Sheila has recently moved to Guelph from Toronto and is currently teaching at the CIG School of the Performing Arts in Guelph as well as maintaining her teaching studio in Toronto at the North Toronto Institute of Music.
She is a professional classical violinist and violist on both modern and Baroque instruments, as well as a performer on the treble viola da gamba. She plays in several different ensembles in and around Toronto, and is looking forward to spreading her wings in Guelph musically.
Sheila holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance degree from the University of Toronto and has undertaken further training in New York with Burton Kaplan. Her Baroque studies have included masterclasses and lessons with Marilyn McDonald, Robert Mealy, Mark Destrubé and Elizabeth Blumenstock, among others.
Sheila loves to teach music to others and has years of experience teaching privately, coaching high school students at Rosedale School of the Arts in Toronto, and also chamber music coaching. Her training is quite extensive and is on-going because she believes in constant growth as an artist and teacher. She enjoys working with people of all ages, and is hoping to branch out and work more with adults, both younger and senior, as well as with youth.
The environment in her studio is very nurturing and her teaching style depends on the individual needs of the student. She finds this approach more productive than a regimented system and also finds it a more interesting way of teaching. Her goal for her students is to have them develop their own musical voices and give them the tools to be able to bring their ideas to life.
Sheila is very supportive and enthusiastic in her teaching practice and is also creative in problem-solving with students when they are feeling “stuck” in their playing, adding in new strategies and tricks to help them develop as musicians. She has a gentle approach and looks individually at each student, helping them move forward confidently in their playing.
Interested in learning violin or viola?
