qualified piano teachers offer Other, page 52

At MuseSync Studio, your musical evolution begins with Ivan – your friendly, fun-loving,
and uniquely creative teacher!
Dive into tailored lessons that groove to your rhythm, exploring engaging teaching methods specially designed for your musical journey.
Ivan’s approach is about unlocking your potential with tailored repertoire and crafty technical exercises infused with just the right dose of music theory to fine-tune your skills.
Beyond the keys, Ivan is your guide, navigating through RCM levels and
piano competitions, sculpting a
well-rounded musical education.
With his infectious enthusiasm and a supportive atmosphere, your musical growth becomes
a thrilling adventure!

ABOUT IVAN KOLAR
Ivan began his musical journey in Croatia,
where he obtained his Master's degree in
Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy.
This accomplishment was guided by
Professor Marina Ambokadze,
a renowned expert
in the LISZT-ZILOTI piano technique
and an artistic adviser to pianist Ivo Pogorelić.
In 2008, he started working
as a Piano Professor
at the Varazdin School of Music.
His students have graced stages
across Europe, performing as soloists
or with orchestras,
excelling in both domestic and international
piano competitions, securing over
50 gold awards
throughout his career in Croatia.
Upon relocating to Vancouver, Ivan further enriches his teaching profession by becoming a faculty member at the well-known
Dio Piano School.
In 2023, his students achieved
a remarkable results by winning seven gold medals, with two of them earning the highest marks and becoming laureates in their categories at both the BCCM and
Sea to Sky International Music Festivals.

I have been teaching Piano for over 35 years. When I first started I was teaching at an All Girls School in Toronto Ontario in the Music Department there. I also taught in England, UK, Burlington, Ontario and then moved to Kelowna and taught there. I now live in Cranbrook, British Columbia and have been teaching here for the past 16 years.
I have a ARCT, BA and Masters in Music Education. I prepare my piano students for RCM (Royal Conservatory of Music
Piano Exams from Beginner through Advanced. I myself play: The Piano, Guitar, Flute, Oboe, and teach: Piano, Flute and Voice in my Music Studio in my home. My main instrument is the Piano. I also have experience with composition and melody writing and took several courses in Toronto, Ontario at Toronto University.

At Christmas I tape my student performances and share them with my students parents and with their permission I
also share these videos on Facebook and Instagram.

I believe that music has the power to move people in fundamental, inexplicable ways. I believe that we are all musical souls with our original ideas. I believe in the creativity and musical honesty of our children, and that a good teacher can energize and give voice to that creativity.

The love of music is innate, but fostering that love through lessons leads to the development of the student's own voice, confidence, and commitment. I find that frequent performance opportunities and recitals encourage children's performance abilities and self-esteem, building a sense of community among the students. I encourage young musicians to choose and play pieces of music that speak to their souls, with my task being to help them get ahead in any type of music they choose. Experience has shown me that theory, composition, and musical arrangement are vital to becoming a well-rounded musician, and a strong technical foundation is necessary in order to express one's artistry.

I serve on the faculty of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and hold Masters and Doctorate degrees from the USC Thornton School of Music, where I studied piano performance, collaboration, and pedagogy on scholarship. My undergraduate degree is from the San Francisco Conservatory and I attended the highly competitive Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and the Colburn School.

I have been teaching piano for 25 years, having served on the faculties of the Munich International School, the San Domenico School, the Lark Musical Society, the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, and the Artetonal Schule für Musik. I see that students do well in a supportive, encouraging, motivating environment. This environment has helped my students win competitions including the PTA Reflections Music Composition Competition and the Armenian Allied Arts Songwriting/Composition Competition. As a pianist I have won prestigious competitions, including the US Open Music Competition, the Leni FéBland Foundation Competition, the Armenian Allied Arts Competition, and the MTAC VOCE Competition. I have played with or for artists including Midori, Felicia Weathers, Eleanor Schönfeld, Alice Schönfeld, Ron Leonard, and Martin Chalifour. My teachers include Kevin Fitz-Gerald, Stewart Gordon, Antoinette Perry, James Bonn, Laurette Goldberg and Lucinda Carver (harpischord), Mack McCray, Polli Chambers-Salazar, Caroline Oltmanns, Timothy Ehlen, and Natalie Dalschaert.

In teaching, I put great emphasis upon public performances, organizing several large recitals per year, and I keep my prices comparably low because I am trying to recruit students who are dedicated and hard workers, though not necessarily born into great privilege. In protecting my students' privacy, you will not see pictures of them on my website or on my social media pages. But I am extremely proud of my current and former students, whose years of study have helped prepare them for institutions including Yale, Brown, Berkeley, Juilliard, Duke, Northwestern, USC, UCLA, UCSD, Polytechnic Academy, CAMS, and Eton.

My publications include My First Armenian Songbook and Asdghig Wants to Grow Up Quickly, which won the most prestigious prize for Western Armenian literature, the Tölölyan Prize (2021). I work as a collaborator with instrumentalists and singers. I teach languages to opera singers and also offer piano lessons in multiple languages: German, Italian, Armenian, Spanish, and English (native speaker).

Lessons vary between 45 and 90 minutes in length, depending on level. I help prepare students for the Royal Conservatory of Music and am recommended by RCM as a teacher whose students have consistently perform at high levels.

I believe that music is a source of light in the world. Teaching children to understand the language of music will enrich their lives with a deeper understanding of culture, art, and aesthetics, and will illuminate the future for all of us. I teach in person and virtually and may be contacted below for piano lessons below. My current waitlist for lesson during school hours is three years' long, but I have room for adults and homeschooled children available during school hours.

Laura Harding, NCTM, is a piano teacher located in Alexandria, Minnesota. She earned a master’s degree in piano pedagogy from the University of St. Thomas. Laura is dedicated to helping her students become lifelong musicians. She serves as the treasurer of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association Foundation Board, and is a member of the MMTA Representation, Advocacy and Belonging Committee, the Theory Development Committee, the Alexandria Area Music Teachers Association, and the Association of Professional Piano Instructors. Additionally, Laura is a member of the RCM College of Examiners and works as an adjunct piano instructor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.

An accomplished pianist, piano teacher, accompanist, artist of chamber ensemble of Russian origin.
More than 20 years of experience as music teacher, piano accompanist, soloist.
Excellent sight reading, including partitur, transpose, play by hear, have a lot of experience working as accompanist (with vocalist, ensemble, choir) and as a music teacher at a professional level.