— About Me —
I grew up in a musical family, inspired by my Opa who traveled across Holland in a barbershop quartet. My mother often led music in church and by the time I was 9, I found myself accompanying her on the piano and singing harmony…a great way to grow up. Following the RCM curriculum, I passed the Grade 10 piano exam towards the end of high school and went on to pursue my ARCT in performance as a student at the conservatory in Toronto, studying both piano and voice.
Throughout my years as a professional in television and radio production, and then as a full time parent, exploring music was a part of daily rhythms but it wasn't until the opportunity came to conduct a children’s choir at my church that music once again took centre stage. To see music through the eyes of children expressing themselves in a new way, I was mobilized to return to teaching and am delighted to balance a coaching practice of voice students in my home studio with the directing of choral programs at St. James Music Academy. The children and youth I sing with inspire as I witness both growth and transformation. By engaging musically, they are enhancing their emotional wellbeing in the digital world we all find ourselves in. Pathways have also opened up to support creative aging and life enrichment for adults through choral singing at the BC Brain Wellness Program. More and more research is being done in this field and the landscape is rich with opportunities to offer care through music. The universal language of music is making connections inter-generationally and I couldn’t be more grateful.
When I'm not playing music, I love to cook, bake pie, and make jam to a soundtrack of Chopin: my favourite herb is sage. I love to swim endless lengths in a pool: my favourite stroke is backstroke. I love being a mother to the four I have been blessed with: my favourite dancing partner is their father.
