About Sydney
Sydney is an accomplished bassoon and piano teacher offering lessons both in her studio, online, and in students' homes. Her musical education is extensive and diverse, highlighted by her studies at prestigious institutions such as the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music. Sydney is furthering her academic pursuits in Interdisciplinary Arts at the University of Ottawa, focusing on Music, Bassoon, Piano, and Composition. She provides comprehensive bassoon, piano, and ear training lessons, welcoming students of all ages. Fluent in English, Sydney emphasizes a holistic and insightful approach to music that enriches the student’s experience. Book an interview to learn from Sydney in a setting that best suits your needs.
BOOK AN INTERVIEW WITH SYDNEY NOW
Musical education provides a sense of insight to oneself, others and the world around us. It teaches us to have a special kind of capacity to feel and understand emotions and characteristics in a universal language. Music not only brings forth comfort, creativity and passion but can provide us with an enlightened way of thinking. Each instrument requires a specific set of attention to technique and physical ability that will allow human beings to connect with it. Being able to study music and perform is a connection between the physical self, mental self and emotional self. My goal as an artist and music teacher is to be able to show my students the beauty of music and all of the many attributes that are connected to the pursuit of a musical and instrumental education. I strive to create a comfortable and accommodating lesson space for all of my students and hope to assist in sparking creativity and happiness while studying this thrilling art form.
Name: Sydney (Full name will be provided upon registration)
Age: 24
Gender: female
I started my musical journey at the age of three with classical piano and composition through self-taught study. By the age of ten I started formal classical music training on the bassoon under the instruction JoAnn Simpson and under the baton of John Gomez in the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy as principal bassoonist of the Ottawa Youth Orchestra. Throughout my years in the academy, I became a mentor for the beginner bassoon program and took lessons on piano with Judy Ginsburg and through Canterbury High School. I also worked in collaboration with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Ottawa Symphony Orchestra where I had the privilege to perform under the baton of Alexander Shelly. In 2016 I began teaching as a wind quintet instructor at La Conservatoire de Musique in Gatineau, Quebec and as a bassoon teacher through the Orkidstra program. In 2018 I became a featured solo pianist where I performed my compositions for the C4 Productions events and started my own private piano and bassoon studio. From there I moved to Toronto to pursue bassoon instruction under Glenn Einschlag at the Royal Conservatory of music. Throughout my first year there I decided to branch out and study at the University of Montreal under Mathieu Lussier. In 2019 I worked as principal bassoon of the Northumberland orchestra and continued my musical pursuits which lead me to the Curtis Institute of Music where I received my Certificate of Music for completion of their intensive summer program. As of 2021 I changed my focus to Interdisciplinary Arts at the University of Ottawa where I am now studying Music, Bassoon, Piano, Composition as well as other fields of interest. I currently run a private piano and bassoon studio and am hoping to share my teachings with more students while I finish my degree and pursue my Masters and PHD.
English
Rates and Studio Policies
Registration Fee: $25.00 (One-time lifetime registration fee may be used by all family members)
Rates for instruction:
30 minute private lesson: $39.00
45 minute private lesson: $49.00
60 minute private lesson: $59.00
Travel charge: additional $15.00 per visit (for lessons in a client's home as opposed to my studio)
1. Cancellation Policy
Lessons not cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice are billable to the client and payable to the teacher. This does not of course apply to travel fees unless the notice is effectively given at the door and the teacher has travelled to the location.
2. Cessation (quitting) Policy
A client must provide a 2 lesson notice period to stop lessons. So a weekly student needs to give 2 weeks of notice, a biweekly student works out to 3 weeks notice and a twice weekly student works out to a week of notice.
3. Illness Policy
Lessons cancelled due to illness or extraordinary circumstances with less than 24 hours notice remain billable to the client and payable to the teacher.
BAH teachers are encouraged to offer a make-up lesson at a future date in the interest of client relations and general goodwill. This only makes sense as teaching a student with the flu for example, will ruin the rest of your week's employment.
No more than 2 lessons may be made up due to illness within a 60 day period.
4. Rescheduling Policy
Any lesson can be cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice.
Summer Vacation and Extended Absence Policy
Clients may schedule longer absences for trips etc. 24 hours notice is required.
It is normal and typical for students and about 20% of our teachers to schedule a break in the summer. We do not enforce a notice period (see cessation of lessons) at the end of a long summer break.
5. Evaluation Period
There are no free trial lessons with Beethoven at Home but we do offer a 2 lesson evaluation period where it is easy to try out a teacher. There are no free lessons during the evaluation period and clients may choose to discontinue the lessons at any time by providing the required 24 hours notice. After the student's 3rd lesson the required 2 lesson notice period will apply (see cessation of lessons above).
Lessons in your home
Sydney is available to teach in your home if you are located in the following areas
Online lessons
Sydney can provide online instruction. While other platforms are possible BAH strongly recommends the use of the Zoom video conferencing platform as it is optimized for music lessons and audio quality.
Sydney's Studio Location
Sydney offers lessons from her studio. Please note that map locations are based on the postal code of the teachers studio. address will be released to you if needed.