Music lessons, whether they be piano, violin, drums, or guitar, are great extracurricular activities for kids. Indeed, music has been shown to improve academic, physical, and social skills in children.
But deciding what instrument suits your child best, and which teacher to go with, can be a daunting task. There are, however, several music teachers very close to home.
This article isn’t exhaustive, but it can serve as a good starting point in your research.
Julia Davison
Julia Davison has taught piano on and off for 13 years just outside of Niverville.
“I was eight years old when I started piano lessons,” Davison says. “My teacher, Anita, had her ARCT [Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto] performer’s diploma with the Royal Conservatory of Music, and since I was enthralled with her playing and wanted to play like her, I made it my goal to also obtain my ARTC performer’s diploma. As for teaching, it was my mom that encouraged me to first offer lessons when I was 16, so I put an ad up at the local post office. A young girl that rode my bus became my first student.”
Davison offers half-hour lessons once a week. Though she hosts lessons in her home, she primarily travels to her students’ homes for just $1 extra per lesson.
Playing piano has led to many opportunities for Davison. “I learned how to read chord charts, do some improvisation, as well as listen to recordings and play along. I ended up playing piano in a worship band at church and also got the opportunity to go on a Musicians Summer of Service trip to Latvia with YWAM when I was 18. Having the freedom to play by ear, do creative improvisation, and play in bands with other musicians has been the most fun part of it all for me.”
Nick Mullin
Nick Mullin teaches piano, drum, bass guitar, and guitar out of his home in Ste. Agathe, where he moved this past January. On top of being a music teacher, he is also a hired musician. Mullin has played piano for local artist Jordan St.Cyr for the past six years. He has also worked with Winnipeg artist Ingrid Johnson for the past seven years.
Mullin has taught piano and drums for twelve years and guitar for six. “I enjoyed my lessons growing up,” he says, “so I wanted to give others a chance to experience that joy that can be found through playing a musical instrument.”
Mullin teaches both half-hour and hour-long sessions, once a week. “I love teaching music to children of all ages. Each child has individual learning styles and musical tendencies, so it is fun to learn about the child myself, and cater the lessons toward each one’s needs. I find that most children love playing their instruments even after the first couple lessons.”
Laura Visser
Laura Visser has taught piano for 17 years. She teaches out of her home in Niverville and has two in-house studios. One studio is for private students and the other is for a program called Music for Young Children (MYC).
“This program, Music for Young Children, is a wonderful beginner program designed for children ages three and up who have never taken music lessons,” Visser says. “I also work with students who have special needs. Though I do teach some privately, many children benefit from the Music for Young Children program as they can work on skills in different and creative ways. It is a joy to help them discover their gifts in music, whether they play by ear, read music, or simply enjoy singing or listening to others in class.”
MYC, which is taught by 900 different teachers across three continents to more than 24,000 students, is done in a group setting. After completing the program, students are ready for private lessons.
Visser started her own musical journey at the age of three. She competed in piano during her formative years. Once she became a mother, she taught piano to her own children.
“Piano and teaching music is my passion,” she says. “I believe all children have musical capabilities and I want to help them discover a love of music that will last them their entire lives, whether they continue in piano, learn a new instrument, or just appreciate the music they listen to.”
Taralyn Eddy
Taralyn Eddy moved to Niverville two years ago. Before that, Eddy and her family lived in British Columbia, where she taught piano for five years.
“When we moved to Niverville, I wasn’t sure what the need for piano lessons would be,” Eddy says. “I was surprised with the large response to my first ad, and I got to meet and work with many great families last year!”
Eddy, a mother of four, has lot of experience working with kids. This includes teaching swimming, working at a summer camp, and serving as an educational assistant at an elementary school.
“When we moved to B.C., a friend asked if I would be interested in teaching piano lessons at a school of fine arts,” she adds. “It seemed like a natural fit to use my love and gift of teaching, my experience working with children, and my years of training in piano, together! I taught at the school for a year and a half, and then continued teaching private lessons from my home when I had my own children.”
Piano lessons with Eddy run from September until June, mirroring the school year. The weekly lessons last thirty minutes.
“I consider it an honour to serve my community by teaching piano lessons,” Eddy says, “and I look forward to meeting some new students and families again this year.”
