Natalie - Teacher #3382

Instruments:
- Piano

Services:
- Counterpoint
- Ear Training
- Harmony
- Music History
- Music Theory (Advanced)
- Music Theory (Beginner-Intermediate)
- RCM - Advanced Harmony
- RCM - Advanced Rudiments
- RCM - Analysis
- RCM - Basic Harmony
- RCM - Basic Rudiments
- RCM - Counterpoint
- RCM - History
- RCM - Intermediate Harmony
- RCM - Intermediate Rudiments

Languages:
- English

Teaching Philosophy

The study of music goes far beyond just musical learning; it is made up of several elements and has its influence on, among other things, mathematical understanding and spatial reasoning. Music is the element that has had the most profound influence on my life ever since I was a young child. It is a great joy, and it is this joy that I want to share with students of all ages and levels of learning. In general, I focus on musicality, such as phrasing and the goals of musical lines. I combine this with technical elements, basic theory (if it is helpful in certain situations) and the introduction of the five basic motion patterns that make up piano technique. I pace myself along with the student and introduce these elements only when the student is ready. I also always work in the element of fun, to avoid stress or nervousness. Not only is this a more enjoyable way to learn, but it is also a quicker path through the learning process.

Musical Education

I have my ARCT (Royal Conservatory of Toronto) and LTCL (Licentiate of Trinity College of London), both in piano performance, finishing these while I was in high school. I earned my Bachelor of Music (performance, history, theory) from McMaster University, where my piano professor was the British concert pianist Valerie Tryon. I earned my Master of Music (theory) at the University of Western Ontario. After several years of private piano teaching I returned to university, this time in England, to do postgraduate research. I earned my MPhil degree there from the University of Surrey.

Awards and Distinctions

-Kiwanis music festival silver medal for piano performance
-RCT Grade 8 "Summa Cum Laude"
-Scholarship for McMaster University
-Scholarship for University of Western Ontario
-Teaching Assistant, University of Western Ontario
-Teaching Assistant, University of Surrey, UK

Special Skills and Training

I have had many opportunities to work in different areas of music; most recently, I have been the accompanist (and occasional soprano!) for the Halton Regional Police Chorus since 2017, which is in southern Ontario. We perform two main concerts per season, and we are also involved in two memorial ceremonies, the provincial memorial in Toronto, and the national memorial in Ottawa. We honour the officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. I have been an accompanist for soloists (students and professionals) and chamber ensembles for many years. I continue to study theory and have written articles for music societies' newsletters. I have greatly enjoyed university-level teaching as a theory instructor, having been awarded two teaching assistantships, one at Western and the other at Surrey. I taught first-year harmony, counterpoint and analysis. This has been a great help to me as a piano instructor, since understanding theory has far-reaching effects on mastering music, whether it's musical understanding, or methods to improve memorization, for example.

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).

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