Our Teachers

Cole Smith
Cole (he/him) approaches music with jazz training, genre fluidity and a teaching style that emphasizes the importance of groove, feeling and having fun. The experience Cole has ranges from playing trombone in big bands and dj-ing at electronic music festivals, to curating local shows and playing bass in an instrumental trio. His BMus in Jazz Studies provides him with a deep knowledge of technique, ear training, arrangement, improvisation, theory and performance. With an ability to teach guitar and bass from beginner to advanced, Cole also offers beginner piano lessons. Outside of teaching,...

Amir Alrishan
Amir (he/him) is a classical guitarist from Syria. He started practicing the guitar when he was 17
years old. He joined the high institute of music in Syria and finished 3 out of 5 years studying
classical music before being granted refugee status in Canada. He learned how to perform on
guitar and piano in the institute while also playing chamber music and singing in the chorus with
The Syrian National Symphony Orchestra. Amir participated in Yes Academy Lebanon for 2
years where he learn the gift of sharing music with others from the composer, classical guitarist,
and storyteller Ms. ...

Matthew Stott
Matthew (he/him) is a post-secondary student studying classical guitar at University of Victoria. He is classically trained in guitar and able to play other fretted instruments, including ukulele and bass. He has experience in studio recording and songwriting as well. He has been playing classical guitar since he was 14 and has been playing in public since. Matthew has also competed in the Performing Arts BC Provincial Festival 2018 for classical guitar and received an award for 1st place in contemporary classical voice in the Kiwanis Music Festival 2018 Classical Voice. He is comfortable wi...

Daniil Melnicenco
Daniil (he/him) is daily empowered by the idea of inspiring others through music. Growing up in a family surrounded by musicians: mother a devoted pianist, violinist cousin who toured the world with some of the best orchestras, godfather who sings for and co-leads the national music ensemble of Moldova. Daniil teaches guitar, voice, and music theory to beginners and intermediate students alike with a student-led approach that’s empowering and accessible. As a music teacher, Daniil is constantly striving for self-improvement and is continuously learning new skills to better cater to the nee...

Hart Parnell
With a passion for music encompassing multiple styles, Hart Parnell (he/him) combines classical training with years of playing in rock and blues bands. Having studied under classical guitar virtuoso Alex Dunn, Hart graduated from UVic with a BMus (2017). Equipped to teach guitar of all styles, ukulele, bass and piano, Hart believes everyone deserves the opportunity to learn to play music and has had great success with students with ADD, ADHD and other diverse abilities in the past. Hart’s lessons focus on fun and enjoyment for the student while sprinkling in basic music theory. He's happy to...

Ian Sirias
Ian Sirias (he/him) is an accomplished pianist, teacher and musician. He has been actively teaching and performing piano and guitar on the island for over 10 years. Ian received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Victoria as well as a Diploma from the Victoria Conservatory of Music. On top of being classically trained, Ian teaches a variety of styles including rock, jazz and more. Students have remarked on Ian's easy going and fun nature that allows for an engaging and interactive learning experience. Ian takes great pride in his work to bring the joy of music into peoples lives.

Rhys Batstone
Instruments:
Piano
Raised in Victoria, Rhys Batstone has been an active and passionate member of the musical community here and in Vancouver for 25 years. He is a specialist in Jazz and improvised music both as a saxophonist and pianist. In addition, Rhys loves to explore choral music and singing as well as instrumental genres from blues & roots music to latin music, including music from the Western European Classical tradition. Rhys also loves to explore and learn about other musical traditions from across the globe. Upon completion of his degree from UVic in Music Education this spring, Rhys looks forward t...

Melissa Bracken
"Online Only"
Sharing music and knowledge with students is Melissa’s passion. Melissa (she/her) is a multi-instrumentalist offering Piano lessons, Voice lessons, Ukulele lessons and more in Victoria, BC. For over a decade, she has enjoyed teaching a variety of genres, age groups and subject matter. Melissa continuously learns new skills to provide personalized lessons that cater a wide variety of interests and needs of her students. As a performer, Melissa has experience with many local bands, choirs and theatrical companies, as well as preforms individually as Melaura. Her educati...

Savannah Read
Savannah (she/her) grew up in a musical household where she began singing and playing guitar at the age of five. Her love for music quickly led her to sing in choirs, talent shows, bands, and even and even to start writing her own music. Currently, Savannah is completing her Bachelor’s of Music in voice at UVic where she has gained experience in a wide variety of genres including, contemporary, jazz, classical, and musical theatre. She is also proficient in the world of music production and recording software, and has been successful in releasing her own music. Savannah strives to create a w...

Katherine Allen
Waitlist Only
Katherine (she/her) fell in love with music at the age of 12 when she started taking voice lessons, and her passion only grew as she spent the rest of her childhood and teenage years in choirs, musicals and competitions. This passion led her to pursue music at a post-secondary level, where she completed her bachelor's of music degree at UVic. Inspired by the amazing teachers that consistently shaped the trajectory of her life, Katherine prioritizes creating a welcoming, fun and judgment-free teaching space. She has gained expertise in many different genres including classical, musical theatre,...

Greg Baan-Meiklejohn
Instruments:
Voice
Greg's (he/him) environment is a fun environment. he's had every kind of lesson, teacher, gig or musical experience you can think of. From his studies at Berklee College of Music, to playing over 500 shows locally(and counting), he will give you a real world experience with the technique to back it up, while recognizing the only way to learn is to have fun doing it.
He wants you to know that when you learn from him, whether it’s to make you the best singer you can be or to play music for you in the best way he knows how, he gives it his all. So have fun learning together!
*Triple Vaxxed*

Mela Cheung
Mela is an accomplished musician with a passion for working musically with learners of all different backgrounds. She started learning piano at the age of 4, then violin and choral work at the age of 8.
Starting with an RCM background and moving onto pursue her bachelors of music and minor in psychology at UVic, Mela has acquired a vast amount of experience to aid in her teaching. Mela has worked with children for years, and her previous involvement has allowed her to develop a deep understanding in actively incorporating music into the lives of her students, in an engaging and fun way. She h...

Drew Redman
Waitlist Only
Drew Redman (he/him) is an award winning composer who is offering Guitar lessons, Piano lessons, Ukulele Lessons and more in Victoria, BC. With an interest in both acoustic and electronic music, Drew's work has garnered him skills ranging from orchestration to sound design, giving him a varied flexibility in compositional styles. He received his BFA in music composition from Simon Fraser University in 2011, and his MMus summa cum laude in scoring for film, television, and video games from Berklee College of Music in 2014. Since then, he has worked on various video games, advertisements, and fi...

Jaime Kozak
Jaime (she/her) is a gentle, expressive musician obsessed with the beauty that surrounds her.
Having studied voice since she was 4 years old, Jaime has an array of experience in musical arts including worship leading, songwriting and recording, seniors-residence entertainment, sound meditation, scholarly choir/chorale work, and classical singing.
The classical training that Jaime recieved while completing her bachelor's of music degree at uvic has engrained in her a universal understanding of the fundamentals of most western music. Therefore, She is happy to teach anything from RCM classic...

Jesse Horwood
Waitlist Only
I wear many hats in my life. I’m a father, a husband, a musician, a band leader/manager, a board member for the Victoria BC Ska and Reggae Society, and I’m now adding local business owner to the mix. One role that I’ve played for the past 17 years is that of a music teacher.
Throughout the years I’ve learned a lot about students of all ages and backgrounds. I generally let the students guide the lesson while steering them towards the all important balance between fun and discipline.
*Please note that Jesse is currently at capacity and not accepting any new students* ...

Jerry Xiong
Waitlist Only
Instruments:
Piano
Jerry (he/him) is a 3rd year UVic School of Music Piano Performance major with over 6 years of piano teaching experience. Since 2015, Jerry started teaching piano privately to young children increasing his ability to teach as well as perform, he has a very strong aspect on teaching piano just as much as performing. Jerry's students have gone on to achieve first class honours with distinction in Royal Conservatory of Music examinations, as well as first prizes in musical competitions. Jerry wishes to share his experiences with music with the world and to inspire youths to understand and have in...

May Basbaum
May is a music student at the University of Victoria with a passion for music, and has actively pursued various roles in Victoria’s music community; She has performed at both the Victoria Musical Garden Tour and the Victoria Performing Arts Festival. May has studied at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for ten years with Erin Fisher and recently completed her level 10 RCM certificate, Music History studies and Counterpoint. She highly values the skill and patience required to learn new instruments and is excited to share the gift of music. She looks forward to connecting with students of al...