Mila Ionkova

Vocal teacher Mila Ionkova, Spinto Soprano, M.A., B.A. (Hons), is a highly accomplished musician having received her M.A. in Vocal Music Pedagogy, Certificate in Conducting, Teaching Certificate, and Diploma in Conducting Arts from the Academy of Music and Dance Arts, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria with more recent studies in education at York University, Toronto, Canada.

She has performed numerous operatic roles including most recently the title role in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera and as soprano soloist in Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.

Mila is an experienced teacher offering private lessons in voice, piano and theory.

Mila plays the oboe, piano, and is proficient in music theory, music aesthetics, voice, conducting, solfeggio, harmony, and polyphonic theory.

She is also fluent in English, Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek, and basic Russian, Serbian, Portuguese and Italian.

Derek Gray

Derek Gray - Hand Drumming

Course: Hand Drumming

At 22 years-old, Derek Gray has established himself as an up-and-coming drummer and percussionist on the Canadian music scene. In the spring of 2011, Derek completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Music Degree at Humber College where he studied with Mark Kelso. In addition, Derek played drums in the school’s flagship ensemble, the Humber Studio Jazz Ensemble, directed by Denny Christianson. As a member of this ensemble, Derek performed with legendary bassist Dave Holland in March 2011. In Toronto, Derek works extensively as a bandleader, composer, and sideman performing regularly with a variety of projects, including Tesseract, Gray Matter (a quintet that he co-leads with his brother, bass playerJustin Gray), and Monsoon (an Indo-Jazz ensemble).

In 2008, Derek founded the Hand Drumming in the Schools program in which he voluntarily travels to schools in the greater Toronto area and facilitates hand-drumming workshops for students of all ages. He also works as a drum circle facilitator with Soul Drums. In the summer of 2009, Derek travelled to Ghana to study traditional West African hand drumming, and over the course of two months, completed an Ethnomusicology course at University of Ghana. He also studied West African percussion with master drummers Kwasi Dunyo and Ledzi Agudzemegah in Dagbamete, a village in the Volta Region.

Over the past few years, Derek has received a number of awards, including Humber College's President's Medal for leadership, the Garfield Weston National Level Scholarship for leadership, the SABIAN Cymbals Award + Scholarship, the George McCrae Award for musical excellence, and the Principal’s Award for Student Leadership. In the spring of 2011, Derek was selected to participate in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency in Washington, DC. Working alongside talented young musicians/composers from around the world, this two-week long program culminated in performances on the Millenium Stage at the Kennedy Centre. Derek has studied privately with Steve Mancuso, Doug Sole, Dan Weiss, Jonathan Blake, Nate Smith and Larnell Lewis. He has had the opportunity to play in ensembles lead by Pat Labarbera, Brian Dickenson, Alex Dean, Ravi Naimpally, Waleed Abdulhamid, and Luis Mario Ochoa.

Peter Albis

Peter Albis, guitar teacher

Guitarist Peter Albis has been a professional musician for 30 years composing and performing in the classical, rock, jazz, latin and flamenco styles. He has extensive private teaching experience in individual and group instruction in theory and performance through the Continuing Education Programs of the Toronto District School Board and with private music schools. He is an affiliated teacher with The Royal Conservatory of Music. Peter has studied flamenco guitar with masters Julio Vallejo and Jose Chuscales, classical guitar with Dan Beckerman and John Perrone, and jazz guitar with Mike Roberts. He studied theory and harmony at The Royal Conservatory of Music. Peter works to create good communication with students and parents.

Course: Guitar

Cathy Lambert, piano


(check back for more about Cathy Lambert)

Course: Piano

When: Tuesday and Wednesday 4pm to 6pm

Evan Buckland, guitar

From a musical family, Evan began playing guitar in 1995, and has been studying privately with jazz guitarist and educator Gary Benson since 2000. Evan received the Departmental Music Award from W.A Porter Collegiate in 2002.  Evan completed the four year Humber College Jazz Studies program with honors in 2006. He has also completed the Royal Conservatory of Music requirements in Theory Rudiments and Basic Harmony (2009/2010). Evan continues to study, and to perform whenever possible.

Course: Guitar

Phyllis Coulter, piano

(check back for more about Phyllis Coulter)


Course: Piano

Braden Lovatt, piano


Brad Lovatt has been part of the Toronto music scene for many years, becoming a sought after keyboard/ vocalist and indispensable side musician for many groups. A musicians’ musician, Brad works full time as a musician. Brad moved to Toronto in 1981 from his hometown of Winnipeg after studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has worked with Kim Mitchell, Jeff Healey, Wayne Newton, Ralph Cole and Dan Clancy (Lighthouse), Greg Godovitz (Goddo), backed Jose Feliciano and has appeared on The Mike Bullard Show [w/Goddo]. 
He was the featured vocalist on jingles for Weetabix, Brio and Cam Motors, and has recorded background vocals for Canadian Idol. He worked with classic rockers Fludd. [ Cousin Mary, Turned 21, Get Up, Get Out, Move On], recently playing with Fludd on their ‘comeback’ CD FLUDD LIGHTS.
PRESS
"You are in my top 10 favourite keys players of all time."
Dr. Jingles, writer, reviewer. Canadian Rock, Toronto


Course: Piano

Jane Fair

Jane Fair, M of Music Education and coordinator of the program, is a jazz saxophonist and music educator. Teachers for the Rhythm Skills classes are accomplished professional artist/musicians whose artistic commitment includes sharing their expertise with young students.


 Course: Rhythm Skill Classes
Tuesday : half-hour slots from 4:30pm-6pm