Michelle (she/her/hers)

Welcome to Michelle's Music Studio!

Thank you for being curious and coming to find out a little more about me and the studio. 

My name is Michelle and I have been enjoying music for as long as I can remember and playing the piano since I was 7.  I have been teaching piano for 30 years and I love what I do!   

I strive to create a safe learning space for all students.   My goal is to meet each student where they are at and move them forward on their musical learning continuum. I want students to leave their lessons inspired to learn and set up for success.   I teach innovative lessons online and out of this spacious and bright studio in Kelowna, BC on Dilworth Mountain.

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My formal piano training was through the Royal Conservatory of Music (Piano).  My music education was enhanced by becoming a Certified Music For Young Children Teacher (MYCC) in 1997 after attending university where I studied Education with a Minor in Music.  A fun fact about me was that though I studied classically, my superpower is my ear so I was often at the piano figuring out melodies and playing for fun whenever I could. I am honoured to be a member of the Alberta Piano Teacher's Association.

Beginner piano pedagogy is a particular passion for me.  In addition to teaching my own students, I had the distinct opportunity to support new teachers in British Columbia and California when I served as a teacher trainer and mentor with Music for Young Children (MYC).  The MYC program was a group curriculum where classes of 6 children and their parents attended lessons on a weekly basis. I have taught hundreds of students over the years and am delighted to be in touch with many of them to this day.  I love teaching music and theory to all ages with a strengths-based approach.  I now offer Group Piano Lab lessons teaching small groups of students of various ages and abilities in addition to private piano lessons.

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I teach all ages. My boutique music studio is full of retirees, university students, working professionals, school-aged children and teens.  Many of my students identify as neurodiverse. Each student's lessons are individually tailored to them depending on their goals.  I curate music to get students playing and feeling successful.  Whether playing by ear, from sheet music, chord charts or lead sheets, I will work with you to get you playing music that you resonate with.  I believe when students are playing music they love they are motivated to practice!  I am a theory enthusiast and I love equipping my students with relevant music theory to provide greater comprehension.  I have many subscriptions which allows me the ability to find most music in several formats with a few clicks.

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I am often learning new music to teach to my students who have a wide variety of musical interests.  My students are my best teachers!  I enjoy early morning runs, hikes and walks with friends, cooking plant-based food, baking and spending time with my diverse family. I am an Enneagram 2 who loves listening to audio books, podcasts and music.  I believe strongly in attachment-based theory and I resonate greatly with Fred Rogers.  I am a curious life-long learner and am left hand dominant (though fairly ambidextrous).

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The studio is bright and spacious featuring a Kawai Grand Piano, a Yamaha Clavinova Digital Piano, a Roland Digital Piano and additional keyboards.  In addition the glockenspiel, Boomwhackers, Step Bells, Push Bells and rhythm instruments are used to reinforce notes, timing patterns and many other concepts.  Boom Cards are used to review music theory with the studio iPad and are assigned for home practice.  The studio features plenty of natural light and is located centrally on Dilworth Mountain.  I invite you to click on the social media links at the bottom of the website to see photos and videos of lessons in action to give you a sense of how I teach and how much fun we have at lessons.  Come play!