My Biography

Originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, I went to the University of Toronto in 1984 to study piano with Patricia Parr and to pursue an undergraduate degree.  I earned a BA in music and arts management, and worked for several years in the Toronto arts scene. 

Graduate studies followed at the Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester, in Rochester N.Y.) where I studied piano with Douglas Humpherys.  I received a Master of Music degree in piano performance, a Master of Arts degree in musicology, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance and literature from Eastman. 

While there, I assisted in teaching courses in piano literature, music history, and coached undergraduate majors as Assistant to the Douglas Humpherys studio.  I was also co-founder and president of the Association for Injury Prevention and organized workshops on how to give a masterclass with Nelita True as clinician. 

I assumed the position of Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii (Honolulu) in 2000 and taught there for 4 years.  My students in Hawaii performed successful recitals, advanced to graduate programs at universities, secured teaching positions in prominent local studios, and won merit awards for talent -- including two students who were winners of the University concerto competition.  I also acted as Chair of the piano area from 2001-2004.

In addition to teaching piano at U.H., I taught classes on piano pedagogy, piano literature, piano ensemble/accompanying classes, and music history.  I also kept a private studio of talented students in Hawaii at the intermediate and advanced level, and from younger students to adults.  I acted as President of the Honolulu Piano Teacher’s Association in 2003-2004.

During my years at Eastman and the University of Hawaii, I gave solo and collaborative recitals in Canada, the U.S., Great Britain, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.  Highlights include:

I have acted as judge for the Eastman International Piano Competition, and for Hawaii and Alaska State MTNA competitions. I have given several presentations on injury-prevention and piano technique including a presentation for regional competitions of the MTNA in Honolulu, and at the National Taiwan Normal University. 

My ideas on tension-reduction at the piano were included in the technique column of the Autumn 2003 edition of Keyboard Companion Magazine.  I presented a paper at the national conference for the Society for American Music in 2003 on Samuel Barber’s Souvenirs, and gave pre-performance lectures at revival performances of the ballet Souvenirs by the Pacific Northwest Ballet Company in Seattle. 

I returned to Canada in the summer of 2004 and settled in Vancouver where I am now focussing my energy on teaching in my own, private studio. I became an Examiner for Canada's Royal Conservatory of Music in 2006, and am an active member of the British Columbia Registered Music Teacher's Association. I had the pleasure of acting recently as an Adjudicator for the North Shore Music Festival (2007).

I recently gave a presentation for the Vancouver chapter of the BC Registered Music Teacher's Association on the transition to advanced piano playing for RCM grades 7-9 (2008), was a judge for the inaugural Kawai Piano Competition at Lowen Piano House in Vancouver (2008), presented to the South Fraser chapter of the Registered Music Teachers’ Association on the transition to advanced playing (2009), and gave a presentation to the Student Teacher Auxiliary of the Vancouver RMT on securing a solid technical foundation for elementary piano students (2009).