The Octave Music Centre
Music School
The Octave Music Centre has been providing professional music lessons for Guelph, Ontario and surrounding areas for over 22 years. We offer lessons for Piano, Guitar, Bass, Voice, Drums, Violin, Viola, Ukulele, Flute, & much more!
Check out our instructors here:
Piano Instructors
Felicia Chaves
Felicia is a singer and multi-instrumentalist from Cambridge. She completed her Bachelor of Music Degree at Wilfrid Laurier University concentrating in Integrated Musical Arts where she completed courses and capstone projects involving songwriting, recording, and performance. Felicia has always had a passion for performing, and you can find her doing just that playing around Southern Ontario solo or with other various acts. She is thrilled to be part of the Octave Music team and pass on her passion for music!
Kevin Saltarelli
Kevin graduated from Wilfred Laurier University in 2005 with a B.A. (Hons) in Music Composition. While at Wilfred Laurier, Kevin studied piano performance with Dr. Jamie Parker and Dr. Heather Dawn Taves; composition with Dr. Peter Hatch, Linda Catlin Smith and Cam McKittrick; and improvisation with Dr. Glenn Buhr.
Since completing his studies, Kevin has developed a career as a music educator. With a heavy emphasis on creativity, he has directed youth bands and improvisation workshops in elementary schools and provides private instruction in piano, composition, theory, improvisation, songwriting, introductory guitar/bass, and electronic music.
Since 2015, Kevin has been the Music Director for Family and children's Services for the Waterloo region. This work has involved collaborations with various community partners and artists who work together to provide original programming which builds resilience for at-risk youth and families within the region.
Katerina Kolbas Rozmaring
Katerina Kolbas Rozmaring graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1998. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance. Katerina started her Music education at age of 8 and she won multiple competitions. In 1991 she won the national competition in Herceg Novi and in 1998 the concerto competition at Laurier University.
Katerina has performed as a principal flautist at the National Academy Orchestra in Hamilton, Ontario under the direction of Boris Brott in 2000. She has over 20 years of experience in teaching flute, piano and music theory. Katerina loves finding new methods of teaching individuals of all age groups and is constantly finding new techniques and strategies for her students to advance their progress and achievements. Katerina prepares her students for recitals, RCM exams, festivals and competitions where they can showcase their talents.
As an artist, Katerina is constantly inventing herself to new heights and perspectives and has a variety of interests. She loves abstract painting, photography, fashion, traveling, and astrology.
Justin Tang
Justin Tang's passion for music started at an early age, with piano lessons beginning at the age of five and saxophone starting at the age of ten. He went on to study piano with Dr. Michael Berkovsky and Dr. Marnie Van Weeldan, achieving his ARCT in Performance Diploma. He has won numerous awards and scholarships in and around the Greater Toronto Area. In addition, he was a provincial finalist for three consecutive years and has won the prestigious Alice Sloan Memorial Scholarship for both piano and saxophone.
Justin focuses on tailoring his lessons to each student's unique learning style and interests. He believes that learning music should be an enjoyable experience, and he works hard to create a fun and engaging learning environment. He loves helping his students discover the joy and fulfillment that music can bring.
Outside of music, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, exploring outdoors, trying out new restaurants, and watching movies.
Guitar Instructors
Kyle Wilson
Currently part of the band “Divine Curse”, Kyle Wilson has a great deal of experience from playing shows throughout Southern Ontario. He has been familiar with the guitar for over 14 years thanks to his father, Ken Wilson, who was the first to put the instrument in his hands when he was just 9 years old.
Kyle graduated from Metalworks Institute with a diploma in Audio Production & Engineering back in 2019, and has since carried on to put out an album on all streaming services with his bandmates.
Now currently producing the second album for his band, Kyle likes to spend a lot of his time recording and mixing music, aspiring to be an astounding audio engineer.
Inspirations include Synyster Gates, Marc Okubo, Michael Keene, and Oli Herbert. With his abilities mainly involved in Metal music, he contains an ear to teach his students the musical skills needed to pursue any style of music.
Chad Davidson
Chad first picked up a guitar at the age of 7 and has had an unending desire to play ever since.
With over 15 years of private lessons with some of the Guelph and the surrounding areas finest instructors (Jeremy Pink, Jason Raso and Stephen Richards) Chad has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to become a confident and well rounded guitar player.
Inspired by players such as Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Tosin Abasi, John Petrucci and Plini; Chad specializes in Classic Rock/Blues as well as Modern Metal but his knowledge does not stop there. Over the past few years Chad has spent time exploring different genres and styles including Classical, Jazz and Pop music. On top of this Chad has also spent years pushing himself into the world of extended range guitars as he feels right at home on both 6 and 7 string versions of the instrument.
As a guitar instructor, Chad's goal is to help his students discover the confidence within themselves to push them to become the guitar player that they want to be.
Dylan Ryche
Dylan Ryche is a composer and musician and the 2012 winner of the prestigious Canadian Fingerstyle Competition. Prominent guitar website FingersyleGuitarists.com has described Ryche as "... a compositional genius".
Taking inspiration from such diverse artists as Yes, Dream Theater, Journey, Don Ross and KISS, he has developed his own brand of melodic and dynamic fingerstyle guitar playing which was showcased on his acclaimed 2011 debut record aptly title "Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar".
He holds a music degree from the Box Hill College of Music in Melbourne, Australia, is a regular contributor to Fingerstyle360 magazine and has taught countless students - both in person at the studio and internationally via Skype and enjoys sharing the gift of music with others.
He can be found playing around Ontario solo and has shared the stage with such virtuosic musicians as Ewan Dobson, Maneli Jamal and Calum Graham.
For more information please visit www.DylanRyche.com
Greg Schwan
Greg's passion for music is expressed through his creative abilities as an active singer/songwriter with a strong interest in folk rock music. Holding weekly open mic nights at local pubs here in Guelph, he enjoys engaging and connecting with music lovers of all levels.
Greg began his musical journey with the bass in 2006, and quickly picked up the guitar closely thereafter and began training in audio production at Blackbird Studios in Nashville. Upon his return to Ontario, he entered the Applied Music Program at Mohawk College in Hamilton.
Greg enjoys music with his students in both a private and class setting, and founded the program "School of Roctave" with Octave Music where students focus on songwriting and improvisation.
Greg has a real world approach with his students, guiding them in a fun and exciting way to become self-sufficient in understanding composition and musicianship.
Voice Instructors
Felicia Chaves
Felicia is a singer and multi-instrumentalist from Cambridge. She completed her Bachelor of Music Degree at Wilfrid Laurier University concentrating in Integrated Musical Arts where she completed courses and capstone projects involving songwriting, recording, and performance. Felicia has always had a passion for performing, and you can find her doing just that playing around Southern Ontario solo or with other various acts. She is thrilled to be part of the Octave Music team and pass on her passion for music!
Emily Steers
Emily Steers is a soprano from Guelph Ontario. Having recently completed her MA in Community Music at Wilfrid Laurier University, she now enjoys teaching voice full time. With a background in classical voice pedagogy and rooted in community practice, she is a big believer in everyone's ability to sing, and helping people find their own authentic and healthy sound! Emily strives to make her studio space a welcoming and accessible place for anyone who wants to sing. She teaches classical, musical theatre, pop and folk.
Emily is an ardent fan and performer of new music, having recently premiered a solo chamber opera by Alexander Wright and co-founding the virtual musical workshop "Inside Voices". She is equally passionate about early music, co-founding the Rubrum Aurum early music trio in 2018 and touring the Maritime provinces in the spring of 2019. She has a diverse set of operatic performances under her belt, ranging from Mozart to Monteverdi to Janá?ek.
Recently, Emily has been honing her skills as a conductor, working with the Mount Allison Elliott Chorale, the Laurier Singers, and the chorus of Vera Causa Opera.
Emily is currently only teaching online.
Violin Instructors
Bardia Kian
Bardia is a new and promising violin instructor and performer. He is a 4th-year undergraduate music student at the University of Waterloo, with a focus on violin performance. He initially attended the university to pursue civil engineering, but he switched his major to music as he found his true passion in that field. Bardia plans on attending teacher’s college after graduating from the University of Waterloo. Since he has begun teaching violin lessons, he has realized his potential to work in education and music. He is so excited to be able to share his knowledge and enthusiasm for playing.
Bardia has an ever-increasing presence in local music. He has played with the University of Waterloo Symphony Orchestra for many seasons and plans to continue to do so until he graduates. He is also hoping to be a member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra one day. Bardia is always trying to improve his own playing, as well as teaching.
Now living in Guelph, he is looking forward to being a part of the violin community here. Bardia is a committed and enthusiastic teacher with a long future of working in music ahead of him.
Nora Pellerin
Nora Pellerin is an accomplished performer and teacher. She completed her undergraduate degree in violin performance at McGill University, followed by a Masters degree in violin performance at the University of Ottawa. She is also certified in the Suzuki teaching method for violin books 1 through 8. Versatile on the violin as well as the viola, she performed as concertmaster for the McGill University and the University of Ottawa Symphony Orchestras. She now lives in Guelph, and is active as a freelancer throughout Ontario. Nora performs with many orchestras, including the Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph symphonies. She was the principal second for the Georgian Bay Symphony for several years, and performed as a soloist with the orchestra. Chamber music is another passion of hers.
Nora has taught extensively in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Guelph, and at several music camps, including the Interprovincial Music Camp near Thunder Bay, the Thornhill Chamber Music Institute and at “Summer Music in Galway” in Galway, Ireland. She also has experience adjudicating for music festivals in Ontario. In addition to classical music, Nora is an experienced fiddler, and is active in the Ontario Métis fiddling community.
Drum Instructors
Kyle Briere
Kyle Briere (Smashkab) is a drummer hailing from Kitchener, Ontario. With a speciality on the more groovy end of rock & metal spectrum. He brings the hard hitting energy to his band: A Dallas Welcome. Kyle has also built an online community as Smashkab with Youtube Drum Cover Videos and Live Drumming on Twitch.
“I want to build a career out of music: Teaching, writing, recording, playing live shows in venues, playing live shows on live streams!.. any other way I can live and breath music”
Kyle also operates a recording studio out of his home in Kitchener and regularly records tracks for all manner of projects and songs but most notably the session drumming tracks he does himself. He is always releasing content either with a band or on a solo project.
Drum Technique Specialties -Back beat grooves -Double bass -Hi hat lift control -Snare ghost notes -Cymbal articulation -Anything that bops.
Bass Instructors
Dylan Ryche
Dylan Ryche is a composer and musician and the 2012 winner of the prestigious Canadian Fingerstyle Competition. Prominent guitar website FingersyleGuitarists.com has described Ryche as "... a compositional genius".
Taking inspiration from such diverse artists as Yes, Dream Theater, Journey, Don Ross and KISS, he has developed his own brand of melodic and dynamic fingerstyle guitar playing which was showcased on his acclaimed 2011 debut record aptly title "Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar".
He holds a music degree from the Box Hill College of Music in Melbourne, Australia, is a regular contributor to Fingerstyle360 magazine and has taught countless students - both in person at the studio and internationally via Skype and enjoys sharing the gift of music with others.
He can be found playing around Ontario solo and has shared the stage with such virtuosic musicians as Ewan Dobson, Maneli Jamal and Calum Graham.
For more information please visit www.DylanRyche.com
Greg Schwan
Greg's passion for music is expressed through his creative abilities as an active singer/songwriter with a strong interest in folk rock music. Holding weekly open mic nights at local pubs here in Guelph, he enjoys engaging and connecting with music lovers of all levels.
Greg began his musical journey with the bass in 2006, and quickly picked up the guitar closely thereafter and began training in audio production at Blackbird Studios in Nashville. Upon his return to Ontario, he entered the Applied Music Program at Mohawk College in Hamilton.
Greg enjoys music with his students in both a private and class setting, and founded the program "School of Roctave" with Octave Music where students focus on songwriting and improvisation.
Greg has a real world approach with his students, guiding them in a fun and exciting way to become self-sufficient in understanding composition and musicianship.
Ukulele Instructors
Dylan Ryche
Dylan Ryche is a composer and musician and the 2012 winner of the prestigious Canadian Fingerstyle Competition. Prominent guitar website FingersyleGuitarists.com has described Ryche as "... a compositional genius".
Taking inspiration from such diverse artists as Yes, Dream Theater, Journey, Don Ross and KISS, he has developed his own brand of melodic and dynamic fingerstyle guitar playing which was showcased on his acclaimed 2011 debut record aptly title "Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar".
He holds a music degree from the Box Hill College of Music in Melbourne, Australia, is a regular contributor to Fingerstyle360 magazine and has taught countless students - both in person at the studio and internationally via Skype and enjoys sharing the gift of music with others.
He can be found playing around Ontario solo and has shared the stage with such virtuosic musicians as Ewan Dobson, Maneli Jamal and Calum Graham.
For more information please visit www.DylanRyche.com
Flute Instructors
Valerie Bradford
Valerie Bradford holds a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario. She also studied with Nora Shulman, while Ms.Shulman was Principal Flutist of The Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Valerie has played in Symphony Orchestras in Sudbury, North Bay, and Sault Ste. Marie. Valerie has over 30 years of experience teaching flute and holds Suzuki Flute Teaching Certificates through Book VI.
She has taught students from ages 4 to 84 and enjoys preparing them for recitals, festivals, and RCM examinations. Since moving to Guelph, Valerie has played in The Guelph Concert Band, New Horizons Band, and Renaissance School of the Arts Flute Choir.
She also loves to travel.
Katerina Kolbas Rozmaring
Katerina Kolbas Rozmaring graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1998. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance. Katerina started her Music education at age of 8 and she won multiple competitions. In 1991 she won the national competition in Herceg Novi and in 1998 the concerto competition at Laurier University.
Katerina has performed as a principal flautist at the National Academy Orchestra in Hamilton, Ontario under the direction of Boris Brott in 2000. She has over 20 years of experience in teaching flute, piano and music theory. Katerina loves finding new methods of teaching individuals of all age groups and is constantly finding new techniques and strategies for her students to advance their progress and achievements. Katerina prepares her students for recitals, RCM exams, festivals and competitions where they can showcase their talents.
As an artist, Katerina is constantly inventing herself to new heights and perspectives and has a variety of interests. She loves abstract painting, photography, fashion, traveling, and astrology.
Viola Instructors
Nora Pellerin
Nora Pellerin is an accomplished performer and teacher. She completed her undergraduate degree in violin performance at McGill University, followed by a Masters degree in violin performance at the University of Ottawa. She is also certified in the Suzuki teaching method for violin books 1 through 8. Versatile on the violin as well as the viola, she performed as concertmaster for the McGill University and the University of Ottawa Symphony Orchestras. She now lives in Guelph, and is active as a freelancer throughout Ontario. Nora performs with many orchestras, including the Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph symphonies. She was the principal second for the Georgian Bay Symphony for several years, and performed as a soloist with the orchestra. Chamber music is another passion of hers.
Nora has taught extensively in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Guelph, and at several music camps, including the Interprovincial Music Camp near Thunder Bay, the Thornhill Chamber Music Institute and at “Summer Music in Galway” in Galway, Ireland. She also has experience adjudicating for music festivals in Ontario. In addition to classical music, Nora is an experienced fiddler, and is active in the Ontario Métis fiddling community.
YOUR ONE-STOP MUSIC SHOP SINCE 2002! RETAIL & ONLINE STORE .
CONTACT US
- The Octave Music Centre Inc.
- 218A Victoria Rd. S. Guelph, ON
- 519-836-8492
- sales@theoctavemc.com
- www.theoctavemc.com
lessons@theoctavemc.com
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Your One-Stop Music Shop Since 2002 .
Serving Guelph Ontario and Surrounding Areas
Retail and Online Store . Pianos . Guitars . Music Lessons . Books . Accessories . Instrument Repairs .
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