Undergraduate and Masters degrees in percussion performance from the University of Western Ontario. Jim’s experience at Western had a focus on classical/orchestral percussion and led to an extensive understanding of technique, musicality in varied situations, as well as proficiency in reading. Jim then attended Humber College where he was able to hone his drum kit ability and expand his musical knowledge into the realm of pop music along with jazz, rock, R&B and latin music.

Jim’s leap into the professional music realm was quite the leap, manning the drum chair for various cruise ship show bands allowing him to visit 5 continents, as well as a national theatre tour of China. Back home Jim performs with a variety of acts such as America’s Got Talent finalist Stacey Kay, the Hitmen Entertainment Drumline, and has appeared with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra.

This wide array of experience has allowed Jim to develop a lesson program that can be used in all musical settings and by all skill levels. Jim fully believes that music is a universal language and approaches teaching as such. Just like with language, building your musical vocabulary and grammar allows you to freely express yourself on your instrument and communicate more effectively with other musicians. He makes lessons as fun and engaging as possible by custom tailoring lessons to suit your interests. Jim has built up an arsenal of educational materials including custom lesson handouts, popular song play-a-long tracks and DEMO VIDEOS, all designed to help you reach your drumming goals.

Jack Chang

Classical Piano & Modern Piano Teacher

"Music is a world within itself, in a language we all understand" - Stevie Wonder

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Jack is an enthusiastic piano teacher who values the opportunity to share music with others. He has been surrounded by music since a young age, having started playing the piano at the age of 6. Throughout his musical journey he has been fortunate to perform in various venues in Italy, New York City, and across Canada. Jack’s passion for music has also helped him receive first place in national competitions such as the CMC, and complete his ARCT with first class honours with distinction. 

Jack is a passionate teacher who loves finding new and creative ways to share musical ideas. As an educator Jack emphasizes the need for fun and joy while helping students achieve their goals. He believes that music education is more than learning to play notes, but rather a form of self-expression and a way to connect with others. Jack is trained in the Keyboard Games method of teaching, in which music and play are closely intertwined. 

Jack has had the opportunity to receive masterclasses from many renowned pianists, such as Enrico Elisi, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, and Dmitry Masleev. He hopes that his own love and passion for music can inspire others in the most fun and exciting ways!

Annie Bird

Steps to Music, Intro Piano, Ukulele/Sing-a-long, & Voice Teacher

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor hugo

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Ms Annie is a Toronto based professional singer, early music educator, private voice/piano teacher and Music therapist (seeking accreditation fall 2021). She first started her musical education as a vocal major at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts which led her to pursue a Performance degree specialization in Voice at the University of Western Ontario graduating with distinction in 2018. From there she completed an Advanced Certificate in Performance, specialization in early Music Voice at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music while performing in the Toronto area for companies such as Opera Atelier and the National Catholic Broadcasting Association of Canada. Throughout her performance education/career Miss Annie continued to teach private voice and piano lessons and became increasingly interested in the way that music can be used as therapeutic mechanisms to create effective change in the brain and body. It is with this fascination that she decided to complete her Masters in Voice Performance- Specialization in Applied Health Studies at the University of Toronto, where she continued her training as a singer while also training to become a Certified Music Therapist. After completing her masters this past May (2021) Miss Annie trained at a Neurologic Music Therapy Clinic in Phoenix Arizona where she worked with individuals with many different neurological disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome, providing both music therapy and applied music lessons.
Ms Annie is so excited to be joining the Orrett Music Academy as the Step in Time to Music early music educator, Private voice teacher and intro to piano teacher and looks forward to working with all her new students.

Karel Gondor

Drum Teacher

"Music is the only religion that delivers the goods" - Frank Zappa

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Karel got his start in music playing drums at the not-so-tender age of 15 and was immediately performing in bands, venturing out of his hometown of Pickering Ontario into Toronto, to play gigs at whichever venues Toronto’s infamously predatory promoters would throw at them. Since these humble beginnings, Karel has relentlessly pursued a career in improvised music and has developed his skill set accordingly. Karel has been involved in the Toronto Jazz and Brazilian music scene since 2014 and has played at numerous Jazz and World Music Festivals, including: Grand Bateria Express, Ontario Latin Arts Festival, Toronto TD Jazz Festival, Hispanic Festival, Pan-American Jazz Festival, Copa do Mundo with Chocolate da Vila Maria, Summer Olympics Team Canada Inauguration Party, TU Jazz Festival, among others. The influence of Brazilian music can be seen in the percussion instruments Karel plays and teaches, in addition to the Drumset. These include: Pandeiro, Repinique, Tamborim, Surdo, Agogo Bells, and Congas. In 2016, Karel discovered his love of composition and has been increasingly focused on cultivating his abilities in this mode of creative expression. Currently, Karel is working in various musical projects, performing in and out of the city of Toronto. He completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Music at Humber College (2013-2017) and has completed a MA in Composition at York University (2019-2021).

Karel’s Teaching Philosophy:

I like to think that music connects us to the present. When we create and perform music, we celebrate existence itself. It’s a game we discovered a long time ago and we continue playing to this day. I want my students to discover for themselves the richness of a life steeped in music and my style of teaching is firmly rooted in this understanding. I tailor lessons according to the student’s individual goals but with a strong emphasis on fundamentals such as proper technique and critical listening. Over the years I have had the good fortune to have learned from many wonderful musicians who ultimately set me up on the path for longevity and it is my hope to do the same for my students.

Matt Morgan

Guitar & ukulele

“Originality’s the thing. You can have tone and technique and a lot of other things but without originality you ain’t really nowhere. Gotta be original”- Lester Young

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Matt is a passionate teacher and an active freelance guitarist. He loves to bring real life experiences he’s had into the classroom to truly prepare students for success. Having graduated from Humber College’s Degree program in Jazz Performance, Matt is a dynamic educator who creates fun and interactive lessons for every student.

Matt grew up with a deep appreciation for classic rock, blues, folk, and jazz. He loves to find new ideas, whether it be a new technique, discovering new sounds when he composes or coming up with creative educational lessons. He brings this energy to each lesson and kindly guides his students so that they discover the fascinating world of music together

Pauline Ou

Classical Piano, Modern Piano, & Intro Piano Teacher

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Pauline is a professionally trained pianist in both classical and modern styles who has been playing for over 13 years. A graduate of Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts, she has successfully completed her Grade 10 Piano Examination at the Royal Conservatory of Music with “First Class Honours with Distinction” and has won awards in music competitions including Kiwanis and MusicFest Canada.

Pauline has an infectious passion for music and loves sharing her musical knowledge. Her students have performed at recitals, competitions, and she has prepared students for RCM examinations. She believes there is no limit to a student’s creativity and encourages all her students to explore the field of music within and outside of the classroom setting. Ms Pauline’s more experienced students can look forward to a teacher who will help them discover songwriting, music technology, and a diverse range of musical styles.