Instructors

Tobias Meis – Double Bass

Tobias has been playing bass for over twenty years and teaching for six. He has made music his life and has a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Calgary. Throughout his career he has played a huge assortment of musical styles including jazz, folk, celtic, latin acoustic and electric projects. He has worked as a session recording artist on many albums, as a bassist in several symphonies, and has gigged in the Folk, Indie, and Jazz scene in Victoria and Calgary. As a teacher he enjoys including theory and harmony on the instrument while his students progress through learning tunes and technique on electric or acoustic bass. To find out more about him check him out at www.tobiasmeis.org.

Teacher Skills and Strengths: Student oriented teaching for any level, ability to teach any style, the BIG picture of bass playing; stand-up, electric, improvisation, tone, walking, theory groove…etc.

Terry Tufts – Guitar, Voice

Terry has been playing music since 1963 and began his career in music in 1974 as a singer-songwriter and guitarist. He has worked with many incredible artists such as Laura Smith, Ian Tamblyn, Tracey Brown, Tom Paxton, and our very own Kathryn Briggs, just to name a few. He has a total of nine recordings to his name and his love of music is reflected in his lessons.

Teacher Skills and Strengths: Fingerstyle guitar, playing by ear

Katy Maltby – Vocals

Katy started singing as soon as she could talk but her love affair with the art of voice began when she was 7. Singing in a local children’s choir, as well as musical productions held by Perth Musical Academy of Theater (Annie, West Side Story) she grew fonder of being on stage. This led her to solo work where she participated in local competitions like Valley Idol, Kanata Centrum Star Search and Stars on the Rise (held annually at the Ottawa Ex). And while enjoying the feeling of winning competitions felt great, her reason for competing was more about being able to share her gift while helping others discover their own gift for music. “It’s an indescribable feeling….”

Teacher Skills and Strengths: Making students feel as comfortable as possible, all the while encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone (“something I should have been taught long ago”); to introduce students to the true depth of how singing can touch every emotion within themselves, and those they choose to share their talent with

Harriet Lavoie – Piano

Harriet started playing piano at the age of 5 when her mom enrolled her in lessons after watching and hearing Harriet play around on her grandma’s piano. Today, her mom still has to listen to her. In high school Harriet was involved in the music department, and in grade 12 she was part of the band for the school’s production of /West Side Story/. At graduation she won the Musicianship Award. Since the age of 12 Harriet was taught by the amazing Kathryn Briggs. Kathryn’s belief of allowing students to play what they liked (a belief Harriet also follows) allowed Harriet to learn not only classical pieces, but also pop/country and movie selections. She is currently working on her university degree to become a teacher. When Harriet met Taylor Swift (yes, she really did meet Ms. Swift) she was certified by Taylor as being “so sweet.” Harriet enjoys showing students the joy music can bring to their lives, and watching students get excited about music.

AJ Shewchuk – Guitar

AJ has been involved with music since he could just barely walk. From kindermusic at the age of 3 to piano lessons at the age of 8 he only really became serious about his playing when he got into high school. At this time he also picked up the guitar so that he could jam with his friends. AJ’s taste in music has varied greatly over the years, and is open to many styles of music. His ultimate goal is to master the hammered dulcimer.
AJ is relatively new to teaching and is a part of Musicworks’ teacher mentor program. He takes a fun approach to teaching while still guiding his students to becomimg skilled, comfortable and versatile with their instrument.

Christa Lowry – Brass, Piano, Theory

Christa flirted with piano, flute and saxophone until, at the ripe age of 17, she found her calling as a trumpet player. She holds a Bachelor of Music from McGill and a double Masters Degree in Music from Laval University.

Although primarily a classical player, Christa is at home in the recording studio, and also plays in a Dixie band. She has performed with the symphonies in Ottawa, Gatineau, Kingston and Quebec City, as well as various ensembles in the Greater Toronto Area and has recently recorded for the Analekta label, TSN and CBC Radio.

Christa is a sought after teacher and clinician, working in both English and French. You’ll find her anywhere from the private studio, to cadet and summer camps to the university classroom, teaching you to toot your own horn!

Mike Martel – Drums, Guitar

As the son of Tom Martel, one of the area’s top drummers, Mike was surrounded by musicians from a very young age. Growing up with access to so many instruments and musical ideas, Mike discovered he had a passion for drums. Teaching himself the ways of rhythm, Mike soon after picked up the guitar. Still hungry for more and wanting to excel at all aspects of music, Mike joined the school choir. Playing and listening to all types of music, he now incorporates everything he learned over the years into his teaching. His influences include John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Zac Brown Band, Andy McKee, Don Ross, and The Eagles just to name a few.

Peter Kusters – Cello

Kathryn Briggs – School Director, Piano

Kathryn’s musical path began when she was seven years old, thanks to her best friend who was taking piano lessons at the time. From there, many teachers with diverse approaches shared with her their love of music with so much passion that she chose to begin teaching piano herself at the age of 18. In her late 20s, she began to compose works for the piano and recorded her first and only solo piano CD entitled “Small Awakenings” in 1999. Since then she has guested on many other artists’ albums and recorded and arranged the Christmas songs on David Francey’s “Carols For A Christmas Eve”. She has always left room for teaching in her musical life, because sharing her love of music and the piano is quite simply a part of who she is.

Teachers strengths: Being keenly aware of what interests students so they are motivated to learn….and enjoy!

George Turcotte – Drums, Mandolin, Dobro

George Turcotte is singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who fancies himself less of a master of any instrument but more of a guy who plays the song – and thereby reaches for whatever instrument would suit the song best, which is within his grasp. His strongest suit is the guitar,but he began his musical journey at age nine on drums. He has a solid understanding of music theory, and plays guitar, bass, drums, Dobro, mandolin, banjo & lap steel, and is passionate about songwriting and recording.

Peter Brown – Piano

Peter Brown has a reputation as one of the best keyboard players in the greater Ottawa area. Performing for the past 25 years, Peter is fluent in pop, jazz and blues styles. He has recorded CDs with Mumbo Jumbo Voodoo Combo, The Boppin’ Blues Band, Drew Nelson and singer/songwriter Elyssa Mahoney. Some of Peter’s exceptional original tunes appear on two of the Boppin’ Blues CDs, as well as the latest CD by Mumbo Jumbo Voodoo Combo.

A couple of Peter’s career highlights include opening for B.B. King and playing with former Rolling Stone, Mick Taylor on his Canadian tour in August 2003. In Spring 2008, Peter released a CD of his own material with The Peter Brown Trio (his partners in crime are Chris Breitner and T. Bruce Wittet) entitled “Franklin Street”. www.peterbrown.ca

Al Miller – Guitar

Award-winning singer/songwriter and guitarist, Al Miller is a well respected member of the Ottawa music scene. Al’s versatility spans rock, blues and R & B but his real love is Reggae.

Al has opened for such noted bands as The Valerie Capers Trio from New York, the Jamaican band Yellowman, The Band and Lorain Clawson among others. He’s played on the same bill as Bruce Cockburn and made several TV appearances on CJOH’s Mid-Day and Children’s Miracle Network Telethon. He was also featured at the Ottawa “Remember Bob Marley” shows held at Barrymore’s. www.millersgroove.com

Victor Maltby – Fiddle

Victor brings with him a wealth of teaching experience from all across the country. He’s been hooked on music since he was 3 when his grandfather gave him a violin. In high school, he took up the alto sax to learn something completely different. He’s played in numerous community bands, directed Bishop’s College School Choir in Lennoxville, played in a couple of symphonies in Sarnia and Guelph and currently plays with 3 bands in the area. Lucky us he still has time to fit lessons at Musicworks into his busy schedule!

Alex Vorobej – Piano, Voice, Brass

Alex eats, drinks and breathes music and has done so for over 50 years, starting at the young age of 3. As a young student, he walked away with many awards from various Ontario music festivals. He is extremely well studied in many instruments: piano, voice, woodwinds and brass. His background includes work with the Canadian Forces as Music Instructor and Music Chief Training Officer. He currently plays with both the Perth Citizens’ Band as well as the Stittsville Community Band.  Alex is also a former member of local bands, NORMANN and Saruman.

His strengths as a teacher are very much in the way he relates to his students as individuals and developing a two-way working relationship with them.

Teacher Skills and Strengths: Fun…don’t let him fool you though….he sneaks in a traditional approach to music in between the fun bits.

Sandra Vorobej – Piano, Clarinet, Saxophone

Surrounded by music her entire life, Sandra started playing seriously at the age of 10. Her first love is the clarinet which she plays with the Perth Citizens Band as first chair. She works with the Russell High School Concert Band in addition to teaching here at Musicworks.

Teacher Skills and Strengths: Eternal patience