Teachers
Intro to Music and Voice
Emmanuelle Lizère is a musician, violinist and cellist. She has a degree in music and musicology and also holds a diploma in art therapy and psychopedagogy from the University of Paris V. Trained in various early-music methods, notably Orff, Willems, Martenot, Dalcroze, and using a multi-sensory approach to music, her interest in childhood and early childhood has led her to develop music and sound environments for babies and children in day cares, schools, museums and festivals for over 25 years.
She created tigouli (https://www.tigouli.com), developing her approach through shows mixing acoustic music and interactive electronic devices for children from 6 months to 4 years. These shows have been presented in several festivals, including Petits bonheurs, both in Quebec and internationally. Since 2011, she has been designing and producing different interactive experiences for toddlers (2-5 years old) mixing paintings, sculptures and music in the context of museums or exhibitions, such as Méli-mélodie at the Musée d’art moderne, Centre Pompidou in Paris, Les petits bruits de la toile, Le chant de verre and Borduas et compagnie at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Schönberg, painting the soul at the Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaïsme in Paris, Deux yeux, deux oreilles quelle merveilles at the Maison de la culture Côte des neiges and Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal.
Colin holds degrees in both music and teaching from McGill University where he is currently a graduate researcher. His voice lessons are individually tailored to each student, focusing on healthy vocal production and classical technique in a variety of popular and traditional musical genres. Colin’s pedagogical approach encourages self-sustained learning and is based firmly in the principle that everyone has a voice. Having worked for over a decade in the Montreal area as a music teacher, vocal/instrumental technician, conductor, musical director, and coach, he has drawn on his grounding to create adaptive and engaging musical experiences for his students.
Prep Choir, Adult Choir, SSCC Director
Zoé is a Montreal-based pianist, singer, conductor and composer/arranger. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and a Masters in Conducting from McGill University. She now works as music director for choirs, orchestras and various theatres.
As a private teacher, Zoé concentrates on Classical and Broadway, which includes pop, rock and jazz. She is well versed in different styles and loves to share that musical diversity. Always one to listen to her students, Zoé adapts the lessons to their needs, whether it is to work on technique, to prepare for an audition, or simply to gain confidence singing or playing piano. She cares about the progress of her students and knows how to have fun while learning.
Tatiana was born in Moscow, and studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory where she graduated with Distinction. She went on to study at the Royal Birmingham Conservatory (M.Mus. and AdvPGDip) and then McGill University (D. Mus). She was a 2nd prize winner at the N. Rubinstein and FLAME International Piano Competitions in France; Top prize winner of the Grand Konzerteum competition in Greece; winner of the Leamington Music Prize and; Birmingham Symphony Hall Prize; and 2nd prize winner at the Brant Competition in the UK. Tatiana has appeared in masterclasses with world class musicians such as Stephen Hough, Peter Donohoe and Malcolm Bilson.
Dr. Dardykina actively performs as a soloist and as part of Peletsis-Dardykina Piano Duo that has toured in the UK, USA, Canada and Russia. She has performed at the Buxton Festival, Spring Sounds International Music Festival, Birmingham Town Hall (UK), Halls of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow and Chapelle Historique du Bon-Pasteur in Montreal among others.
Tatiana is a devoted teacher: she has been on the faculty of the Keyboard and Junior Departments of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, UK (2009-2011); Adams Grammar School, UK (2010-2011); Mozart Music School, Moscow, Russia (2012). She also taught piano and piano ensemble courses at McGill University (2013-2017). Her students have passed RCM and McGill Conservatory exams with Honours and have entered leading Canadian Universities as music majors.
Viktor Lazarov is a classically trained pianist (M.Mus. piano performance, Schulich School of Music, McGill University) and musicologist (Ph.D. candidate at the Faculty of Music of the University of Montreal). He is passionate about music, languages, literature, and history.
Laureate of numerous scholarships and prizes for his performances and publications including the coveted Canada Graduate Scholarship Social Science & Humanities Research Council Master’s Award, Viktor was most recently awarded an Opus prize in the “Article of the Year” category by the Conseil québécois de la musique.
Viktor has presented his work both as a musicologist and as a pianist at conferences, concert venues, over the radio and on television in Canada, Europe, and the United States. An advocate of 20th and 21st century Balkan composers, Viktor has organized and performed as a soloist in over 25 recitals and lecture-recitals across Canada and in Europe.
In his Ph.D. thesis, Viktor studies stylistically contrasting performance-practices of baroque music and its pedagogical applications at the university-level. Viktor holds an M.Mus. and a Graduate Diploma in Performance from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, and a B.Mus. from the School of Music of the University of South Carolina.
Class description: In my private classes, I teach students the fundamentals of piano playing
and musicianship: musicality, clean technique, basic theory and ear-training, and stylistic awareness. My goal is for students to build self-confidence through a learning experience
that incorporates a regular practice schedule into their routine, sets clear objectives, and prepares them for public performance. I encourage my students to challenge themselves and participate in concerts, competitions, and examinations every year.
Nino was born in Georgia. She grew up in a musical family and inherited her deep love of music from her mother who has been a dedicated piano teacher for over 40 years.
Nino began piano studies at age 6. Many years later, after obtaining her music teacher’s diploma she started to build her private piano studio. At the same time she performed in numerous concerts as a piano soloist and singer.
In 2014 she moved to Montreal with her family. In 2020 she successfully completed her Bachelor’s Degree in piano performance from McGill University, where she is currently volunteering as an accompanist in Professor Marina Mdivani’s studio.
As a dedicated piano teacher her goals are to give students a strong foundation, which will serve them for life, suggest appropriate repertoire according to skill level and musical taste, and focus on improving each student’s playing using a tailored, individual approach.
A native of the capital region, Suzanne Ozorak studied piano pedagogy with Ms. Cynthia Millman-Floyd, piano with Mr. Jean-Paul Sevilla, and classical organ with Ms. Karen Holmes at the University of Ottawa. She continued her studies at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal in the organ class of Raymond Daveluy where she was awarded a First Prize. She then went on to study with Bernard Lagaçé at Concordia University where she obtained an Artist’s Diploma in Organ Performance.
She began her musical studies at the age of 5 with the Sisters of Holy Cross. Her teaching career began at an early age, first at the Ottawa Conservatory, then at the University of Ottawa and since 1981, at the Centre d’Art de Préville. She is also an affiliated professor at Vincent d’Indy (University of Montreal).
She has been an accompanist for the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal, the Cantata Singers of Ottawa, Les Grands Ballets canadiens and she accompanies opera singers. In addition to her teaching career, Ms. Ozorak is a concert organist.
Originally from Montréal, Jenny Perron began her piano studies at age four. She has participated as a collaborative artist in prestigious competitions, recordings and recitals in Canada, the United States., France and Taiwan. Her recitals have been broadcast on Radio-Canada FM, CBC Radio-Canada and National Public Radio. Dr. Perron has performed in major recital halls–including Carnegie Hall, and she is also a respected and sought-after collaborative recording artist.
Dr. Perron has received scholarships and prizes from Le Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec, the Canadian Music Competition, McGill University, The Eastman School of Music, le Centre d’Arts Orford, and the Johannessen International School of the Arts. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from McGill University, her Master’s Degree from l’Université de Montréal and her Doctorate from The Eastman School of Music. She worked on the faculty of the School of Music at Western Illinois University for many years, while also building an active private piano studio. Her students have won several young artist competitions and awards. Jenny worked as a church pianist at St. Paul’s Church in Macomb, IL for several years, and she has recently moved back to Montréal with her husband and three children.
Becky holds an M.Mus in piano performance from McGill University. With over a decade of professional teaching and gigging in classical and popular music styles, Becky’s lessons are stimulating and expertly adapted to each of her students. Her approach values developing music skills through creative projects that utilize improvisation, composition, arranging and artistic score interpretation alongside structured technical development. She has produced and performed numerous experimental concerts and concert series, continuing to work with new music in Montreal. Becky enjoys working as a freelance event pianist and accompanist around Montreal.
Anne-Catherine Vana started piano lessons at the age of four. She was born into a family of musicians. She played many recitals at Western Illinois University and at various retirement homes as a community service in Macomb, IL where she grew up. She has studied piano with Jenny Perron, Yolande Gaudreau, Maurice Laforest and voice with Charolette Megginson. She has worked as a cantor at St. Paul’s Church in Macomb, IL. Anne-Catherine has been teaching piano lessons to young children for the past three years. She recently moved to Montreal to study at McGill University in elementary education.
Anne-Catherine is fluent in both French and English.
Xiaoni Shen earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Music Education from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China. She has extensive experience as an accompanist for choirs and rehearsal pianist for musicals. For several years she was a private piano teacher, and the Assistant to the Dean at the Beijing Contemporary Music Academy.
Xiaoni also earned a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Literature from Brandon University, Manitoba, Canada. She taught piano at the Eckhardt-Gramatté Conservatory of Music and was a collaborative pianist for the Brandon University Concert Choir.
Yason Bedoshvili is a passionate violinist who has performed on some of the world’s most famous stages, in cities such as Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Copenhagen, Toronto, New York and Montreal. In 2006, he graduated from The Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg Sate Conservatory, majoring in violin with piano as his second instrument. After moving to Canada, Yason continued his studies at the University of Montreal where he obtained his Bachelor degree. Since 2012, he has been actively teaching violin and piano and has extensive experience working with students of all ages and abilities. Yason approaches each student as a unique individual–working to improve technique while also fostering a deep love for classical music.
Olga is a Russian violinist educated in the best Russian tradition of violin and piano schools. In addition to her classical education, she has years of performance experience, both as a soloist and as an orchestral musician, appearing in concerts and festivals worldwide.
For more than 20 years, Olga has shared her knowledge and experience by teaching private and group lessons. Her experience and superior organizational skills enabled Olga to create and organize brand new string departments in private schools in Jinan (China) and Oslo (Norway). Many of her former students graduated from the programs Olga established and then continued their musical training at schools such as, The Central Musical School of the Conservatoire in Beijing, the Tchaikovsky musical college of the Moscow Conservatoire and the Petrozavodsk Musical College.
In Montreal, Olga is well known as a concertmaster, leading both professional and amateur chamber and symphony orchestras.
A pupil of Claude Létourneau, Anne graduated from the Conservatoire de Musique de Québec in 1984 with a First Prize and went on to study in the United States and France. She has considerable experience as an orchestral musician and has toured extensively around the world.
Anne is both patient and demanding. She insists on a good basic technique to then be able to master the subtleties of the musical language. She has the success of her students at heart and challenges herself to see them blossom through their learning.
Anne is interested in philosophy, in Chinese culture and has been practicing Tai Chi for a few years.
Born in the Republic of Moldova, Olga began her musical training at the age of 6 at the prestigious Sergei Rachmaninov Lyceum in Kishinev. Her first instrument, the piano, helped her to discover the world of music. However, one year later, Olga chose to learn the violin which became her instrument of choice.
During her formative years she gained extensive professional experience by giving several recitals as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra and by participating in national and international competitions.
Her career began in the Municipal Chamber Orchestra of Kishinev, where she played as a soloist, and in the Violinists Ensemble of Moldova, which presented numerous concerts in the most prestigious concert halls in Europe, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Germany and France.
Olga Semionova joined the National Chamber Orchestra and served as assistant concertmaster for several years until she immigrated to Canada in 2016. That year she entered Annick Roussin’s class in the Master in Performance Program at the Université de Montréal, which she completed with excellence. Since 2016, Olga has been a member of the Orchestre de chambre Nouvelle-Génération and performs with many Quebec ensembles, including the Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivières, Ensemble Volte, the Orchestre de l’Agora and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montérégie as part of the Festival Classica.
Olga Semionova is also passionate about teaching and transmitting her art. She teaches violin to young people at the Centre d’art de Préville and gives group classes for underprivileged children as part of the “El Sistema” project.
Born in 1987 in Chisinau, Moldova, Anastasia began violin lessons at the age of five. The love for classical music was transmitted to her by her father, a musician in the Chisinau Opera and Ballet Orchestra. His first musical performance took place at the age of 6 on the stage at the National Palace of Moldova.
During her studies at the C. Porumbescu Music High School she often participated in concerts as well as national and international competitions. In 2007 she won the silver medal at the Kazakhstan Games, Astana.
After obtaining a BAC in performance, Anastasia continued her studies at the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts in Chisinau in the class of Boris Dubosarsky. At the same time she was hired as a violinist by the National Theater Orchestra Mihai Eminescu where she became Concertmaster thereafter.
At the age of 20, her enthusiasm and passion took her far from home and her international musical journey began with the Young Talent Orchestra under the direction of Vladimir Spivakov with whom she participated in concerts at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and UNESCO in Paris.
In 2012 Anastasia moved to Montreal where she continued her career as an orchestral musician and violin teacher. Using the basics of the Russian method as well as the Suzuki method, she seeks to adapt to the needs of each student. For her, the most important thing is to make the student want to play and to show them how to love practicing the violin.
Ophélie recently moved to Montreal to study violin performance at the University of Montreal. She is a young, bilingual musician who is passionate about playing and teaching the violin to students of all ages, particularly young children.
Upright Bass, Electric Bass, Tutoring – Music Theory
Solon McDade loves the bass! He began playing the washtub bass as soon as he was big enough to pick it up, and later moved on to the larger upright bass.
He and his siblings were trained as musicians from a young age. They were soon playing alongside their parents in the McDade Family Band, a group that toured Canada with their own brand of Canadiana folk music at festivals and theatres throughout the 1980s and 1990s. These gigs and particularly the late-night jam sessions at folk festivals left a lasting impression on Solon. From these experiences he retained a love of music, an openness to new sounds and a vision for musical possibilities which contribute to his versatility as a performer in a variety of musical genres.
His style is described by Dirty Linen magazine as “complex and literate bass playing.” His distinctive melodic and powerful bass playing provides the foundation upon which numerous recordings have been built. Recordings that feature Solon on bass have been nominated for five Juno Awards (Bill Bourne and Shannon Johnson, Maria Dunn (twice), Susie Arioli Swing Band, The McDades). His group, The McDades, won a 2007 Juno Award and two Canadian Folk Music Awards for their album “Bloom” and his recording discography features over twenty nominations for various awards.
Not content with simply being part of the rhythm section, Solon moves freely between being the lead melodic instrument and providing rock-steady bass lines. On stage, Solon’s playful nature, ease and mischievous spirit contribute to intense and unforgettable performances.
As a leader Solon McDade released his debut album “Murals” in April 2018. Solon’s website.
Heather Weinreb is a passionate violin and viola teacher with 10 years of experience. She has a Bachelor of Music from McGill University, where she studied viola with Steven Dann and minored in Baroque Performance. She has worked extensively with children. She designed and taught her own Music for Children course at the Montreal Ismaili Center, and has worked as a daycare troubadour (singing, dancing, and playing musical games) in daycares throughout Montreal, and at The Préville Fine Arts Center.
She is delighted to be combining her acute sensitivity to the minds of young children with her passion for violin teaching as a Suzuki teacher. Heather firmly believes that this method is the best way to teach young children violin, and she is very excited to be teaching it at Préville.
Justine Azar is a harpist from Montréal, Québec. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Université de Montréal under Caroline Lizotte in 2017. Under the same tutelage, she received a Diplômes d’Études Supérieures Spécialisées en traits d’orchestre in 2018. In 2020, she completed her Master’s degree at the University of Toronto with Judy Loman.
As an avid orchestral musician, Justine has performed with multiple ensembles such as l’Orchestre du Conservatoire de Montréal, le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, l’Orchestre de l’Université de Montréal, the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Contempory Music Ensemble. In 2016, she participated to the prestigious National Youth Orchestra of Canada under the direction of Perry So. Justine was able to partake in a tour of Portugal where she had the opportunity to perform chamber music concerts as part of the Lisbon International Youth Music Festival.
Her passion for teaching has led her to join the Suzuki Association of the Americas in 2018. In 2019, she completed her book 1 and 2 training with Delaine Leonard Fedson. She obtained part of her training from the Virginia Suzuki summer Institute under the same advisement.
Justine’s interest for chamber music has led her to perform for various talented musicians such as Carolyn Christie, Mark Skazinetsky, Mark Fewer and Nora Shulman. As for solo performances, she participated in masterclasses with Xavier de Maistre, Jennifer Swartz, Mariko Anraku and Emmanuel Ceysson.
Flutist and educator Danielle Barro has over 35 years of experience as a teacher, ensemble director and performer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s degree in performance from the Université de Montréal. She perfected her flute playing by participating in numerous international workshops, studying with Raymond Guiot, Alain Marion and Andras Adorjian. She first dedicated herself to the training of young flutists at the Centre d’art de Préville and at the McGill University Conservatory. Many of her former students are now professional musicians and recognize her contribution to their development. While teaching she also trained as an opera singer and directed vocal ensembles for children and adults.
She went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in music education from the Université du Québec à Montréal and became a specialist in teaching music at the elementary level. She teaches mainly at the Laval school board, Sir Wilfrid Laurier and at the Académie Sainte-Anne. Her work as a teacher is influenced by her solid training as a musician, and by her desire to respect the rhythm and unique abilities of each student thereby creating lasting bonds.
She is currently a member of the ensemble Les flûtistes de Montréal.
John Vana is originally from Michigan, U.S.A.. He taught saxophone for 32 years before retiring in 2021 as Professor of Saxophone at Western Illinois University. He received the 2004 Outstanding Teacher Award for Undergraduate and Graduate Teaching. He earned his Master’s Degree in Saxophone Performance from the University of Michigan and served as the Saxophone Studio Sabbatical Replacement for famed Professor Donald Sinta, simultaneously earning the Lawrence Teal Memorial Scholarship. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Saxophone Performance from DePauw University on the Honor Performance Scholarship. He has made three recordings: The Interactive Saxophone, Christmas With The San Francisco Saxophone Quartet, and Doo Dah: The Music Of William Albright.
He has given recitals and masterclasses at National Taiwan School of the Arts, McGill University, Université de Montréal, New England Conservatory, University of North Texas, Pennsylvania State University and Northwestern University, to name just a few. He has performed world premieres of works by renowned composers Gunther Schuller, John Harbison, Larry Thomas Bell, Harold Levin Sonata and Paul Paccione. He recently moved to Montréal with his wife and three children.
Matthew Souaid is a young multi-wind player and composer emerging in Montreal’s music scene who specializes in Rock, Pop, Funk, Theatre, Jazz and Classical music. He has finished his studies in Jazz Performance at Vanier College and is studying Jazz Performance at McGill University. Capable of playing Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophones, Flute, Clarinet and Bass Clarinet, Matthew has been breaking into Montreal’s music scene playing in notable venues such as Place-Des-Arts, L’Astral, Club Soda and Metropolis. He has been seen playing and recording as a freelance musician for many Montreal artists while playing regularly with Ska-Punk group The Anti Non-Conformists, Avant-Garde Rock group The Maximum Chill and Bruce Springsteen Tribute, The Last Of The Duke Street Kings. Matthew has toured around Quebec, Ontario and the US with The Last Of The Duke Street Kings. He has also recorded and arranged brass for a ska-punk parody charted #5 for comedy on Billboards.
Alexandre has been working as a guitar teacher for over 9 years now and is not going to stop any time soon. His teaching philosophy is based on the principle that you learn best by having fun. Each course is tailored to the specific needs of the students regardless of their difficulties. Having had students of various ages, Alexandre teaches both musical awakening and solo improvisation.
In addition to having studied music at Cégep Marie-Victorin as well as at UQAM, Alexandre has several other projects. Indeed, when he is not performing on stage, he composes pieces for acoustic guitar, analyzes chord progressions and transcribes songs. Particularly avid of Blues and Folk, he focuses especially on mastering these styles. Alexandre is also passionate about guitar making. Even before studying in the field of lutherie at Cégep du Vieux-Montréal, he already had several completed Bernier guitars.
All in all, Alexandre is fascinated by his instrument, both by its structure and by its interpretation. This manifests itself in the passion he shows when he teaches.
Born in 1996 in Alma, Lac Saint-Jean, Samuel Lechasseur was introduced to music and guitar as a teenager. He then studied at Cégep d’Alma (Technique professionnelle de musique et chanson), at the University of Montreal (Interprétation Jazz) and he is currently completing a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance at McGill University.
Samuel has played at the Festival Jazz & Blues de Saguenay, the JazzFest des jeunes du Québec and in several jazz clubs of the province with his trio, his quartet or with other musicians groups as well. He is currently working on different music projects as a leader and accompanist.
Passionate about music, Robert started playing the guitar at the age of 14 and has now been a professional guitarist for several years. Later in his career, he perfected himself on the guitar alongside high-level musicians such as Pierre Coté, Yves Nadeau and Greg Amirault .
Having a passion for a wide variety of musical styles, Robert has had the opportunity to perform in many contexts like jazz, blues, funk, world music, rock, country and many other music styles. He accompanied some artists including Jean-Francois Fabiano (former musical director of Robert Charlebois) where he had the chance to discover traditional music from the Caribbean, and Chicago Beau (American Bluesman and harmonica player) where he learned a lot about traditional blues.
Robert also had the opportunity to perform on many Montreal stages such as the Montreal Jazz Festival, Le lion d’or, Argenteuil Blues Festival, Place des Arts and he has also performed outside the country, in the Caribbeans. In addition Robert is a session musician and often performs in the studio for artists / composers for example (Album: Jean Francois Fabiano Transit 2018) and for his own project Infused Elements (Album: Insulaire).
Robert has now been teaching for several years, at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels so he can teach you a lot about the instrument no matter your musical style.
Alison Notkin is a folk-pop songwriter, guitarist and singer who was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. Having spent a good amount of time during her formative years at her family’s rural homestead in Vermont, a lot of her work has been informed by a love of nature and a simple way of life, as well as the folk protest music that initially inspired her to learn guitar. Her songwriting has been infused with her musical experiences; studying and playing jazz at university, composing songs and playing in bands, and researching and writing about music in the context of her master’s thesis on the sound of political music.
Alison’s songwriting, rooted in folk music has been described as “absolument charmant” and “doux et sincère” (www.latribune.ca, April 2013) and lauded for its break from the traditional, (Alison Notkin’s) “Pull the Anchor” takes a fresh twist on the familiar convention of a spurned lover choosing the sea rather than face a former beau…” (Sing Out! Magazine, January 2008). In 2007, some of her music was recorded by The McDades for their Juno award winning album, “Bloom”. Most recently, Alison has been composing and performing music for children and parents alike about nature and the natural processes that occur during the seasons through Music By The Season, an educational program that she founded in 2013. Alison’s website.
“Meehan’s soulful approach to the guitar follows Aaron’s Copland’s philosophy: “Music should be as simple as possible but no simpler.”
Currently enrolled at McGill University in the Music Education program, Meehan has taught guitar privately for 4 years to children and adults. For him, being able to teach his passion to others has always been a blessing and a rewarding experience to help students with their musical ambitions.
Meehan’s methods of teaching can be best described as “an educational jam session.” For him, teaching and playing are great ways of demonstrating both the theory and practical sides of guitar. As a self-taught improvisor before attending music school, Meehan’s love for guitar began at a young age listening to Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, and Frank Zappa. His playing style evokes a mix of Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Ed Bickert, and Wes Montgomery. Meehan is interested in teaching like-minded people that share his love for music.”
Guitar and Ukulele, Guitar Ensemble
Juan Carlos Valladares Gea is a Spanish guitarist and musicologist who began his studies at the age of 14.
At 17, he enrolled at the University of Granada where he completed his Bachelor of Musicology degree. He then studied guitar performance with international masters such as David Martínez, Mª Esther Guzmán, Eduardo Inestal and Marco Tamayo.
Juan Carlos continues to deepen his classical guitar expertise, while also studying electric guitar and improvisation with Spanish guitarist Alfredo Robles.
He has been teaching since 2014, and he is always delighted to help his students exceed their expectations. Under his tutelage, several students have been accepted into post-secondary music programs in Spain.
Pierre Goguen has been a music enthusiast since a young age with over 30 years of experience in his field.
He grew up in Joliette, where, under the influence of Fathers Brunelle and Lindsay, he learned to love classical music. He participated in several competitions to earn scholarships in music camps and continued to improve as a percussionist.
He completed his DEC in music and then went on to study for 3 years at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec in Montreal in percussion. He toured the club circuit in the 80s in Quebec and the Maritimes with various pop-rock bands before completing his BAC in music at UQAM in drum performance. He has worked in several ensembles as a drummer and percussionist and performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival as well as in Europe.
Pierre lived in Los Angeles for 10 years where he contributed to over 400 hours of audiobook recordings as a publisher, ProTools operator and narrator.
Pierre has been teaching drums and percussion for several years in private as well as in several schools. He has also been an instructor for rehearsal of percussion ensembles for the Orchestre Symphonique des Jeunes as well as several harmonies. Now he dedicates most of his time to teaching because that is his greatest passion.
Daniel Verdecchia is a drummer and educator currently based in Montréal, Canada.He was born and raised near Venice, Italy, and from early on his parents witnessed a special kind of love he had for the world of drums and rhythm.
He studied privately throughout his primary and secondary schooling, joining the Venice rock and metal music scene during his teen years. After high school, he fully committed to the study of his instrument, and took weekly private lessons with renowned Italian drummer Walter Calloni.
At the age of 19 he moved to Charlottetown, PEI, to study music at Holland College, a school affiliated with The Berklee College of Music. During these years, Daniel studied with Alan Dowling, and played with the island’s major musicians: Ken Fornetran, Ian Toms, Dan Roswell, Derel Gallant, Sean Ferris, Andrew Waite, Bruce Rooney and Logan Richard, to name a few. He was awarded several achievement scholarships and, being part of the jazz and rock music scene in the area, performed at the East Coast Music Awards, Cavendish Music Festival, Victoria Row Jazz Festival, as well as several jazz and rock venues and corporate events.
After bidding farewell to Prince Edward Island, Daniel started full-time studies in the Jazz Performance program at McGill University. Once there, he had a chance to play with Montreal’s most renowned jazz musicians: Kevin Dean, Adrian Vedady, Al McLean, Colin Hunter, Joe Sealy, Andre White, Remi Bolduc, Gentiane MG, Levi Dover, David Rourke, and many more. He performed at the Jazz Festival of Montréal, Upstairs Jazz Club, Dieze Onze, Resonance, L’Escalier, Société Jazz Drums Saint-Henri, Bootlegger, and other venues. He won multiple scholarships at McGill; was drummer in the first big band McGill Jazz Orchestra I and McGill Chamber Jazz Ensemble I; won the first prize at the Oliver Jones Competition with the Jacob Do Quintet; and recorded the album “Going Down Slow” with Professor Kevin Dean in 2021.
Music Production & Studio Software
After having completed his Master’s degree in composition from the Université de Montréal, Boris Petrowski has enjoyed a successful career as a composer, sound designer, and artistic director. He is the owner and manager of MIXART Studios, and has collaborated with internationally renowned artists such as Michel Legrand, Alain Lefebvre, Zachary Richard, Richard Rayney (engineer for the band U2), Jean Leloup, Suzie Arioli, Chris Thomas (Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen), Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock) and many others. He has arranged songs for Martha Wainwright, Florence K, Marie-Hélène Thibert, and for the duo Jean-François Breault and Marie-Ève Janvier. He has also composed classical pieces for Alain Lefebvre, arranged for the contemporary music ensemble QAT, and has had an orchestral work premiered by the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean orchestra for the CBC.
From 2008 to 2017 Boris taught at Recording Arts Canada, giving courses in computer-assisted music, music history and sound design. He teaches all classes in both French and English.
Ballet, Jazz-Contemporary, Dance for Teens and Young Adults with Special Needs, Summer Intensive Dance Workshops, Youth Company
Energetic, and passionate about movement.
Jamie Malysh has been dancing for over 25 years in the styles of Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Musical Theatre and Ukrainian Dance. She moved to Montreal from British Columbia to attend L’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, where she completed the professional dance program. This training allowed her to expand her technique while also offering her the opportunity to work with world-renowned teachers and choreographers.
Jamie’s professional dance career has taken her around the world. She has travelled to Kiev, Ukraine where she danced with the Virsky Ukrainian Dance Company, to Scotland and England, and all across Canada. Highlights of her career include producing and performing a full-length solo show, choreographed by Neil Sochasky in Melbourne, Australia, and dancing with Sinha Dance Company (Montreal) in collaboration with the National Ballet of Canada for the Sharing Dance project.
Jamie has a passion for teaching and inspiring dancers. In her 14 years of teaching she has managed multiple studios and has taught dancers of all ages—many of whom are now following careers with companies such as The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The Alberta Ballet and companies across Europe.
Jamie’s years of training and performing have given her the tools to work with others to overcome obstacles on their own journey. Students find that Jamie not only guides them through learning to dance, but also uses dance to guide them through life—helping them develop a strong character in preparation for their future. Jamie provides leadership, understanding, compassion and inspiration to students and professionals alike,
Jazz, Contemporary, Summer Intensive Dance Workshops
In 2007 Adam began intensive training full time at the Divertimento Ballet School, where he studied Ballet, Modern and Contemporary dance. Two short years later Adam toured Europe with the prestigious dancers of the “Conservatoire de l’opéra de Paris” and the Spanish Troupe “Danz”.
In 2010 Adam decided to further his studies and was accepted into the Ecole Supérieure De Ballet Du Québec as well as in the company “Le Jeune Ballet Du Québec” where he worked with many choreographers and teachers of great international renown, such as: Christophe Maraval, Françoise Vaussenat, Shawn Houswell, Hélène Blackburn, Éric J. Miles, Gioconda Barbuto and many others.
Adam participated in the 4th season of the television show “So You Think You Can Dance Canada” where he gained immeasurable experience and exposure.
Tap, Summer Intensive Dance Workshops
Majiza Philip is a mentor, teacher, performer, choreographer, leader and tap dancer. A home-grown talent hailing from the historical black community of Little Burgundy, she is the granddaughter of Montreal’s very own legendary rhythm tap queen from Harlem, Ethel Bruneau. Majiza began her dance training at age of 3 under the strict eye of her grandmother. She and her sister were chosen by Gregory Charles to perform at the Governor General’s awards, becoming the first black minors to appear as part of this event and also performed at the 1998 Montreal Jazz Festival with the Vic Vogel big band. Following this she was a featured talent on Natalie Simard’s show Decibel. Teaching for over 15 years she was also the children’s musical theatre choreographer at the Segal Centre from 2009-2013.
Paulina was born in Morelia, Mexico. She developed an interest in dance at an early age. At the age of 15, she began with “bailes de salón”. Enchanted, her passion for dance exploded and she began training in classical ballet, jazz and gymnastics.
At the age of 18, she was invited to be the partner of the very talented professional dance teacher, Carlos Carmona, director of the “Salsabor” dance company in Mexico City. In the same year she won her first national title as Salsa Champion in the 2005 Acapulco Salsa Congress. Boosting her confidence and interest, the win incited Paulina to pursue more training in ballroom, tango, acting, singing, musicals and hip-hop in Mexico, United States, Canada and Italy.
Today Paulina is a world renown salsa dancer, coach, teacher and choreographer. She has taught workshops to thousands of people in more than 50 countries around the globe. Current and undefeated 6x Salsa On2 World Champion.
A competitive dancer from Victoriaville, Michael, also known as “Mitch”, began his professional career in Montreal in 2021. He took advantage of the pandemic to train (virtually) in international programs such as the famous “The Lab Pro Team,” and he is now represented by the Buron Artist Management agency.
Mitch is trained in many styles including: hip-hop, whacking, locking, popping, house, commercial, freestyle, ballet, etc… You may have seen him on TVA’s chanteur masqué, or on tour with singer Anne Marie Taylor. He choreographed for Laurence Nerbonne and danced on stage with her, and he also danced for Walt Disney and several commercials (like Coca-Cola and Vachon cakes).
Mitch knows the importance of consistency and effort in growing as a dancer, and has the growth and success of his students at heart, which makes him a dedicated and much appreciated teacher.
Maude Barsalou has been dancing since the age of three. She is passionate about the arts and is currently completing a college diploma in Music/Dance at the Cégep de Drummondville. Trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz and Tap, her favorite dance style is without a doubt Tap. Maude has been teaching for three years and has an attestation of collegial study in dance teaching. She wishes to continue her studies at UQAM in dance teaching in order to realize her dream of transmitting her greatest passion. She aspires to include Tap training in various school programs. She is very happy to join the team!
Passionate about both reading and dancing, Océane Palardy obtained her Diploma of College Studies in Arts, Letters and Communication – Literature option- and is now studying Literature at UQAM. She has been dancing since she was very young and now shares her passion with young dancers by teaching at the Préville Dance Academy.
Clare danced with the Lorraine Walker School of Dance for the past 19 years and has been teaching for the past 6. She has experience in ballet and tap, but has found her home and heart in hip hop. She is so excited to start this new chapter with Preville Dance Academy while always maintaining Lorraine’s values and the joy of dance.
Guest Choreographer
Born in Toronto, Canada, Dora winner Jera Wolfe is a choreographer and performer of Métis heritage and is an Associate Artist with Red Sky Performance.
His captivating choreography has awarded him the 2019 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Original Choreography for Trace. He has demonstrated an impressive repertoire of works presented by Canadian Stage, Fall For Dance North, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Festival des arts de Saint-Sauveur, Danse Danse, and Jacob’s Pillow.
His recent works include Bare choreographed at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Trace by Red Sky Performance, and Arise for Canada’s National Ballet School, Embers for Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, and Reliance for Ryerson University’s School of Performance.
His most recent commission FLOW opened Fall For Dance North’s virtual Signature Program. He is currently choreographing Begin Again for Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers, and Soul for the National Ballet of Canada.
Jera graduated from Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and, since 2016, returned to the company to create new works each year.
Aside from choreography, Jera performs primarily for Red Sky Performance and has also performed with many other companies including Peggy Baker Dance Projects.
Dance Academy Administrative Assistant
Natasha Lalonde is a creative and professional writing student at Concordia University with an interest in psychology and sustainability studies. She is passionate about travel, wellness, animal activism – and of course, dance! Having started her dance journey at age 14 at the Lorraine Walker School of Dance, she now teaches hip hop and tap. The school’s motto “For the Joy of Dance” is the foundation of her beliefs as a student and teacher. She hopes to continue to bring this attitude of acceptance and fun to her students, prioritizing confidence-building and love for dance above anything else.
Justin taught at the Lorraine Walker School of Dance from 2017 to 2019, and is one of the founding members of the school’s competitive team. He is a well-rounded dancer with experience in hip-hop, breakdance, jazz and ballet. He was a choreographer/coach for Centennial Regional High School’s dance program. He is excited to be coaching at the Preville Dance Academy.
Acting for Film and Television
A francophone of Vietnamese and Quebecois heritage, Mylène Dinh-Robic was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. For over twenty years, she has been working on stage, on camera and in video games. She first played opposite actor Nicholas Campbell as Rita Mah, in the Vancouver-produced television series Da Vinci’s City Hall (CBC). She later worked in Toronto on three seasons of The Listener (CTV), in the role of Dr. Olivia Fawcett. Recently Mylène performed in Radio-Canada’s Plan B, Discussion avec mes parents and Nouvelle Adresse. She was nominated in the best supporting actress category at the 2015 Montreal ACTRA Awards for her portrayal of Beatrice ‘Bear’ Hamelin in Bravo Canada’s critically acclaimed cop drama ‘19-2,’ a role she played for all 4 seasons of the show.
Mylène’s love of the theatre has led to some wonderful artistic opportunities over the years. In 2007, she co-produced and co-starred in a Studio 16 production of Alan Bowne’s controversial play ‘Beirut’ in Vancouver with her friend and fellow actor Adam Lolacher. Again in 2011, she co-produced and starred in a stage production of ‘Point no Point’ at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre with Noah Davis.
In 2017 Mylène was honoured to be asked to represent and be the spokesperson for Montreal’s Festival Accès Asie. Her mother is Vietnamese and Mylène is very proud of her Vietnamese roots.
Mylène continues using her professional platform to raise awareness about her other passions: health and wellness, safeguarding the earth’s rapidly deteriorating bio diversity, finding eco-responsible and sustainable ways to thwart climate change and finally, the eradication of all unethical treatment and cruelty towards animals all over this beautiful planet we call home.
Acting for Film and Television
A fixture on Canadian screens, Lemke has a deep and diverse collection of credits to his name that spans over 20 years as a leading actor in the Canadian film and television industry, in both English and French. He is best known as the cocky, amoral mercenary “Three” on SyFy’s hit series Dark Matter, which aired for three seasons in over 160 countries worldwide. Past projects include the hard-driving Detective Sergeant Brian Becker in CTV’s The Listener; a two-season arc on Bravo’s award-winning cop drama 19-2; as well as numerous multiple-episode arcs and guest star appearances on shows like the absurd college-comedy Blue Mountain State, and the hit action-drama Blindspot. His French language productions include regular and recurring roles in Les hauts et les bas de Sophie Paquin, Toute la Vie, Cerebrum and 30 Vies.
Anthony is currently shooting series-regular roles on The Hardy Boys for Hulu and Autant en emportent les Framboises for Illico, both to be released in 2022.
Anthony holds degrees in both Theatre and in Law. He is a member of the Quebec Bar.
Tracey Schenck has over 25 years of professional experience in the arts, film, and television, including 14 years at Cirque du Soleil. Theatre has greatly influenced her life and now, she works with children of all ages in the classroom and on stage, encouraging them to discover all that theatre may bring: confidence, acceptance, creativity, friendship, teamwork, a sense of community, and of course, fun. Tracey has produced and directed many plays and musical theatre performances for children over the past several years.
Beverly Landry is a working artist specializing in painting. She studied Fine Arts at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and followed up with intense studies of realist painting, drawing and anatomy at the Atelier de Brésoles in Old Montréal. You can often find her in the library poring over books on the old masters and their techniques, or walking the galleries of the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts.
Beverly is enthusiastic about guiding her students through the process of painting from beginning to end, demonstrating techniques and helping them discover their own special talents. Her work is displayed in private collections throughout Canada and the United States, and she has been fortunate enough to have had her work purchased by the Ville de Montréal. Beverly looks forward to encouraging artists of all ages to discover and develop their own unique gifts.
Beading and Indigenous Arts
Anishinaabe multidisciplinary artist from Kitigan Zibi, Craig Commanda works through moving image, poetry, music and sound composition. For over a decade, his creative practice has enabled community engagement and travel across Turtle Island and beyond.
Craig has participated in many international artist residencies including Re(Claim) and Diverse As This Land, at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity; and cultural exchange residencies in Aoteara / New Zealand, as well as in Haïti, in collaboration with LOJIQ (Les Offices jeunesse internationaux du Québec). His work has been screened in festivals including Asinabka (unceded Algonquin territory – Ottawa, Canada); ImagiNATIVE (Toronto, Canada); Kurzfilmtage (Winterthur, Switzerland); Maoriland (Otaki, New Zealand); and the Wairoa Maori Film Festival (Nuhqkq, New Zealand).
Craig is currently studying Film Production at Concordia University and is an advocate for mental wellness and suicide prevention. His practice seeks resurgence contributing to cultural preservation and revitalization for and by Indigenous peoples. He is currently based in Tiohtiá:ke / Montréal.
Sewing and Fashion Design (beginner to advanced)
After graduating with honours from Chambly County High School and working at CN for five years, Sandra decided to follow her passion and enrolled in the Montreal Fashion Arts Academy where she spent three years learning pattern drafting, clothing construction, grading sizes, sketching models and sewing. Soon after she was hired to style and create patterns for several large volume dress manufacturers in Montreal such as Sample Dress, Wendy’s Originals and Matinee Dress to name a few.
Carlos Zauny was born and raised in Peru. He holds degrees from the Fine Arts Academy in Lima, and also studied photography and graphic design at UQAM. He is a multidisciplinary artist –painter, sculptor (he participated in 2004 and 2005 in the ice sculpture contest at Carnaval in Quebec), and theatre designer. He is also an actor in his spare time and enjoys writing. He now lives on the South Shore of Montreal.
Art
Stephany is a passionate art educator and artist. She has taught drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, bookmaking, visual journals, expressive arts and many other art forms. She has worked with children, teenagers, adults and seniors in community, school and private workshop settings, both in person and online. She began teaching for the Préville Fine Arts Centre in the Spring of 2020.
Robot in a Can, Tutoring
Ivan Ruby is a Ph.D. Candidate in Educational Technology at Concordia University. He has an academic background in Computer Science and migrated to Education to conduct research related to the role education and technology play for an empowering, accessible, and sustainable future. His current research interest is in teaching and learning of computer programming for beginners, to adapt to and address the challenges of the 21st-Century.
Li has been a computer engineer and an educator in the Quebec private school system for the past 10 years. She focuses on Robotics and STEM education. She has coached teams at all levels of the FIRST Robotics and Robocup Competitions. Li teaches in a fun and challenging way because she believes in having kids learn through play to build life skills and a lifelong love of learning. She is passionate about helping students and young engineers to make a crazy idea come true.
Virginia Armeni has been practicing yoga since 2006 and teaching since 2011. While completing her Hatha Yoga and Yin Yoga certifications, she began to focus her energy on creating more wellness, joy, and awareness within herself and for those around her. This focus, in combination with her knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics, is the basis of each class she teaches. She has taught kid, corporate, private and group yoga and mindfulness classes as well as facilitated workshops on a variety of topics connecting mind-body health and learning. With a background in dance, a B. Ed in Fitness Education, B. Ed. in Elementary Education and a M. A. in Pedagogy of Sport, Virginia has over 20 years of teaching experience in a variety of contexts and to a variety of populations.