Student spotlight
Our students
We are proud of the growth, dedication, and achievements of our students. Here are a few of them.
Book a Free Meet & Greet or call 604-741-2935
Student stories
Cassidy Wieler
Cassidy studied with Serena from 2018 and taught for the Academy from 2021 to 2023. She has won many awards for her playing, completed her RCM Level 8 exam, and went on to Bachelor of Music studies at Western University in Ontario.
Hanna Crudele
Hanna studied with Serena on the Sunshine Coast from 2007 to 2011 before going on to study music after high school. An Italian-Canadian baroque violinist, she is pursuing a Master’s in Historical Violin at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and performs with ensembles such as the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century and Juilliard415.
James Lavery
James has studied with Tegan since 2013 and with Serena since 2020. He passed his RCM Level 6 exam with First Class Honours with Distinction, and plays violin, trumpet, and French horn in his school orchestra and bands.
Jinny Marshall
At the Academy, Jinny began exploring more classical repertoire. She completed her RCM Level 5 in 2022 and her Level 7 exam in 2025 with First Class Honours, studying with Serena. She has won the BIPOC Composers Award for Strings, the Indigenous Fiddle Tune Award, and the Folk Instrumental Duet Award at the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Performing Arts, and received the Coast Recital Society’s Scholarship for Classical Music. Jinny now teaches with us in Gibsons.
Josh Paolozza
Josh is a violinist, drummer, and guitarist. He has played Celtic fiddle at Rogers Arena with the North Shore Celtic Ensemble, hard rock and jazz at festivals, and his own violin arrangements at weddings and on theatre stages. He started lessons in Tegan’s studio and has been a student with the Academy since 2022.
Niamh Brennan
Niamh has studied with Serena since 2020. She passed her RCM Level 6 exam in spring 2024 and her Level 7 exam in 2025, both with First Class Honours. She is a long-time member of the North Shore Celtic Ensemble and loves fiddle music of all styles.
How to start
New students join any time of year.
Book a Free Meet & Greet
Tell us about your child, or yourself. We help you choose the instrument and lesson length.
Meet your teacher
We match you with a teacher and a weekly time that suits your family.
Register and play
Lessons run weekly from September to June, with a recital to work toward.
Weekly private lessons are $218, $320, or $350 a month for 30, 45, or 60 minutes: 34 lessons from September to June, paid in ten monthly payments. Registration is $50 per family each year. See all prices
Not sure where to start?
Book a free Meet & Greet. You’ll meet your teacher, discuss your goals, and explore a learning plan for you or your child.
Book a Free Meet & Greet Try a $50 trial lesson or call 604-741-2935