Faculty

Louise Hung

B.Mus. in Performance, UVic; MMus in Piano Performance and Pedagogy, UofT; ACP in Historical Keyboard Performance, UofT; ACCM, Conservatory Canada (Associate Performer)

Louise Hung’s first introduction to Classical music was hearing a rendition of Für Elise playing through the speakers of garbage trucks in Taiwan as an awe-struck baby. Now, she works to share the curiosity and wonder of music through her teaching and performing. Growing up in Coquitlam, BC and now studying in Toronto, she has won numerous scholarships and awards from festivals, solo and concerto competitions, and summer institutes. She completed her undergraduate degree in Piano Performance with Distinction at the University of Victoria under the tutelage of May Ling Kwok. She completed her MMus in Piano Performance and Pedagogy program at the University of Toronto; studying performance with Professor Marietta Orlov and pedagogy with Professor Midori Koga. Her areas of pedagogical research are the application of mental imagery and Baroque dance in piano education.

Louise has been awarded Conservatory Canada Medals of Excellence for piano studies, theory studies, history studies, and the Conservatory Canada Lynda Rehder Kennedy Medal of Excellence for the top exam marks in Canada. She has also worked with top pedagogues in both North America and Europe, including Robert Levin, Andrea Lucchesini, Jimmy Briere, Enrico Elisi, James Parker, Corey Hamm, Marc Pierre Toth, Ken Broadwood, and Ralph Markham, in masterclasses and summer institutes.

Louise performs as a soloist and collaborative musician in recitals, competitions, and festivals across Canada. She is a performer comfortable on both piano and harpsichord. A passionate advocate for “hip” (historically informed performance), she has studied with Colin Tilney and Tafelmusik’s Charlotte Nediger at UofT. She is a member of Cor Unum, a Toronto based Baroque ensemble for young emerging artists. Recent early music engagements include Opera Q, Tafelmusik Winter Institute, Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, Cor Unum Ensemble, and Theatre of Early Music.

Louise has been teaching piano, theory, and history since 2010. As a teacher, she works to nurture a student’s musicality, imagination, musical understanding, and physical comfort at the piano. She loves melding history, theory, performance practice and imagination into her lessons. She believes in tailoring her teaching style to suit each student’s search for their own unique way of musical expression.

Jessica Lee

Jessica Lee has actively performed solo and chamber repertoire in recitals, festivals and competitions. Jessica has been distinguished in numerous competitive festivals including the National Round of Canadian Music Competition. Her recent duo project with Pei-Chen Chen has had many successful debuts at international duo competitions. In 2018, they won Second Prize and Best Performance of Required Piece at North West International Piano Ensemble Competition, Honourable Mention at Ohio International Piano Duet and Duo Competition, and Third Prize at United States International Duo Piano Competition. She loves to share her passion for music with the community as she enjoys teaching piano and giving concerts at adult care centres.

Jessica studied piano under the tutelage of Edward J. Parker for seven years in Vancouver. At the age of seventeen and eighteen, she received both the ARCT Diplomas for Piano Performers and for Teachers. She pursued a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at the University of British Columbia where she studied with Mark Anderson and was rewarded with many scholarships and the Dean’s List. Jessica received her Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Toronto in 2017, studying with James Parker and Dr. Midori Koga.

Michael Lee

Michael Lee enjoys an active and wide-ranging musical career as both a solo and collaborative pianist. He has performed throughout North America and Europe, has given premieres of new works, studied at eminent music festivals and has worked as a répétiteur and music director for several opera productions. Recent activities include concerts around Ontario and throughout the southeastern US; performing as soloist with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra; and a recording project comprising major works written by BIPOC composers, generously funded by ArtsNL.

On top of his performing career, Michael is an equally passionate teacher dedicated to fostering a new generation of musicians. He has worked as an Instructor at the University of Toronto teaching both undergraduate students as well as students in the Piano Pedagogy Program, has been an adjudicator for music festivals, and has been involved in many outreach projects with the primary goal of disseminating classical music to youth in rural and underserved areas. Furthermore, he focused his doctoral dissertation research in a niche of educational psychology to explore strategies to maximize student potential.

Michael was born and raised in beautiful St. John’s, Newfoundland, a vibrant and bustling musical city on the eastern coast of Canada. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and a Master of Music in Piano Performance & Pedagogy, both from the University of Toronto. He completed his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he also received the University Medal of Excellence for graduating at the top of his class. He has received full scholarships for his studies at each institution.

His most important musical influences are Dr. Kristina Szutor and the late Marietta Orlov, both of whom have not only been infinitely caring, committed and demanding pedagogues, but also inspirational role models and unlimited sources of life wisdom.

Myrtle Millares

Myrtle D. Millares is a pianist who can’t get enough of school -- an Honours BA in Philosophy, Music History & Theory, French, and a Bachelor of Music degree. Michaela Credo, Karen Quinton, Janet Lopinski, Andrew Markow, James Anagnoson, and Boyanna Toyich nurtured her musicianship throughout. She is now in her final year of a PhD in Music Education (supervised by Dr. Lori-Anne Dolloff), complemented with studies in Piano Pedagogy and Performance (with Dr. Midori Koga), while teaching at her music studio and at the University of Toronto’s Children’s Piano Pedagogy Program. She has also been a faculty member at Toronto’s Regent Park School of Music, which is committed to providing affordable music opportunities to youth.

Myrtle’s experiences in the b-boy/b-girl community have inspired dissertation focus on the development of hip-hop artists in Toronto. Through narrative inquiry into artist identity construction, she seeks to inform music education pedagogy.

Her research, “Attention Span in the 5- to 7-Year-Old Music Student” was published in the April/May 2012 issue of the American Music Teacher. Another paper, “Towards a Pedagogy of Deviance” derived from her PhD research is in press with the Journal of Popular Music Education.

She is Co-Founder of Climate Pledge Collective, an organization that provides tools for individual action and activism to mitigate the effects of our climate emergency.

Johann Taylor

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Johann was first introduced to the piano in his early teenage years. Despite this late introduction, Johann’s passion and dedication to both music and the instrument has led to him earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Arts from the University of the West Indies where he received awards for his academic excellence. During his time in Trinidad, Johann worked with the Collaborative Music Schools in the Community Programme which was established by the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism to provide an opportune for youth development through music education. He then pursued and completed his Masters of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Toronto under the tutelage of Dr. Midori Koga.

Johann shares his passion for music through teaching a variety of students ranging from children to advanced amateur pianists. He aims to foster musical artistry in his students through bodily awareness, technique, and critical listening as they continue to develop their physical and intellectual expertise at the instrument.

Ivan Yeung

Ivan Yeung was introduced to the piano at the age of 4 but found his passion for music at 11 years old. Since then, Ivan advanced through the RCM Grades at a fast pace. He placed first in many music competitions and festivals such as the Scarborough Music Festival, Kiwanis Music Festival, Toronto Music Competition, Richmond Hill Music Festival, and Yip’s Music Festival. He also placed 3rd in the 2007 Canadian Music Competition for the category of 14 years and under, and also placed 4th in the 2009 Canadian Music Competition for the category of 18 years and under.

During the year of 2008, he was fortunate enough to be invited to the Vienna School of the Performing Arts where he performed a solo recital. In 2009 and 2010, Ivan was invited to the Officials Gathering at the Heintzman House as a solo pianist, performing in front of many important officials of the town such as the Mayor of Markham, Frank Scarpitti.

Ivan has taught in the University of Toronto’s Piano Pedagogy Program for the past 4 years. Recently, students of Ivan have placed in top 3 of various categories for the 2018 North York Festival and the 2018 and 2019 Kiwanis Music Festival. Ivan currently holds a Bachelor of Piano Performance degree and Master of Music degree in Piano Pedagogy both from the University of Toronto.

Jialiang Zhu

A native of China, Jialiang has been active in Toronto as a piano teacher and a performer since 2007. She is working in the University of Toronto Piano Pedagogy Program and formerly taught at the WizzKidz Music School. In 2014, she held keyboard improvisation workshops at the Yamaha Junior Original Composition Summer Camp for 68 students between the age of 7 to 14. The workshops were warmly received by both students and other faculties. An aspiring performer, she was the featured soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the York Chamber Ensemble. She won the 2018 University of Toronto DMA Recital Competition and the 2017 Gwendolyn Williams Koldofsky Prize in Accompanying. She co-founded the Bedford Trio with violinist Alessia Disimino and cellist Andrew Ascenzo. They are passionate about bringing music to a diverse audience. They have played for autistic youth and families as part of Xenia Concerts in Toronto, Ajax, and Ottawa, as well as various health care facilities in and around the GTA. Currently, Jialiang is pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree under the tutelage of Professor Lydia Wong at the University of Toronto where she also completed her Bachelor in Piano Performance and Masters in Piano Performance and Pedagogy with Professor Marietta Orlov.

Iris Hung

Iris Hung began studying piano at the age of five, after learning “Hot Cross Buns” (for two fingers) from her older sister. Since then, she has learned to use all her fingers and greatly expanded her repertoire, performing as a soloist and chamber musician across Canada and in the United States and Austria. Iris made her orchestral debut with the Victoria Conservatory of Music Orchestra and Pacific Opera conductor Timothy Vernon, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17. She received her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance (with distinction) from the University of Victoria on a full tuition scholarship and her Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Toronto.

Born and raised in the suburban woods of Coquitlam, British Columbia, Iris received many awards at local festivals and competitions, as well as recognition for piano, theory, and history exams. At the age of seven, she won her first Provincial Medal of Excellence from Conservatory Canada (awarded for the highest exam mark for grade one) and later won the National Medal of Excellence for grades 9 and 10 piano. While studying at the University of Victoria, under the dedicated care and expertise of Professor May Ling Kwok, Iris competed at the highest level at the BC Provincial Festival, for Senior and National Piano. In March 2018, as a winner of the University of Victoria Concerto Competition, Iris performed Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major with the UVic Orchestra.

Coupled with her love for travel and exploring, Iris has participated in summer programs at the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Adamant Music School in Vermont, and many others, and premiered new works and performed for underserved communities. While in Victoria and Austria, Iris delved into her lifelong love for Baroque music and historically informed performance, studying briefly with harpsichordist Colin Tilney, Steven Devine, and Florian Birsak.

Iris believes that making music is a powerful act of self-discovery and expression, and strives to instill a high level of integrity and a deep love for music in her students. With nearly a decade of teaching experience, Iris has nurtured students of all ages, levels, and abilities, from beginners as young as three years old, to undergraduate piano majors, many of whom received honours at local festivals and distinction for Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) exams. While at U of T, Iris studied the effectiveness of mind-body teaching methods, including Alexander Technique, on advanced pianists, and more recently, developed multi-modal listening activities for young piano students, drawing inspiration from the pedagogical schools of Kodaly, Dalcroze, Orff, and Yamaha. Recently, Iris began studies on Dispokenesis and neurophysiology in musician performance, health, and learning.

Nicole Agostino

Nicole Agostino completed her Bachelor of Music Degree at the University of Toronto, under the tutelage of Mia Bach, and received an Associate Degree (ARCT) in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She completed a Masters of Music Performance in Applied Music and Health Degree at the University of Toronto, complemented with studies in Piano Pedagogy, under the tutelage of Emily Chiang. She is privileged to have received private lessons under Belgium pianist, Evelyne Brancart.

Nicole has attended Canadian and international festivals including the Orford Music Academy, and the RomeSMARTS festival in Rome, Italy, performing in recital at the Conservatorio di Musica “Santa Cecilia”. She also participated in the Canadian Contemporary Showcase from 2014-2018, where she performed pieces by notable Canadian composers; exploring a colourful variety of pianistic expressions and technical interpretations. She was instructed by various distinguished pianists and adjudicators, including: Peter Longworth, John Burge, Christina Quilico, and Brett Kingsbury. She enjoys and aspires to continued attendance and performances of festivals and recitals.

She is a Royal Conservatory of Music Certified Teacher, and has been teaching since 2012, working with a variety of students of vast ages, levels, and goals. Nicole has experience teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with additional Sensory Processing Disorders and Speech Disorders. While adapting to students’ interests and needs, she is exceedingly dedicated to helping students achieve long-term goals; having had several of her students achieve First Class Honours on their RCM Practical examinations, and yearly participation in studio recitals. She is passionate about each of her students’ individualistic progressions, and delights in their growth as insightful and conscientious individuals. She is currently on teaching staff for the University of Toronto Piano Pedagogy Program, and is the owner of her private piano studio.

Through her Masters of Applied Music and Health Degree under the guidance of Dr. Corene Thaut, complemented with studies in Piano Pedagogy, Nicole’s experience lends itself to her ability to implement a variety of teaching methods to best suit her students. Ultimately, Nicole aims for her students to develop a healthy musical appetite for knowledge and growth. She strives to develop her students’ strengths while meeting their needs, and is devoted to guiding their growth as young musicians.

Mimi Ke

Mimi is a Toronto-based pianist, collaborator, and music educator. She enjoys working with students of all ages and believes in the joy of music making. Inspired by the pedagogical approaches of Orff, Kodály, Dalcroze, and Edwin Gordon, singing, movement, and play are always integrated into her lessons. Her teaching philosophy revolves around building a solid technical foundation from a young age, and at the same time fostering one’s musicality through creativity, imagination, and emotional connection.

In addition to her teaching, Mimi is also an active soloist and has performed in Italy, the USA, China, and Canada. As a participant in international summer music festivals including the RomeSMARTS program, Adamant Music School, and l’Académie orford musique, she has performed in masterclasses by John Perry, David Jalbert, and Orazio Maione, among others.

Mimi holds a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Toronto, under the tutelage of Dr. Midori Koga. Her principal teachers also include the late Prof. Boyanna Toyich, Dr. Adam Zukewicz, and concert pianist Li Wang. In addition, she holds an ARCT in Piano Performance from the RCM and a Bachelor of Education from OISE as part of the Concurrent Teacher Education Program, where she received a full-tuition scholarship and was named a University of Toronto Scholar.

– Maestro José Abreu

David Sullivan

David is a classical pianist with a strong interest in free improvisation. He graduated from York University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Specialist in Music. While at York University he not only continued his journey as a classical pianist but began his journey as an improviser, under the direction of educators Professor Casey Sokol and Matthew Brubeck.

In 2020 David graduated from the University of Toronto with a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy and Performance under the instruction of Professor Midori Koga. There he learned the importance of listening and reacting, both when performing and when teaching. The difference between a novice pianist and a professional pianist in part is their ability to listen to the piano and change their touch accordingly; similarly, the difference between a good teacher and great teacher is their ability to listen and observe students and change their teaching approach to match each particular student.

When teaching piano, it is essential to David that his students feel comfortable expressing themselves in the lesson. He believes that students learn best when they can comfortably share their thoughts, ask questions, participate in one-on-one discussions, and try new things; therefore, as a teacher, It is David’s goal to actively ensure his students have these advantages. By identifying how each individual student learns best, how they are motivated, and what they appreciate most in music David customizes lessons to suit the needs, interests, and learning styles of each individual student. He sees each and every student as a unique case and works to develop a lesson plan that suits their particular needs.