DRAGOS CALIN – see details in ABOUT – https://kanatamusicacademy.com/about-us/
ANAMARIA CALIN
Anamaria is Ph.D. in Music and a teacher with a lot of experience.
Master Degree at the National University of Music in Bucharest, Europe, she is a Professor at this institution for over 20 years. She has given piano recitals and concerts in Europe, the United States and Canada, taught piano and the history of music, music aesthetics and musicology, has written numerous books published in Europe and Canada, articles and studies in prestigious journals.
Anamaria is the Music Manager of Kanata Music Academy and she is teaching piano.
GREGORY ALAN SCHNEIDER
Doctor of Musical Arts, composer, guitarist, and educator Greg holds degrees from Indiana University and the University of North Texas, U.S. His compositions have been performed in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. He held three separate positions at the Santa Fe Opera (Santa Fe, New Mexico) – as orchestra member, Audio Engineer, and Artist in Residence.
Dr. Schneider taught at the College of Santa Fe and the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos, where he taught many subjects including music technology, guitar, composition, music appreciation, and introduction to opera, as well as maintaining an active private studio teaching guitar, electric bass, ukulele, and composition. He has had students who ranged in age from newborn (yes, really) to 75+. In 2018, Dr. Schneider immigrated to Canada and began teaching at the Kanata Music Academy. As of January 2022, he is the Director of the Ottawa Guitar Society’s Guitar Orchestra. His composition teachers have included Samuel Adler, Robert Morris, Cindy McTee, and Joseph Klein. His guitar works are published by Bergmann Edition.
POLINA KEMP
She has been playing and teaching cello for 25 years and it is still something she absolutely loves doing! She has a Doctorate in music performance and has accumulated vast experience of teaching students of all levels and ages. All her beginner students receive a thorough introduction to basics of playing the cello and their natural abilities are developed – the musicality and creativity grow and blossom. If you already play the cello and wish to further your performance, she will take you to the next level by expanding on what you know and encouraging you to work towards new goals. She has great experienced with training students for ABRSM and TrinityColleage music exams as well as music theory.
Her teaching philosophy: everyone is unique and different and personally tailored approach is needed for every student. She is a dedicated and hands on teacher that will challenge and inspire you and make the lesson an interactive learning experience designed to make you a part of a wonderful world of music!
ANDRA POPESCU
Andra has been playing piano and singing in choirs for over 20 years. She has been teaching for almost as long! She works with the Cantiamo Choirs of Ottawa year round (and multiple other festivals in between) to bring the joy of music to as many people as possible. She has experience doing private and group lessons, ages 4 to 94, with classical, theory, RCM exam prep, and jazz and blues expertise. She brings a warm and friendly environment to the lesson space and makes sure her students are having fun while they learn. She loves teaching piano and voice, also bringing out the talented artist in each of her students is her goal.
DOUG MARTIN
As a native of Windsor, Ontario, Doug was not immune to the barrage of music crossing the border from Detroit, USA. During his formative years he was immersed in the sounds of early rock ‘n’ roll, Motown, psychedelia and jazz. Being a budding saxophonist, he was strongly impacted by the playing of Stan Getz and Paul Desmond.
Years later, while enrolled in the jazz program at Toronto’s Humber College, he began composing and was drawn to the distinctive writing styles of Wayne Shorter, Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk. As a performer, he has plied his trade in Canada and the US, playing all manner of music from rock ‘n’ roll to big band jazz. He has played at numerous festivals in both countries. In 2014 he performed for the first time at the Festival Internacional Jazz Plaza in Havana, Cuba and has done so several times since. As a leader, he has released four albums, the last three containing his own compositions entirely. His music has received critical acclaim in such competitions as the UK Songwriting Contest (semi-finalist) and the West Coast Songwriters Competition (honourable mention). Tracks from his albums have
received airplay worldwide on the internet, as well as terrestrial radio in the US, Europe and Canada (most notably CBC, Radio-Canada, and JazzFM91 in Toronto). Presently, Doug lives in the Ottawa area where he teaches, composes and leads several small jazz ensembles.
ALEXEI KOROLEV
Alexei received his Master Degree in Music at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia. He taught guitar at various music schools and at his private studio. Alexei was a member of the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Capella Symphony Orchestra. He was chosen to represent the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra European Tour. Alexei also performed with the Szczecin Opera Orchestra in Poland and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra.
KURTIS PUHARICH
Kurtis is a guitarist studying classical guitar performance at University of Ottawa. Kurtis has studied under both Philip Candelaria and Patrick Roux. In the last three years, Kurtis has finished first in the Ottawa Kiwanis Guitar Class competitions for RCM Grades 8, 9 and 10. Kurtis has also completed his Grade 8 RCM exam with honours in 2017. He is a guitar and saxophone teacher.
CAITLYN VAN MILLIGEN-ABBOTT
Caitlyn graduated the Canterbury High School percussion program and is an eager teacher who loves sharing the art of music. She has been playing the drums for 8 years and has studied under numerous local teachers, absorbing and learning their styles to synthesize her own way to teach and play drums. She has performed in various ensembles and bands over the years, as a drummer and percussionist, and knows intimately the skills required to succeed both on and offstage.
TONY ALEXANDER
Tony has been playing the piano from an early age. He is particularly fond of the composer Johann Sebastian Bach, but has also explored the repertoire of Chopin, Debussy, and Satie. He has been teaching piano to young children since 2014. Since 2018, he has worked as a supply teacher for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. In addition to his teaching degree, Tony has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Ottawa, and a Level 9 in Piano & Theory from the Royal Conservatory of Music. He is a piano teacher.
ERIC RINFRET
Taught guitar, bass, theory and sight reading for more then 10 years. Played throughout Ottawa with local musicians, artists and band “Loose Colors”, performing and writing original compositions.
KACHUSA SZETO
Kachusa enjoys singing since at young age. She preformed regularly in concerts as a choir member in Hong Kong before she moved to Canada. Having been taking vocal lessons with Polish soprano Maria Knapik for more than fifteen years, Kachusa has been performing both solo and choral singing in Ottawa area. As a member of the Ottawa Classical Choir since 2005, she also performed in Montreal; in Sicily, Italy (2008); in Carnegie Hall, New York City (2010); and in Nation Art Center of Canada, Ottawa (2011). In 2010, Kachusa had participated in the recording of the CD Messe solenelle de Saint Remi, Messe de la Delivrance (Theodore Dubois) conducted by Maestro Michel Brousseau. In 2019, she performed with Ottawa Choral Society in Nation Art Center of Canada conducted by Maestro Alexander Shelley. Kachusa is one of the Voice teacher at our Academy.
JIMIN PARK
A native of South Korea, Jimin Park started studying violin at the age of 5 years old, followed by piano at age 6. She has many years experience performing as a member of Yangsan Youth Orchestra. She studied music composition and music theory at Busan High School of Arts. Jimin has been teaching in South Korea, Calgary, and Oakville – Canada. Her goal as a music instructor is to help students to build a solid foundation from the start in a fun and engaging environment.
MARY LISA NEFEDOVA
Mary Lisa Nefedova is a Carleton University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media Studies and a Minor in Music. She has years of classical RCM training singing in German, French, Italian, and Russian. She performed Classical and Musical Theatre pieces in Kiwanis Music Festivals and performed as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family musical, for which she was nominated Best Lead Actress. While her training was extensive in Classical voice, she’s had a life-long passion for pop vocals, has performed in multiple events on stage, and continues to learn trending songs for fun. She has also written some original pop songs and won district winner for her very first original “The Strength of Her Reflection” in 2016. Her extensive classical vocal training and mentorship by her private vocal teachers has helped her develop her own pop vocal program to teach the techniques needed to master pop songs while maintaining a healthy voice.
XION EDWARDS
Xion is a vocalist, saxophonist, and bassist at the Kanata Music Academy, and has achieved 6 Gold and 1 Silver Ranking in Regional Musicfest in both Concert and Jazz divisions for saxophone. She studied vocal jazz at Humber College in Toronto.
JOELLE LEWIS
Joelle is teaching piano at our Academy. She is playing piano since she was 5 years old and now she finished Grade 10 in piano. Teaching, playing piano and sports are some of her favorite hobbies! She also plays the flute and enjoys sharing music through piano with others.
RIAN CLARKE
Rian is a classically trained pianist who teaches piano as well as the Talent Quest program. He has been playing piano for over a decade, teaching for 7 years, and is currently pursuing his ARCT in piano performance. Aside from music, he is currently pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Science at the University of Ottawa.
EDISON SANDOVAL
Edison is a drum teacher at Kanata Music Academy and has played for over ten years. He was considered to be a prodigies student when he was young. He also has experience leading as a choreographer, lighting designer, multimedia content producer for live stage music. Edison also is a classically trained pianist who completed RCM Level 10.
AMRITA CHHABRA
Amrita was introduced to the piano at the age of 5 and has been pursuing classical music ever since. She recently completed their Grade 7 piano exam from Trinity College London (RCM Level 9 equivalence) with distinction and is preparing for their final Grade 8 exam (RCM Grade 10 equivalence). In the future, she want to continue their music studies and become a performer.
JASON PERRINS
Jason have been playing the drums for more than 10 years. He has been teaching and performing playing different styles of drumming. His goal is to teach and allow students to progress as quickly as possible, and eventually build students into the drummer they wish to become!
MARC LANGE
Marc first began playing guitar at the age of 7. When he was 12, he also began learning bass in order to attend the Fine Arts program at Canterbury High School. Since graduating from the program in 2019, Marc has continued his studies in music at Carleton University. While currently focusing on Jazz, Marc is also experienced in other genres including Classical, Rock and Fusion. He is an experienced performer having played in a variety of settings including orchestras, musicals, big bands, string ensembles and small combo groups.
VICTORIA GOODMAN
Victoria is violin and piano teacher. She is specialize in Celtic and Classical violin but, but also many other styles of music. She taught using the Suzuki method and have been playing the violin for 16 years. She went to Carleton University for Bachelor of Music degree and believe that anybody is not too old to learn music, violin or piano and everyone learns differently.
BRON DIEDRICH
Bron has been playing Drums for more than 15 years and has played for many bands and different of styles of music ranging from Rock, Funk, Pop, Latin & World music and Jazz. He also has lots of experience playing live concerts and performances and recording studio work. His high energy and positive attitude will help you to be the drummer you want to become, achieve your goals and take you to the next level!
CAROLINE ELEMENT
Caroline Element is a painist and vocalist who is studying vocal performance at Carleton University. She has been a graduate of the Canterbury High School vocal program since 2022. In 2021, she passed her RCM exams with first class honours. Caroline has also competed in Kiwanis vocal and piano competitions having placed second and third. She also won her category in the NATS vocal competition in November of 2022.