Meet Alison

Alison began her music teaching career more than thirty years ago while doing her B.Mus. and B. Ed. at Mount Alison University in Sackville, NB. Alison completed a Master of Education degree (focus in music education) from Memorial University in 2017. Since then, she has been keeping her learning up-to-date through informal learning, and through various webinars and workshops. She has played in symphonic band and small ensembles and sung in festival and chamber choirs, as well as in musical theatre productions.  Since graduating from Mount Allison, she has focused on teaching privately but has also taught classroom music, (as well as English and social studies), school instrumental band and choral, conducted the Corner Brook Community Band, and directed a church choir. Her private teaching areas have included piano, clarinet, saxophone, flute and voice.  She has also taught theory and aural skills to students preparing for university music programs.  

Alison began her music training under a traditional European system.  Believing that education in the twenty-first century requires a new approach, she prefers a more-relaxed warm, child-centered environment.  She values nurturing the whole child and emphasizing relationship first, while maintaining high expectations and expecting commitment from both students and parents.

Alison’s students come from all walks of life and range in age from five to 50 +.  While most students focus on classical music, Alison also includes some popular music, improvisation and playing-by-ear.  Students are strongly encouraged to perform in casual and traditional recitals and music festivals although not required to do so.  Her students regularly win awards in music festivals and many of her students have studied with her throughout their school years, and are now involved in music as adults.  

In 2016 Alison won the Dr. Franklin Churchley national essay contest with an essay entitled “Motivation in the Private Music Studio which was published in the Canadian Music Educator’s Journal. (See excerpt here).   She is a member of the Corner Brook Rotary Music Festival Committee, the Newfoundland and Labrador Music Special Interest Council and is on the executive of the Newfoundland and Labrador Registered Music Teachers’ Association.

An interest in neuroscience and much related study has helped Alison find brain-friendly teaching and learning strategies which greatly benefit students’ motivation and progress, helping students get the most out of their lessons and practice time.  She sees music as not only valuable in itself, but as a vehicle for personal growth, character development and self-fulfillment which assists students in leading enriched lives and being contributing members of society.