Instructor Bios

Studio Instructors

Nicole Walker

I’m so excited to invite you into my studio!  It’s been a dream of mine for a long time, and finally became a reality in September, 2023.  


I’ve been a musician – teaching, performing and touring – for most of my life.  What I love about music is that it exists in all of us in some capacity, and we see it right from the time we’re born.  Teaching baby sign language and baby music classes has taught me so much about human communication and connection, and I love to share my passion for learning with others.  

 

I have a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Brock University and a master’s degree in music theory from UBC. I am a certified Music Together® instructor and Baby Signing Time® instructor, and have studied linguistics at UBC, American Sign Language (ASL) at Douglas College, and Orff Schulwerk through Vancouver Community College. My belief is that the more I learn, the better teacher I will be.

 

I also love to spend time outdoors with my family! We camp and bike and kayak and travel together, and this makes me feel whole. I bring a huge amount of enthusiasm, creativity and dedication to everything that I do, and I look forward to sharing this with you!

Ella Rogers

Hi, my name is Ella, I’m a student at Douglas College and I will be reading to your little ones!

 

The biggest thing which draws me to running “Sing and Sign Storytime” is being able to share my favourite stores and songs with families.  Reading and music were an important part of my childhood, as I was surrounded by books and music (and story time!) from a very young age.

 

Children were a big part of the community I grew up in and I was often included in the planning and running of programs, as my mother was the children’s librarian in my small hometown.  My hobbies include baking, playing my violin, and hiking. I also discovered my love of American Sign Language (ASL) at Douglas College and I am currently continuing my studies of ASL there along with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology.

 

Currently I am working as a nanny for a lovely little girl and in the past I have worked in daycares and nannied in the UK for two wonderful families. I am hoping to incorporate signing, stories and songs that I learned from all of these experiences to create an engaging and fun storytime. I am excited to spend some time with you and your little ones enjoying music, reading, and signing together!

Private Instructors

Brenda Nguyen

Hi everyone! My name is Brenda Nguyen. I teach a program for parents/caretakers and children called Music Together®. I have been teaching this wonderful program for over 10 years, and I am very passionate about spreading the love of music to children and adults!

 

                      “Where words fail, music speaks” (Hans Christian Andersen)

 

I have been playing piano since the age of 4, and have continued my passion for music through post secondary, and graduated with a bachelors of music from the University of British Columbia. I have always wanted to spread the love I have for music to people of all ages, and here at this studio I’m able to spread it through Music Together®.

 

Music Together® is a family fun music class where we all get to sing and dance to many different songs!  Music Together® has 9 different collections so that you never have to repeat a song within the 3 year span. Each collection has many different styles of songs for the entire family to enjoy. This is a mixed ages class for kids ranging from 0-5 years old. 

 

For more information, please visit: brendanguyenmusic.com 

Andrea MacDonald

Hi! My name is Andrea. I am a recorder player and certified Suzuki recorder teacher. 

 

I’m absolutely passionate about the Suzuki method and its child-centred approach to learning music. Dr. Suzuki believed that every child has talent and that supporting and nurturing that child with age appropriate education would not only create beautiful musicianship, but also a child who is patient, caring, and respectful of others. 

 

The recorder is a wonderful instrument with a terrible reputation for screechy sound. In truth, while it may look simple, the recorder is just as complex and beautiful as any other instrument. In the Suzuki method, we start working on breath control and tone right away. 

 

As a person with ADHD and a visual learning disorder, I understand that not all kids learn the same way. Being different doesn’t mean we can’t succeed, it just means trying different things to see what works. 

 

My teaching background includes teaching technology to both business people and seniors, as well as being a certified yoga instructor. I speak English and French and have a smattering of ASL.  When I’m not teaching, you’ll find me working on my own music, taking part in improv theatre, playing video games, or spending time in the outdoors.

 

For more information, please visit: www.recorderwithandrea.weebly.com or contact Andrea by email: [email protected]

Laurie MacArthur

Laurie holds an ARCT Piano Teacher Diploma, ARCT Piano Performers Diploma, and a Licentiate Performance Diploma. After receiving her diplomas, she furthered her studies in both advanced piano repertoire and advanced theoretical subjects. 

 

She has acquired the standing as an Advanced Piano Specialist, and Advanced Theory Specialist from the Royal Conservatory of Music. In addition, she is a Registered Music Teacher and a member of the BCRMTA.

 

Laurie has been teaching full time for over 20 years, and specialized in all levels of Piano, Theory, Harmony, History, Counterpoint and Analysis. She prepares piano and theory students of all levels for Royal Conservatory of Music and British Columbia Conservatory of Music examinations, where many achieve distinction standings.

 

Laurie enjoys teaching students of all ages and levels of piano and theory. Her main goal is to find the best approach for each individual student in order to instill a strong understanding of theory and musicianship. She strives to help her students along their musical journey of making and enjoying music; a skill they can enjoy over their lifetime.

 

For more information, please contact Laurie by email: [email protected] or by phone: 604-725-1752.

 

Sylvia Maltby

Before relocating to the Lower Mainland of British Columbia to escape the snow and be close to her three daughters, Sylvia was well established as a private music instructor, accompanist, theatre musician and soloist in the Edmonton area. She received a Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts in Musicology from the University of Alberta, a diploma in Vocal Pedagogy from the Western Board of Music, and studied jazz piano with Charles Austin at Grant McEwan University in Edmonton.


During her career, Sylvia has learned that “music makes you smarter” and that learning to play an instrument, singing, and participating in other musical activities develops focus, organizational skills, listening ability, learning strategies necessary in all areas of education, and the ability to think creatively, a skill that is becoming increasingly valuable in our changing world. 


She teaches classical and jazz piano, all levels of Theory, Harmony and Counterpoint, History, Pedagogy and Form and Analysis for completion of requirements for The British Columbia Conservatory, Conservatory Canada and The Royal Conservatory of Music.


For more information, please contact Sylvia by email: [email protected] or by phone: 778-355-8024.

Liam Simpson

Hello! My name is Liam Simpson and I teach Guitar, Music Theory and Composition. 

 

I have been playing guitar since summer of 2004. I have a bachelor’s degree in music composition from Vancouver Community College and a diploma in Classical Guitar from Douglas College.  Outside of my academic experience, I have been playing in garage bands and singing in community choirs since 2010. I value those experiences just as much, as they taught me how one can engage with music on the community level.

 

My primary goal as an educator is to train my students to play with other people. I do this by “jamming” or playing with students. I start by teaching my students simplified versions of the basic chords and easy chord progressions from the first lesson so that success is immediate, as success is essential to motivation in playing an instrument.  When the reduced versions of the chords become more fluent, I show different versions of the chords so that interest can be added to the arrangement. I start by teaching students songs that I have memorized but as students advance we shift focus to learning songs that they listen to, as one of the benefits of learning guitar is that simple arrangements can be adapted from most of the music we listen to – and the music we enjoy listening to the most is the music we enjoy playing the most!

 

For more information, please visit: www.liamsimpsonmusician.ca or email Liam: [email protected]

Jennifer Hayes

Hi, I am Jennifer, a veteral jazz vocalist in the vibrant Vancouver music scene. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of performing on stages across Canada, North America and Asia. My journey in music began with a diploma in Commercial Music and a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies, majoring in Voice, from Capilano University.


Over the years, I have recorded two studio albums and lent my voice to numerous radio and commercial jingles, including being a part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, serving as the lead vocalist with the legendary Dal Richards Orchestra, and gracing stages at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Harmony Arts Festival, and Kaleidoscope Arts Festival, among others.


Beyond my performing career, I am deeply passionate about music education. For over 25 years, I have been teaching private voice and piano lessons to individuals of all ages. I’ve also had the pleasure of leading after-school choral programs at the elementary level and instructing musical theatre vocal classes. As an educator, I strongly believe in the power of music education in both private and group settings. It brings me great joy to share my knowledge and help aspiring musicians grow.


To further my professional development, I am an active member of the North American Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). This allows me to stay connected with fellow educators and stay updated on the latest developments in the field of vocal instruction. Teaching and performing are both integral parts of my musical journey, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue nurturing talent and sharing my love for music.


For more information, please visit: www.jenniferhayes.ca, or email Jennifer: [email protected]