Hello, and welcome to my blog!

I am a teacher candidate at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Education, in Secondary Music.  All that technical stuff means I am studying to be a high school music teacher.  I completed my B. Music in voice (mezzo-soprano) at the University of British Columbia School of Music at the Point Grey campus in April, 2013.

I have been a musician for 16 years.  Between all the choirs I’ve joined, I have about 38 combined years of experience, encompassing everything beginning to professional ensembles in choral, vocal jazz, and musical theatre settings.  Before moving to Canada, I was a member of the San Diego Children’s Choir (SDCC), founded by Mrs. Polly Campbell, with which I toured globally.  I attended the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA), with which I toured with 3 distinct ensembles for all my 4 years.

On a tour through Vancouver with the SDCC, I met Dr. Kevin Zakresky, then a recent graduate of UBC School of Music’s M.Mus. in choral conducting, who told me all about the music — and choral — culture in this beautiful city.  I was hooked, and now here I am.

I have a strong background as a musician, and I grew up loving to learn and yearning to teach.  I began as an aide in Girl Scouts at the age of 12, and continued on through high school as both a tour organizer alongside my high school director and a teaching assistant in his beginning middle school choir (Gr6-8), and Concert Choir, the first level of the three touring vocal ensembles at SCPA.

In Vancouver, I was able to continue my early teaching.  I first took private students, both at the undergraduate and post-university levels.  I guided them through healthful vocal production and self-exploration of their abilities, and showed them how to stretch where they thought their limits lay.

I worked with Anne Leader and the World Youth Music Organization for 2.5 years as their choral director via the Kids First program at Hastings Community School, where I worked with students aged 8-11.  It was a phenomenal experience, working with this brand new charity organization dedicated to bringing music to kids everywhere.  And I loved Anne was starting with the people right in our own city.

I became a Guider with Girl Guides Canada in September of 2013, where I work with girls aged 9-12, exploring their interests in all fields and areas of study, craft, and invention.

I completed my practicum training with Ms. Jan Berman at Matthew McNair Secondary, in Richmond, BC.  I worked with Grades 8-12.  Classes I taught included fundamentals of theory and guitar, choir, beginning and intermediate bands, jazz band, and strings.

I continued with a Community Field Experience with Mr. Ryan Naso at West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver, BC.  Here, I worked with Grades 2-6, and observed Grades JK-1 and 7.  With 5 music teachers, I was able to work with specialist for all styles Western music (choir, strings, and band) and general music.