Elizabeth's Music Studio

Brinley, Junior Piano Teacher

Brinley is a student teacher who enjoys working with students as they progress in their piano studies. Brinley first began her musical journey with Kindermusik™ as a young child. She then began taking piano lessons when she was 6 years old.

Qualifications & Experience

  • Completed Level 8 Piano with RCM in 2023 (first class honours)
  • Completed Level 8 Theory with RCM in 2023 (first class honours with distinction)
  • ORMTA Award of Recognition (2022)
  • Junior piano scholarship winner through KWKMF (2021)
  • Provincial delegate through the OMFA (2021)
  • Played in numerous music festivals and recitals
  • Volunteer piano coach since 2022
  • Teaching piano since 2023
  • Continuing to take piano lessons with the goal of eventually completing the ARCT through RCM

Goals

  • To help students develop a love for music while they grow in their piano playing abilities
  • To equip students with the tools they need to learn and master pieces
  • To create an environment where learning is fun for my students

Mentorship

Elizabeth is mentoring Brinley.

  • Brinley has been shadowing Elizabeth's private and group lessons since 2022.
  • Elizabeth and Brinley meet regularly to plan lessons, review student progress, and discuss teaching strategies.
  • Elizabeth will observe Brinley teaching all her students at least twice a year to provide guidance and feedback.

About Me

I am homeschooled and started learning piano at the age of six. I play the piano on a youth worship team at my church and sing in a homeschool choir. When I'm not playing the piano, I love to read, make cards, swim, and bike. I also enjoy spending time with family and friends.

Schedule/Availability

  • Brinley teaches on Thursdays.

Why Choose a Student Teacher?

For beginners, it is especially important to have an experienced teacher who will get them started on the right foundation. However, once students reach an intermediate level, as long as they have established good habits, often a junior teacher can do a great job helping them learn the music and progress through the intermediate stage.

It has been said that intermediate level students are the easiest to teach (because they have the basics down but their music is not too hard for the teacher to play); advanced students are the next easiest (they also have the basics down, but the teacher needs to have high level piano performance skills to teach them), and beginner students are the hardest to teach (because they require the most specialized knowledge from the teacher)! Therefore it makes sense for a beginning teacher to start by working with intermediate students.

I (Elizabeth) began teaching at a young age. At the time I did not have a lot of guidance; just a natural ability and love for teaching, and a role model in my own teachers. Looking back, I realize all the things I didn't know then and how I messed up some things with my students, and appreciate how my first students and their parents were so patient with me! I hope to provide the student teachers in my studio with a great introduction to teaching, so that they don't have to make as many mistakes with their first students as I did.

What are advantages for students of a student teacher?

  • More budget friendly!
  • Some children feel more comfortable and less intimidated by a young teacher.
  • Younger teachers often bring a new energy and excitement to teaching.
  • Student teachers who are still studying piano themselves are often able to relate to the learning process from both ends.