Our Teaching Staff

Violin

"I always hope that my students will continue living with music regardless of whether they will become professional musicians or not. Music instills spiritual harmony and a creative attitude to life allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of the world around."

Holding the Master of Music degree from Glinka State Conservatory in Russia, Anna performed with the Nizhny Novgorod State Philharmonic Orchestra for several years as First Violinist. She also taught violin to secondary school students and worked with other orchestras touring France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and the Scandinavian countries. Among the highlights of her artistic career are joint performances with M. Rastropovich and Y. Bashmet. In Canada, Anna continued teaching at musical schools, delivering private lessons, and performing with Sinfonia Toronto, Oshawa Symphony, Brampton Symphony, Oakville symphony, Koffler Chamber orchestra and others.

Voice, Piano

"With music we can share our feelings and open a window on the inner world of our souls"

Valentyna graduated from Gorky State Conservatory (Gorky, Russia) as a choir conductor and piano instructor. She worked with choirs leading them to successful performances in national competitions. For over twenty-five years she worked in a Kiev teacher’s college teaching piano, voice and music theory. Valentyna and her husband Yosyp moved to Canada in 2001. She is now a Canadian citizen and she has continued her career as piano and voice instructor and choral conductor. Valentyna has had many successes with her students, one of whom won the prestigious Silver Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She has been teaching at Manotick School of Music since 2002.

Piano

"For me the best musical experiences come with the exploration of new musical styles and types. The most important things for students to bring to their music lessons are curiosity, open mindedness and a desire to discover."

Bill completed his piano studies with the Royal Conservatory of Music and graduated with a Bachelor of Music from Carleton University. His diverse musical activities have included performing Classical and Jazz piano and Rock keyboards, recording, accompanying, choral work and directing musical ensembles of various kinds. He has a keen interest in different musical styles and genres including music from other parts of the world. Bill has taught piano and electronic keyboards privately in the Ottawa area for the past twenty years. He founded the Manotick School of Music in 1991.

Guitar

"Musicians are not workers, nor are we practitioners: we are players. Accordingly, music should be understood primarily not as work, or practice; but play."

David has been playing, writing, and performing for over 35 years. He has played clarinet for the R.C.M.P.’s musical ride, piano at a Greek restaurant and on the stage of Ottawa’s legendary Le Hibou coffehouse, and he has played guitar in hundreds of venues and festivals across North America. The producer of Austin Celtics, a compilation of Celtic music featuring musicians from Austin, Texas, David has been a featured player on The Best of Celtic and was Hornpipe Magazine’s main music reviewer for seven years. Currently he plays guitar and vocals in Widening Gyre, a Celtic-Canadian fusion band. David teaches primarily folk, singer-songwriter, classic rock, Celtic and fingerstyle acoustic guitar. His academic credentials include BA, MA (York), MA, PhD (USC), and he has lectured at York University, USC, University of Texas (Austin) and Carleton University (Ottawa).

Voice, Piano

"Singing lets my spirit soar, and allows my true essence , my true self, to fly free."

Heather has been a part of the Ottawa and Montreal music scenes for many years. She has sung with the foremost choral ensembles in the area, including the Cantata Singers of Ottawa, Musica Divina, the Notre Dame Basilica Schola and fifteen seasons with the Opera Lyra Chorus. She has also sung in smaller Jazz vocal ensembles and madrigal groups. Her solo work has included eleven years as a church soloist and as an understudy for Opera Lyra. As a youngster Heather sang with the Ottawa Central Choir and the Regional Youth Choir. Her more advanced training included Operatic study under Maria Pellegrini specializing in the Italian Bel Canto vocal technique. Heather is also an accomplished piano recitalist and accompanist with experience and training in Classical piano, Jazz styles and improvisation. Heather has been a teacher at the Manotick School of Music for the past ten years.

Drums

"Music is the best."

-Frank Zappa

"Drums are the best."

-Jamie Gullikson

Jamie has played a lot of music in his life. He has been lucky enough to work with choirs, dancers, big bands, jazz combos, experimental musicians, poets as well as many bands from rock to reggae to Dixieland. He has done workshops with people with special needs, dancers as well as Balinese Gamelan. Jamie is a proud member of Gamelan Semara Winangun a community group devoted to playing Balinese music. He currently thumps the tubs for musical maniacs, "The Flaps".

Trumpet

"I have a great deal of experience from my years in Ukraine and I wish to bring this experience to my Canadian students."

Yosyp came to Canada in 2001 after a long and distinguished career as a musician and teacher in Ukraine and Russia. As a part of that rich and vibrant musical world Yosyp played in song and dance bands, symphony orchestras and opera and ballet theatres including more than 25 years with the Symphony Orchestra at the Kiev Operetta. Yosyp was also a full-time teacher at several music colleges in Ukraine. He continues to be a member of the Ukrainian Guild of Professional Trumpeters. Yosyp is now a Canadian citizen and he has continued his musical activities in this part of the world as a teacher and performer. He currently plays in the Maple Leaf Brass Band, performs regularly at his church and teaches. He has been with the Manotick School of Music for the past four years.

Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Recorder

"Music isn’t about the notes on the page, it’s about the feeling"

Doug studied Jazz at Humber College in Toronto. He has spent many years performing at home and abroad with bands around Canada and the U.S. During this time he has played a wide variety of musical styles including Blues, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Pop, Funk, Rhythm and Blues, Jazz and Classical music. Nowadays he performs closer to home and devotes his time to composition, recording, performing with his various Jazz and Blues groups and, of course, teaching, which he has enjoyed doing for the past fifteen years. Doug has been teaching that the Manotick School of Music for the past three years.

Guitar

"Lean your body forward slightly to support the guitar against your chest, for the poetry of the music should resound in your heart."

-Andres Segovia

Robert graduated from Cambrian’s Music Diploma program in Sudbury, Ontario with honors in 2006. He then furthered his studies at Carleton University graduating with a Bachelor in music. Robert specializes in playing classical guitar, but has extended his styles to folk, new age, jazz, fingerstyle and various styles of pop. He frequently performs and participates in festivals in Eastern Ontario.

Piano

"Playing the piano is a pleasure, especially for anyone with music on the brain."

For Julia, both music and school classes have always been equally important. By 17, she completed grade 10 piano studies with the Western Conservatory of Music — and after high school classes, she taught several of her music teacher's students. Julia played alto horn in the school band and a recorder at Carleton University where she majored in music and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree. Subsequent studies in fine arts at York University allowed more time to study music scores and the effect of music in movies. This past year Julia taught piano lessons again and discovered the thrill of making music all over again.

Guitar

"Music is something that is inside us all. It's a feeling that can be expressed in a great many ways."

Alex is a graduate from the music program at Carleton University. He is the first Manotick School of Music alumnus to return to teach at the school, having studied guitar with Gerry Latour and voice with Heather McKinley. Alex has experience in a wide variety of musical styles and ways of expressing music. He was selected as one of 3 Ontario artists to represent the province in the 2007 National Artist's Program at the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse.