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Lessons at Tapestry Music Victoria
Due to the current COVID-19 situation and for the safety of our students, we are offering limited in-person lessons for violin, viola, piano, ukulele, guitar, and bass. All other lessons are only online at this time. Please e-mail [email protected] with your name and phone number so we can contact you.
What We Offer
We currently offer private lessons in flute, clarinet, saxophone, violin, viola, cello, ukulele, piano, guitar, bass (electric or stand-up) voice, trumpet, baritone, tuba, trombone, and french horn.
LOCATION
We have 3 teaching studios in our Victoria location at #3-772 Bay Street.
FEES
Lessons are taught one-on-one.
The fee is $25/half hour, $37.50/45 min., or $50/hour, paid each month in advance.
SCHEDULES
Come every week or drop in. You're free to choose your own schedule!
Lesson Times
- 3 pm to 6 pm Monday to Friday
- 10 am to 6 pm Saturdays
Lessons before 3 pm on weekdays may also be available. Please call 250-590-0752 to inquire.
REGISTRATION
A completed and signed registration form is required before lessons commence. If doing in-person lessons a covid policy form will be required as well.
Call (250) 590-0752 to reserve your time! A registration form and first payment must be made before lessons commence.
Peter Caton - Cello (online lessons only)
Cellist Peter Caton attended the University of Western Ontario where he
received his Bachelor of Music degree with Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. While attending
the Banff Centre he worked with many distinguished artists including Janos
Starker, Zara Nelsova, the Orford String Quartet,and Gyorgy Sebok. He later
received his Master of Music degree from the University of Victoria where he
studied with Hanna Dedecius and James Hunter.
While attending the University
of Victoria, he won the annual concerto competition, performing Haydn’s Cello
Concerto in C.
He has played with the orchestras of London, Ontario, Windsor, Victoria,
Kelowna and Prince George and was a teaching assistant to both Tsuyoshi
Tsutsumi and James Hunter. He spent thirty years working in Vancouver as a
freelance cellist, teacher and arranger, and currently plays with the Vancouver
Opera Orchestra.
Monique Fink - Violin, Viola, Cello
Monique is a classically trained cellist of 34 years, with a Bachelor's Degree in Music from the University of Victoria. She began studying music at four years old with the Suzuki method. She has first class honors in many Royal Conservatory of Music Exams in both cello and piano. She has also been playing fiddle since 2008. She has been teaching music since 2004. She teaches cello from beginner to advanced levels, as well as violin and viola from beginner to intermediate levels in both classical and fiddle styles, and is very familiar with the Victoria school strings program. During the summer months, Monique can be seen busking on Government Street.
Yumeka Hildreth - Voice
A recent post-graduate from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, Yumeka began her post-secondary music studies at the New Zealand School of Music, and at UVic School of Music. Since completing a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours and an LTCL, she has tutored voice at schools, assisted and conducted primary and secondary school choirs, and tutored youth with special needs in the music community programme StarJam. As a singer, she had her first major role as a treble solo in Mendelssohn’s Elijah in the 2013 Christchurch Arts Festival. She was a chorus member for the New Zealand Opera, and has performed in masterclasses of Simon O'Neill ONZM, Randall Scotting, and Ashraf Sewailam.
Yumeka primarily specialises in a classical approach to singing, but is also experienced in other genres such as pop, jazz, and rock. She is able to assist with piano accompaniment, language and diction, and music theory. A typical voice lesson will include vocal exercises/warm-ups for vocal health, sight-reading, and vocal technical work on pieces. At Tapestry Music, Yumeka is looking forward to continuing to contribute to her students’ musical journey and development.
Nancy Hilton - Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Voice
Nancy teaches students of all ages in voice, guitar, and piano. Her instruction includes all aspects of music including music theory, ear training, and rehearsal and performance techniques. Nancy is proficient in all styles of music including classical, jazz, folk, rock, blues and pop. As an adjunct professor, she has taught at the college level and works well with beginners to advanced students. Nancy is a friendly and outgoing instructor who strives to make learning music an enlightening and enjoyable experience. We are happy to offer this outstanding teacher to our students.
Nancy received her degree in Music from Berklee College of Music in Boston. She has taken master classes with many top musicians and teachers, including Quincy Jones, Barry Manilow, Cleo Lane, and Buddy Rich. Nancy also studied privately with President Kennedy's renowned voice therapist, David Blair McClousky, at the New England Conservatory of Music. She has produced music programs around the world such as PBS's "Bahia, Africa in the Americas", BET's "Reggae Sunsplash." and The Newport Tall Ships Music Festival.
Nancy received her degree in Music from Berklee College of Music in Boston. She has taken master classes with many top musicians and teachers, including Quincy Jones, Barry Manilow, Cleo Lane, and Buddy Rich. Nancy also studied privately with President Kennedy's renowned voice therapist, David Blair McClousky, at the New England Conservatory of Music. She has produced music programs around the world such as PBS's "Bahia, Africa in the Americas", BET's "Reggae Sunsplash." and The Newport Tall Ships Music Festival.
Emerson Jong - Saxophone
Emerson Jong is currently a 2nd year Music Education Student at the University of Victoria and was recently graduated from Kwantlen Polytechnic University with a Diploma in Music. His primary instrument is the saxophone. His musical journey started when he was 6 years old, when he started to play the flute. Although saxophone and flute are his main instruments, he also loves to play the tuba and the French horn. He would love to pass his passion in music on to young musicians and assist them on goals such as developing musicianship, appreciation of music, and expressing themselves through their instruments.
Nima Kolmohammadi - Classical/Acoustic Guitar
Nima completed his Bachelor's degree in guitar performance at Tehran University of Art and began his Master's degree in guitar performance at University of Victoria in 2018. His most recent performances in 2019 include: classical guitar recital at Phillip T. Young Recital Hall and performing at Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival (GVPAF).
Nima has been teaching guitar (classical, pop, rock) as well as music theory for over 15 years. Studying many guitar methods and genres, as well as teaching to many students of different ages and interests has helped Nima become a very experienced and professional music instructor.
Ben Litzcke - Clarinet
Ben studied clarinet with Patricia Kostek at the University of Victoria and graduated with a Bachelor of Music in 2013. He has been teaching clarinet privately since 2017, and has also taught clarinet clinics at several middle and high schools throughout Greater Victoria.
After a decade of fixing the bad habits he picked up as a young player, Ben knows the value of getting the fundamentals right the first time! He has lots of experience starting beginners off with all the tools they need, and helping more experienced players overcome difficulties that may have been holding them back for years. Regardless of a student’s age, skill, or experience level, Ben is committed to helping them make the best music possible.
You may have seen Ben playing or conducting in nearly every community band and orchestra in town at one time or another. Ben believes strongly in supporting community music and the importance of creating spaces where every player can learn and grow as a musician. Through teaching at Tapestry, he hopes to build even more opportunities for clarinet players to connect, learn from each other, and make music together.
After a decade of fixing the bad habits he picked up as a young player, Ben knows the value of getting the fundamentals right the first time! He has lots of experience starting beginners off with all the tools they need, and helping more experienced players overcome difficulties that may have been holding them back for years. Regardless of a student’s age, skill, or experience level, Ben is committed to helping them make the best music possible.
You may have seen Ben playing or conducting in nearly every community band and orchestra in town at one time or another. Ben believes strongly in supporting community music and the importance of creating spaces where every player can learn and grow as a musician. Through teaching at Tapestry, he hopes to build even more opportunities for clarinet players to connect, learn from each other, and make music together.
Nick Mintenko - Electric Bass, Stand-up Bass, Guitar, Music Theory, Songwriting Hello! My Name is Nick, and I have been teaching music lessons since 2012. I started out by showing some friends of mine how to play a few songs on guitar and quickly decided that I wanted teaching to be a part of my life. I live for that eureka moment as a teacher, when I can see a student suddenly understand a song, a method, or a concept. I am happy to delve deep into music theory with you, get started with the basics, or leave it alone all together. Music theory is a great tool, but it is not necessary to have music be a huge piece of your life. For instance, some of my favourite composers can’t read music. I learned from Victor Wooten long ago to think of music as a language, and the first steps we take when we learn English are to speak with our family and imitate them, not punctuation or syntax. I believe that every person has their own method of learning that works best for them, and I will endeavour to find that best method for each person I meet.
Now for a little about me. I myself began in music by starting with theory and sight reading from a very early age, until I was about 12. I actually grew frustrated and left it behind for many years as a young adult. It was only later when I rediscovered music for myself as a teenager by listening to the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and the Rolling Stones, that I became interested in playing again. I then spend four or five years as a member of the Vic High RnB band and The Midnights. There I studied all music RnB, Funk, and Motown, and learned perhaps over 300 songs in the genre. I came into Jazz music on my own but quite by accident. I mistakenly listened to John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme”. I was completely taken by the raw emotion, improvisation, and expression of their music. I immediately rented my own double bass and enrolled in the Jazz Diploma Program at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. There I learned most of my foundational music theory knowledge. I learned arrangement, ear training, scales, harmony, improvisation, sight singing, composition, song form, and many other things. I also learned many bass techniques and methods by studying with the Victoria legend Joey Smith. We worked largely with Ray Browns Bass method. Since graduating in 2013 I have taught independently (2013-present), and at Larsen Music (2012-2016), as well as South Island Studio (2014-2016), and I have recently filled in for a few teachers at the West Shore Academy of Music. I have also toured Canada, the US, and Europe with Jazz, and Folk groups. I have co-written, co arranged, recorded and released eight or more studio albums with various groups, as well as many other singles, and short releases in genres including Folk, Funk, Pop, RnB, Jazz, and more. I have composed, recorded, and released twenty of my own songs under my own name, hopefully with more to come.
I am really excited to be a teacher with Tapestry Music, as many people involved here in Victoria are my longstanding friends. I look forward to meeting with you and playing some music together!
Gillian Ramage - Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, Low Brass
Gillian is going into her fourth year as a brass student majoring in Music Education at the University of Victoria. While her primary instrument is french horn, she has a love of all things brass, and is always looking to share this love with others. At UVic, she has been a member of both the Wind Symphony and Orchestra, as well as various chamber music ensembles. Outside of school, she has been in the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra, most notably during their performance of Smetana's 'Ma Vlast'. Gillian's musical education began with piano in the third grade, before starting junior high school band in grade 7. It was in this band that she developed her passion for brass instruments. Gillian's primary focus in teaching is developing a good foundation through proper fundamental techniques, to help students achieve success. She has taught students of every skill level, and loves to teach no matter the students age or skill level!
Charmaine Tai - Flute
Charmaine Tai most recently received her Master of Music in flute performance from the University of Victoria, where she held the positions of principal flute for both the UVic Orchestra and the UVic Wind Symphony. She has also performed with the Greater Youth Orchestra and the High Notes Flute Choir, and has led flute clinics for high school band students on Vancouver Island and in the Fraser Valley. Charmaine’s musical education started with the piano at the age of five, and she began studying flute when she was ten. She hopes that through learning proper fundamental techniques, students will build confidence and grow in their enjoyment of making music.
Cleo Yong - Violin, Viola
Gaining recognition for her musical diversity, Cleo is a violinist and violist that performs regularly on Vancouver Island and in Greater Vancouver. Based in Victoria, BC, Cleo is in her fourth year of music studies at the University of Victoria. She has participated and performed in the International Festival of Music in Naolinco, Mexico, and as a soloist and ensemble musician in the USA and Canada. She has been teaching musicians of all ages as a private teacher as well as in orchestral sectionals since 2015. She mainly teaches the Suzuki Method, Royal Conservatory of Music, and adds in her own technique and historical context. Cleo enjoys guiding and inspiring her students in their musical learning adventure.