OUR TEACHERS

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.

GEORGE (JORGE) PERAL

Jorge Rodrigo Peral was born on February 5th, 1985, in Mexico City Mexico, and immigrated
with his family to Canada in 1995. Born into a highly artistic family, Jorge Rodrigo demonstrated a natural ability for the arts since a very early age.
In 1999, Jorge Rodrigo entered the visual arts program at Canterbury High school in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
During this period, Jorge Rodrigo also developed his musical skills and studied Theory, harmony, and composition with world-renowned Composer Dr. Maya Badian, RMT; and piano under Dr. Dragos Calin, RMT. During this time through perseverance, and discipline, Jorge Rodrigo achieved very high results in his Royal Conservatory of Music exams and published three compositions located at the National Library of Canada. In 2004, Jorge Rodrigo studied composition at McGill University in Montreal Quebec, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music in 2011.
Jorge Rodrigo is teaching piano at our Academy

SHANN BAILEY

Shann is a professional singer, vocal coach, music producer, recording artist and touring concert performer. Drawing on some 20 years coaching and producing hundreds of vocalists, Shann has designed custom vocal coaching and instruction programs for beginners to advanced and professional singers. She brings her tool box of successful coaching techniques and resources (for all ages) to the Kanata Music Academy. A Fine Arts graduate from the University of Toronto, Shann performs and teaches a wide range of music genres from pop to folk to jazz, which can be heard on her recent album with her Ottawa based performing group The Life of Pearls. Shann also has many skills on the artistic management side of the music business as Vocal Producer with the independent record label Sound of the Muse Records (Ottawa/Toronto,) and in her roles as Manager of the Ottawa Choral Society and General Manager of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra.

ORLANDO CORABIAN

He is native from Cluj-Napoca, capital of the important Romanian province of Transylvania. His passion for music began in the early stages when he enrolled in the music program at one of the most prestigious music schools in Cluj-Napoca. He was just 10 years old at the time, studying piano and bassoon.

After his graduation, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance at the Gheorghe Dima National Music Academy.  Immediately after earning his Bachelor’s degree, he won the audition for the Transylvania Philharmonic Orchestra’s bassoon section where he served as the principal bassoonist. With his orchestra, Orlando Corabian toured almost all the European countries and Asia, playing with great artists such: José Carreras, Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu, Erich Bergel and many others. During the fall of 2000, the Romanian Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of the British conductor Paul Mann attained an European tour together with The Deep Purple, on the occasion of releasing, after 30 years, the Concert for Rock Group and Orchestra by John Lord. The concerts took place in big cities of Europe, such as: Kongresszentrum Hamburg, Globe Arena Stockholm, International Congress Center Berlin, Palais des Congrès Strasbourg, Festhalle Frankfurt, Schleyerhalle Stuttgart, Madrid, Filaforum Milano, Palais des Congrès Paris, Stadthalle Wien, Westfallenhalle Dortmund, Olympiahalle München.

In 2002 Orlando Corabian came to Canada and started his Master Degree at Ottawa University in music performance and completed the program within two years. In 2004, he was hired as a piano teacher at Kanata Music Academy. Over the next sixteen years, he guided and mentored numerous students, helping them achieve great results in piano performance and Royal Conservatory exams. His extensive teaching experience also provided crucial support to students with special needs, fostering their dedication and passion for music education over the years.

JURY KOBAYASHI-MACKAY

Jury is a professional double bassist, improviser, composer, and musicologist. Jury received his undergraduate degree in orchestral double bass performance from the university of Toronto. He also has a Masters degree in double bass performance and conducting from the Longy school of music as well as a graduate performance diploma in early music performance. While at Longy, Jury took lessons in jazz and composition in addition to his regular bass and conducting lessons. During his time in Boston, he was a teaching artist for the Josiah Quincy Orchestra Program teaching bassists and was also selected by the Boston Chamber Music Society to be a teaching artist for their high school program. Jury is also a musicologist and has a received a Masters in Musicology from Western University and is currently completing an interdisciplinary music doctorate at the University of Ottawa. Jury is comfortable teaching any style of music for double bassists of any age.

DARYA MALINOVSKAIA

She started playing the piano at the age of 5. She participated in various festivals and competitions, including the Kiwanis Festival and Ottawa Music Festival, where she received many first places over the years. She has been a part of multiple music clubs, and currently performs at the Laurentian music club. She is pursuing a degree in piano performance at the University of Ottawa under David Jalbert.

OLIVIA SINHA

Olivia has been teaching piano for 5 years now, after completing her levels with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has been playing the piano since she was five years old, and it has become her passion in life. She loves teaching, making connections, sharing her knowledge, and helping others grow their musical talent! She has taught all ages and always makes sure to demonstrate patience and kindness to all of her students.

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.

BEN JOHNSON

Ben Johnson is a Canadian violist and violonist born in Ottawa, Ontario in 2005.  Having played viola since the age of six, Ben has been a member of several orchestras and ensembles, notably with the Ottawa Youth Orchestra and the Junior Camerata Strings (Junior Thirteen Strings) under conductor Kevin Mallon where he had the opportunity to play at the Ottawa Viennese Winter Ball hosted by the Austrian Embassy. Ben attended Canterbury High School, an arts high school in Ottawa, where he was principal violist for the school’s orchestra, and played in several string quartets. At Canterbury, he earned a Fine Arts Certificate in music. Ben has studied privately with National Art Centre violist Paul Casey and Ottawa Youth Orchestra music director, Donnie Deacon. He is currently pursuing a degree in viola performance at the University of Ottawa under Michael Van der Sloot. Ben’s musical interests extend to composition and to his studies in piano.

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.

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 for a year at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario.

ELLIAS CORBETT

Elias is a Music Industry Arts student at Algonquin College following his passion for music production. Elias has also taken up the role of a session drummer, and being able to share his passion for drums is very fulfilling to him! He is a drums teacher.

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.

DENIS TANG
Denis is a violin teacher that plays violin with the Kanata Symphony Orchestra since 2016.  He also plays viola with an amateur ensemble in Gatineau.  As a native from Quebec City, he can teach both in French or in English.  With a great passion for music and teaching, he is always happy and ready to help you progress in your musical journey.  Denis is the current President for the Kanata Music Association and he is also a sitting member on the Board of Directors for Orchestras Canada.

SARAH CORBETT

Sarah Corbett is an emerging musician and writer. She teaches piano and flute, and holds a Bachelor of Music from Queen’s University. You can catch her performing as part of the Nepean Concert Band. Sarah likes to write essays about music and culture, poetry, and fictional scenes

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 10 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.

JUSTIN WONG

Justin has been a pianist for over 12 years. He completed his RCM exams with First Class Honours and loves to teach. He also plays the guitar and has years of experience performing, singing, and songwriting. He is currently studying at the University of Ottawa.

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.

NICHOLAS PASAJOL

Nicholas Pasajol is an accomplished violinist with experience performing at prestigious venues such as Kawanis Events and The Royal Conservatory of Music. Through these experiences, he has honed exceptional skills in delivering captivating performances, sight-reading, and harmonizing within ensembles. With a strong foundation in both solo and collaborative music, Nicholas remains dedicated to bringing passion, precision, and artistry to every performance, continually striving for excellence in the musical world.