Joanna - Teacher #2904

Instruments:
- Piano
- Voice

Services:
- Ear Training
- Music Appreciation
- Music History
- Music Theory (Beginner-Intermediate)
- Orff
- RCM
- RCM - Basic Harmony
- RCM - Basic Rudiments
- RCM - Intermediate Rudiments
- Solfege

Languages:
- English

Teaching Philosophy

I believe that music is intrinsic to all living beings - everything vibrates! Singing in particular is our most powerful, uniquely individual and collectively universal way of expressing our authentic selves in the world. Music is a lifelong exploration of how sound, voice, movement and vibration informs our growth not only as musicians, but as creative beings shaping our reality. Music unites communities to remind us of our healing and wholling potential. Music is the joy that wakes us up in the morning and soothes us to sleep at night.
Children LIVE music in a whole-bodied way, and adults benefit greatly from reclaiming that holistic approach to exploring music which they had naturally as a child. To that end, I offer lessons based in foundational pedagogy for voice and piano which uses the whole body/mind/spirit approach to learning. This includes breath and movement exercises to engage musical skills through muscle memory, creating new neural pathways to the brain, regulating body systems as we learn rhythm, beat, melody, harmony and music appreciation.
I also encourage students to explore their own creative expression through improvisational techniques, connecting the many moods of music with the way we humans feel into our daily life experiences. Play and risk-taking are a fundamental part of each person's musical exploration, and extends to everyday life. My purpose is to support each person's unique journey with music as a joyful, potent force for growth and change in our lives.

Musical Education

I have a bachelor degree in Musical Arts Voice Performance from the University of Western Ontario, as well as a bachelor of education degree from same.
I studied vocal and piano privately from the age of 13 years until 19 years at which point I entered university. My teachers were classically trained in voice and piano. My voice teachers at the university were performers in the Canadian Opera Company and the Elmer Isler Singers, and soloists in the community of the GTA. I have worked as a professional vocal soloist since the age of 16 for various events such as weddings, funerals, and as part of symphony, community and church choirs and jazz/gospel ensembles since the age of 16. I currently sing as both a choral member and soloist for the Windsor Symphony Chorus and the County Classic Chorale, and as a church soloist and cantor. I received certification in music education following the Kodaly method and have also studied therapeutic music applications using voice as the primary healing instrument, under the instruction of Chloe Goodchild, founder of the Naked Voice method.

Special Skills and Training

I have studied music in both the classical sense as well as in alternative therapeutic modalities involving music and movement such as Eurythmy, Paneurythmy, primordial sound and movement, as well as expressive arts therapies using vocal sounding and mantra in creative somatic (whole-body) processes. I have studied Guided Imagery and Music (the Bonny Method) and music therapy at the introductory level. I have also studied kirtan facilitation (mantra meditation) with Brenda McMorrow, an international devotional singer/songwriter. I have studied Vocal Yoga as a yoga teacher with Mark Moliterno, which incorporates vocal exercises in simple yoga postures, something which is very useful as an embodied learning process through music for people of all ages. Fully-embodied sounding and singing is incredibly effective for learning at all levels of human functionality, as it creates new neural pathways to the brain affecting health on all levels. These whole-bodied rhythmic processes found in musical learning are powerful allies in lifelong growth. I use an eclectic approach resourcing all of the above and more in my work with people of all ages, and in specialty work with children who experience learning or developmental challenges. As a life coach, I integrate music and the arts in self-transformational processes.

Rates

30 Minutes: $39.00
45 Minutes: $49.00
60 Minutes: $59.00

There is a one-time registration fee of 25 $ charged with the first lessons. All Taxes are included in prices, if applicable

NOTE: Your Credit card will be charged ONLY when the first lesson is set up and confirmed with the teacher

Policies


1. Cancellation Policy

Lessons not cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice are billable to the client and payable to the teacher. This does not of course apply to travel fees unless the notice is effectively given at the door and the teacher has travelled to the location.

2. Cessation (quitting) Policy

A client must provide a 2 lesson notice period to stop lessons. So a weekly student needs to give 2 weeks of notice, a biweekly student works out to 3 weeks notice and a twice weekly student works out to a week of notice.

3. Illness Policy

Lessons cancelled due to illness or extraordinary circumstances with less than 24 hours notice remain billable to the client and payable to the teacher.

BAH teachers are encouraged to offer a make-up lesson at a future date in the interest of client relations and general goodwill. This only makes sense as teaching a student with the flu for example, will ruin the rest of your week's employment.

No more than 2 lessons may be made up due to illness within a 60 day period.

4. Rescheduling Policy

Any lesson can be cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice.

Summer Vacation and Extended Absence Policy

Clients may schedule longer absences for trips etc. 24 hours notice is required.

It is normal and typical for students and about 20% of our teachers to schedule a break in the summer. We do not enforce a notice period (see cessation of lessons) at the end of a long summer break.

5. Evaluation Period

There are no free trial lessons with Beethoven at Home but we do offer a 2 lesson evaluation period where it is easy to try out a teacher. There are no free lessons during the evaluation period and clients may choose to discontinue the lessons at any time by providing the required 24 hours notice. After the student's 3rd lesson the required 2 lesson notice period will apply (see cessation of lessons above).